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{{Draft}} [[ES:Milodón]]{{Trekking ChileIndexed}} {{Rutas Patrimoniales english}} ==Season== {{RutaForme|Actividad==Location== Chile Path’s Heritage Route “Milodón:Patagonia in the foothill of the Painemassif” locates immediately to the south of thelarge massif of El Paine, going throughwest costs of Porteño Lake and Toro Lakeuntil the Serrano River, in the east end ofCampo de Hielo Sur. At 47 kilometers tothe north of the city of Puerto Natales, nextto Milodón cave, the start of this heritageroute, is the door of the south access toTorres del Paine National Park, parallel tothe new vehicular road, an alternative forhiking lovers who want to directly knowaustral landscapes and most outstandingguideposts of this heritage route.Trekking

|País=Chile|CiudadesChile=AccessPuerto Natales|BellezaEscenica=Mediana|Atractivos= Vistas panorámicas, Formación Geológica|Duracion=2 díasAlgo Exigente

|ComparteIdayRetorno=Cruce|Latitud1=-51,441639|Longitud1=-72,748650|Distancia=0 |MetrosAscenso=|MetrosDescenso=|Comentarios distancia=|AltitudMedia=|Primer Autor=Rutas Patrimoniales|Imágen Principal=Milodon-g4.jpg|KMLZ=Milodon.kmz|ComentariosMapa=Trekking ruta Milodón {{aportar track}}|ComparteIdayRetorno=Ida y Retorno por la misma ruta|TipoDeMap=HYBRID}} ==Season== From November to March. [[File:Milodon-g3.jpg|thumb|400px|right]][[File:Milodon-g2.jpg|thumb|400px|right]][[File:Milodon-g1.jpg|thumb|400px|right]][[File:Milodon-g5.jpg|thumb|400px|right]]  ==Location== Chile Paths Heritage Route Milodón: Patagonia in the foothill of the Paine massif locates immediately to the south of the large massif of El Paine, going through west costs of Porteño Lake and Toro Lake until the Serrano River, in the east end of Campo de Hielo Sur. At 47 kilometers to the north of the city of Puerto Natales, next to Milodón cave, the start of this heritage route, is the door of the south access to Torres del Paine National Park, parallel to the new vehicular road, an alternative for hiking lovers who want to directly know austral landscapes and most outstanding guideposts of this heritage route.<br> ==Access== To access the route from Puerto Natales, take the route to Cerro Castillo continuing by this way for 17 kilometers of the paved road, where you will find the vehicular access to the west towards the Milodón cave. Continue by this second way for 9 kilometers and you will arrive to CONAFs ( National Forestal Corporation ) information and administration center which is the access to the Natural Monument of Milodon Cave with 189 hectares. Continue for another 20 kilometers by the main road. At 600 meters to north direction from the limit between the district of Natales and Torres del Paine, by the west side of the route, you will arrive to the parking lot and start of this route.<br> To Magellan's region and Antarctic Chilean one can accede terrestrial route, airway and sea route. The flights arrive from Santiago, the capital of Chile and Port Montt at the Punta Arenas city. The terrestrial access is realized crossing the Argentine territory, existing five frontier(opposite) qualified steps: Monte Aymond, Rio Don Guillermo, Casas Viejas, Dorotea and San Sebastián (in Tierra del Fuego). The maritime access is realized across the Patagonian channels from the city of Port Montt. A detail of these diverse accesses you can consult in www.sernatur.cl and / or www.patagonia- chile.com.<br>===By car===

This Topoguide is an essential aid foranybody who wants to travel thisHeritage Route, since it helps user tolink signs on the route to literature,maps, and images contained in theTopoguide for each segment of thetour.The route is made up by 26 dulysignaled Guideposts of heritageinterest. For better orientation,duration of the tour andunderstanding by visitors, interestingspots have been divided into fourindependent segments.Signs used in this route are dividedinto four types according to theirfunctions:Marker post indicating a guidepostof interest,Marker post of rout continuity,Welcome sign andInterpretative panel<br>

==General description== Chile Path’s Heritage Route “Milodón: Patagonia Signs used in the foothill of the Paine massif” is one of themost extraordinary alternatives for walking and trekking fans, who do not want to visit Torresdel Paine National Park only by its new south access, but also typical austral latitude ecosystemsperfectly complemented by a wide range of panoramic views of one of the most interestingzones of Chilean Patagonia – Paine cordillera.This this route is opened are divided into four types according to walking and ecotourism fans thanks to the contribution made by theMinistry of National Property through its Heritage Routes program and its regional Secretariatof Magallanes, from Chile Path program, coordinated by National Environment Commission,the Chilean Army, Province Government of Natales, that with their professionals and supportstaff have not only allowed to provide pedestrian access to such an emblematic site as Torresdel Paine National Park, but also make this guide available to all the citizens, allowing to travelthe route safely and informed.This is a 45 kilometer walk by the border of Porteño and Toro lakes, crossing an endless numberof rivulets, woods, and prairies until getting to Serrano river. Follow by a track parallel to thevehicle road that will allow you to access to Torres del Paine National Park -, wold’s biospherereservation - from the south. This route is an invitation to trekking over Patagonia, next to publicroads.This tour comprises at least three days of moderate speed walk, not only to travel safe and savetime enough to watch natural life and landscapes that will be discovered over the tour, but alsofor the existence of determined camping sites.functions:<br>

==General description== This Chile Path’s Heritage Route startssouth Porteño lake, at the austral endof the District of Torres del Paine. Overits layout, parallel to the public road,you will visit 26 Guideposts ofheritage interest along the 45kilometer track connected to theobservation of flora and fauna, waterstreams and bodies, and strategicpoints as natural miradors providingthe most splendid south panoramicviews of Paine cordillera and Campode Hielo Sur glaciers, such as Grey andTyndall, with their adjacent lakes andrivers.<br> The path has been divided into foursegments:<br> 1.Start to Ventisquero River2.Ventisquero river to Rincón river3.Rincón river to El Salto river4.El Salto river to Serrano riverThe first segment is born by“humedales” (Riparian habitats) atthe beginning of the route, and endsat Ventisquero river. This is aninteresting tour for watching wild lifeoriented to a general audience, withno difficulties whatsoever, exceptclimbing fences, which have beenprovided with structures allowing toovercome them easier, representinga 6 kilometer extension, andincluding 5 Guideposts of interest.<br> The second segment starts inVentisquero river and ends in ElRincón river. This is a special segmentfor wild life watching, but also to visita number of miradors of Porteño andToro lakes, as well as to observe somany Macizo del Paine tops. Thissegment provides 14 kilometers of track and includes 7 Guideposts ofinterest for an audience morespecialized in long walks, with nodifficulty whatsoever.<br> The third segment starts in Rincónriver and ends in El Salto river. Itcorresponds to a 7.2 km segmentallowing to arrive to the service areaby El Salto river, an ideal site to spendthe night and keep walking the dayafter.<br> Fourth segment starts in El Salto riverand ends in Serrano river valley. Thisis the segment having the highestnumber of natural miradors inMacizo del Paine (Paine MountainRange), and is the longest segmentof the route with its 15 kilometer tour.For a specialized audience in walkson rough terrain and exposed tostrong winds, this is an interestingchance to travel vicinities of Campode Hielo Patagónico Sur, with 10Guideposts of interest.<br> ==Route description== This Chile Path’s Heritage Route starts south Porteño lake, at the austral end of the District of Torres del Paine. Over its layout, parallel to the public road, you will visit 26 Guideposts of heritage interest along the 45 kilometer track connected to the observation of flora and fauna, water streams and bodies, and strategic points as natural miradors providing the most splendid south panoramic views of Paine cordillera and Campo de Hielo Sur glaciers, such as Grey and Tyndall, with their adjacent lakes and rivers. The path has been divided into four segments: 1.Start to Ventisquero River 2.Ventisquero river to Rincón river 3.Rincón river to El Salto river 4.El Salto river to Serrano river The first segment is born by “humedales” (Riparian habitats) at the beginning of the route, and ends at Ventisquero river. This is an interesting tour for watching wild life oriented to a general audience, with no difficulties whatsoever, except climbing fences, which have been provided with structures allowing to overcome them easier, representing a 6 kilometer extension, and including 5 Guideposts of interest. The second segment starts in Ventisquero river and ends in El Rincón river. This is a special segment for wild life watching, but also to visit a number of miradors of Porteño and Toro lakes, as well as to observe so many Macizo del Paine tops. This segment provides 14 kilometers of track and includes 7 Guideposts of interest for an audience more specialized in long walks, with no difficulty whatsoever. The third segment starts in Rincón river and ends in El Salto river. It corresponds to a 7.2 km segment allowing to arrive to the service area by El Salto river, an ideal site to spend the night and keep walking the day after. Fourth segment starts in El Salto river and ends in Serrano river valley. This is the segment having the highest number of natural miradors in Macizo del Paine (Paine Mountain Range), and is the longest segment of the route with its 15 kilometer tour. For a specialized audience in walks on rough terrain and exposed to strong winds, this is an interesting chance to travel vicinities of Campo de Hielo Patagónico Sur, with 10 Guideposts of interest.

This Heritage Route starts afterleaving public road in a site allowingto cross a fence parallel to the road.There, you will see a welcome sign.'''Start walking by an interesting“Ñirres” forest (Nothofagusantarctica), intermingled withbeautiful Calafates (MagellanBarberry - Berberis buxifolia), atypical specie of Magallanes region.By 1895, a German settler, HermannEberhard, who lived near PuertoNatales, found in these valleys somepieces of skin of an animal that wasthen unknown, the Milodón(Mylodón darwinii listai). Thisherbivore mammal, of the genus ofthe gound-sloths, similar to a bigbear, was twice as tall as a humanbeing. Reasons of this mammalextinction, 10 to 13 thousands ofyears ago, are not yet clear, beingpossibly due to hunting by the firstmen who lived in the zone, and toclimate changes that alteredvegetation cover of these valleys.Leaving Milodón steps behind, youwill follow by a well defined track,passing by the north-east bank of ariparian habitat. This is where youwill find a beautiful mirador of thiswetland, a recurrent formation indepressions formed after glacialrecession, and where you may see adense cover of southern bulrush(Scirpus californicus) and drycypresses in its surroundings. We areat Guidepost Nr. 2.Southern bulrush, pertaining to theCyperacean family, develops inwater-saturated environments. Thisis a perennial specie, with a veryrobust underground stem allowing itto be anchored to the wetlanddeveloping a net from which longgreen cylindrical air stems sprout. Atthe stem end, they produce a littlebrown ear eaten by birds, while stalkswere used in the past to manufacturemats.From Guidepost Nr. 2, keep going for1.2 kilometers by the border of theriparian habitat at a short distanceby open lands. A small Ventisquero river will be'''<br>flowing by your left, with a shrubbywood in some places, until reachinga fence, that you will have to cross*Distance: 6 km. A<br>flat land of prairies starts here,connected to an old ranch fromwhich you may still obtain, at a longdistance and in good weather, thefirst views of Macizo del Paine, as wellas evident signs of humanintervention in the valleys.After crossing the access road to abooth you will see to your left, travelaround 800 meters of a soft ascensionbound to the north-west until arrivingto Guidepost Nr. *Walking time: 3, by a little rivulet,obtaining panoramic views of theunnamed lagoon of “Vega Casola” tothe east, an interesting water body,where you can observe black-neckedswanshours.<br>At Guidepost Nr. 3, in addition *Season: November to restfor a while, you can see the ”chilco”(Fuchsia magellanica), a trulybeautiful flower specie usuallygrowing along water streams. This isan up to 3 meter high perennial shrubrequiring wet soils, rich in organicmatter, properly drained and withatmospheric humidity.Its flashy and abundant deep redflowers may be seen from mid springto the autumn.From guidepost number 3, followahead a short distance until a roadbifurcation. In this area, payattention to the main trail, becausea frequent animal crossing hadcreate multiple trails.. Go to the left and, a few steps ahead,you will start going down by thehillside and cross a rivulet, where youcan observe old Magellan Coigue(Nothofagus betuloides). Werecommend you to stop here,Guidepost Nr. 4, for a while and takea rest in the shadow of these beautifultrees.Magellan coigüe is a sub-Antarcticwood endemic specie which is veryresistant to climate factors, such as,rain, wind and snow. It grows fromValdivia to cape Horn with sizes of upto 25 meters high, of straight trunkand twisted branches. It flowers inspring time and its small nut-shapedfruits ripen at the end of the summer.Its light-colored wood is usually ofvery good quality and resistant,characteristics that make itappropriate to be used inconstruction and furniture-making,however, further to the north, in theselatitudes, it is not considered as good.“Digueñes” (cup-fungi), also called“Quireñes” (Cyttaria spp.,discomycetes) grow on theirbranches on other Nothofagusspecies’ branches too. They aresphere-shaped and orange-coloredparasite fungi that dominate upperwood strip and ripen on August,September, and October.They have historically been eaten rawand have been used to manufacturechicha. However, one must be carefulsince those growing on Coigue catchan unpleasant flavor and may be alittle toxic. Little is known on thisfungus in spite of its consumption.Some studies have revealed thepresence of compounds with anti-tumoral properties in Digueñes.Continuing the tour from GuidepostNr. 4, pass by the sector having a lessdefined track, a little flooded withrain, around 170 meters until arrivingto a fence, that you will have to cross.From this crossing, follow to the left,slightly climbing up by hillside, beingat all times able to see typical wetenvironment vegetation by the cleartrack, such as, Nalcas (Gunnerascombro), in an adult Coigue wood.Few meters ahead, you will leave thewood and start travelling by themountain side. These are open landsmostly dominated by chauras(Pernettya mucronata) andcalafates (Berberis buxifolia).Keeping elevation by the main track,you will observe in this segment of thetour wide panoramic views of thevalley, of Porteño lake, and of suchriparian habitats from the start of theroute.Pay attention. After going down thehillside, observe to the left interestingwitnesses of glacial erosion in rockywalls, denoted by furrows created byice flowing in ancient times.Once you are back in flat lands, passby a flooded soil sector, continuingthen parallel to public road untilcrossing a fence again. From this lastcrossing, consider 800 meters of tourto the north-west until seeing abeautiful waterfall to your left,connected to Ventisquero river. Fewmeters later, and heading to the east,you will arrive to a camping zone andpublic road, after which you will crossthis river by a vehicle bridge,Guidepost Nr 5.This place, besides its resting role,have an importance, because it is oneof the best know Cerro Tenerife’s andCordillera Prat access point. The CerroTenerife zone represents one of themost important area for the tourismdevelopment, basically, ought to thegreat number of mountain activitiesthat it is possible to practice in thatspace.march<br>

<span style===Second Segment==="color:red">Walk by well delimitated path in the western sector of the Sofia lake, on lands with woods and prairies, flat to slightly inclined.

Immediately after passing by thevehicle bridge allowing to crossVentisquero river, cross the fence,always following the track by thewestern strip, parallel to the publicroad. Start of this second segment issignaled and identified with aninterpretative table. The track is hererelatively close to the vehicle roadand usually corresponds to muddylands, although – as you may see –works have been done to make thetour easier. Heading north, you willget to a clear strip among a densewood until arriving to a rustic gate.Here, you may see a typical Liquen ofNothofagus woods, the so[[File:Milodon-calledbeard of mount beard (Usneabarbata), which is used to dye wooland for its antibiotic propertiestramo1a.After passing the rustic gate, headnorth around 500 meters untilarriving to some prairies wherebeautiful views of Macizo del Painemay be seen in sunny days. By a littlepond, you will find Guidepost Nr. 6,the first mirador of this route,providing majestic views of thismountain range.Macizo del Paine (Paine MountainRange) is a mountain rangedominated by granite towers and bythe grandiose Paine Grande, toppedby glaciers and surrounded byemerald, turquoise, and deep blue-colored lakes,. Surrounding area hasbeen designated World BiosphereReserve, as well as being a NationalPark.Cerro Paine Grande (that stands for“blue” in Tehuelche language), with3,050 m.a.s.l., is the highest hill in theProvince of Ultima Esperanza. Its firstascension was in 1957 by thelegendary Italian expedition led byGuido Monzino, and the second wasonly in year 2000, by the ItalianRolando Garibotti and the FrenchBruno Sourac.From Guidepost Nr. 6, keep going foraround 1,000 meters by the road untilarriving to the access road to theranch, where you will have to crossthe wooden fence. Then, continue tothe north crossing another fence andfollow a well defined track by openlands, dominated by dense chaurasand calafates. You will start seeingPorteño lake waters immediately tothe east until finding a small rivulet,corresponding to Guidepost Nr. 7, anideal site to obtain a generalpanoramic view of this lagoon waterbody and of typical Patagonianflower species, such as, notro(Embothrium coccineum).Just like coigüe, notro is endemic fromsub-Antarctic woods. It grows insandy, stony and wet soils, from thesea level to 400 m.a.s.l. in theselatitudes. It is a perennial tree of flashylight red asymmetric, tube-shaped,and long leaves. In other countries, itis called “Fire Bush” due to itsflowering, which takes place in Chilefrom September to January. Its fruit,a woody follicle, is open when ripenin autumn.Pale pink-colored wood has a veinwhich is very appreciated in furniture-making industry. Both its bark andleaves are believed to have medicinalproperties to cure dental neuralgiaand improve wound healing. Notroleaf and bark infusion to which asugar-coated red-hot coal is addedheals stomach ache.From Guidepost Nr. 7, walk around thehillside by a clear track while you willencounter big fallen trunks, themanifestation of old fires thatdestroyed virgin woods which coveredmost of these lands.1.2 kilometers to the north, aftercrossing a small water stream, you willfind a rivulet coming from a waterfallthat may be observed around 300meters to the west. This stream, justlike other small rivulets, disappearsduring dry periods, reason why watershould be taken only from rivers orstreams mentioned in this guide.As well as watching Tenerife hill at thesouth-west sector, by the rivuletmentioned above, we recommend tostop for a while to rest and admirenative flora existing in this site,Guidepost Nr. 8.We can mention Magellan Barberrytypical character and color beauty.This is a 2 to 3 meter high thornyshrub that grows in open lands onthe banks of water courses and inwood borders. It has a typical yellowflower and provided eatable brightblack-colored berries, mostly used infine marmalades, jellies and syrups,as well as having a natural coloringagent used in food industry. Popularmedicine attributes healingproperties to this specie, such as,antidiarrheal and antiseptic.Leaving Guidepost Nr 8 behind, awide panoramic view of Porteño lakeappears a few meters later. Be carefulto travel by the main track, which lessfrom 1 kilometer from previousguidepost, goes down the hillsideuntil arriving to the valley at the levelof Porteño lake, always parallel to thevehicle road heading north.You will get to a quite stream afterpassing by an old fence, which isanother alternative to take a breakin this walk and admire Tenerife hill,of 1,670 m.a.s.l., providing - with itsconic shape - to those who climb itup panoramic views to Campo deHielo Patagónico Sur, PaineCordillera, Prat Cordillera, and anumber of surrounding lakes andwoods.It was named out of the first Spanishsettlers (Casola and San RománFamilies) who arrived to the sectorfrom Canary Islands, among which isTenerife.Its first ascension goes back to 1937by the Argentinean Andes mountainclimber from Santa Fe, Dr. GustavoA. Foster. Many climbers have beenthere since then, among whom wecan particularly mention themountain climbers Italian engineerswho worked in the installation ofCoal Deposit Río Turbio by the ‘50s.Following the path you will arrive toguidepost 9. Here you will find thevehicle road, which you should takefor force majeure reasons. Continuethrough this way with precautionand always by its left sidewalk forapproximately 1,000 m to north untilyou take the path again. The roadyou are currently walking through isa recent work and was constructedto decrease distances between thecity of Puerto Natales and the Torresdel Paine National Park by theMilitary Corp of Work, a unit ofengineers and technicians of theArmy of Chile. These men haveworked even under very roughweather conditions to construct thisroad and facilitate access of peopleto these so important naturalscenarios throughout the world.In order of identify, our return to thetrail, at the left you will find signs anda ladder on a fence. Forapproximately 1,000 m you willcontinue parallel to road and at a fewmeters thereof you will go insidethrough hillsides and streams ofthese small hills with northeastdirection. We are getting close toGuidepost Nr 10.When you go inside through thesmall stream that allows crossingthese hills at your left you will see thatsurrounding hillsides are veryirregular. Originated fromsedimentary rocks (rocks formingfrom pieces and materials, mineralsand organic elements, coming fromdecomposition and deposit of othermaterials), these hills haveexperienced a series of fractures,overturns and slidings of large blocksof rocks forming them from high tolow zones. The above has generateda stepped and abrupt landscape withzones of diverse vegetationdevelopment: ripe forests, youngforests, thickets, only prairie andareas with naked rock. When leavingthe stream, you will have a splendidview of the Tenerife hill and asbackground Macizo del Paine to thenorth. We are in Guidepost Nr 10.During the next 1,500 m,approximately, you should climb andgo down slopes between coigües,ñirres (Nothofagus antarctica),Chaura (Gaultheria mucrata) andsome Notros. In this part, path is clear,you can walk safe. While you keepwalking, you will find a small brook.Refill your canteen, since you will notfind water until you arrive to RincónRiver, approximately at about 3,000meters ahead.Continuing with the tour, the pathpasses by a zone with a thinvegetable layer, with the presenceñirres (Nothofagus antarctica),Notro (Embothrium coccineum)and coigüe (Nothofagusbetuloides) young forests. Go aheadand you will find a beautiful and littlewetland with a pond in its center.Good view to Tenerife hill (1,670m.a.s.l.) and of some tourism cabinslocated by El Rincón river outlet.Porteño lake will always flow to yourjpg|thumb|500px|right and – as a background – highest]]peaks of Macizo del Paine which maybe seen over near hills.Following the path, you will startclimbing down until arriving to aplace where track changes itsdirection dramatically bound to theWest. A segment of permanentclimbing up is here showing its firstsigns.30 meters later, you will find a table-shaped rock with its 5 meter inclinedcover, that you will have to cross afterclimbing up one step. The path, thatis in general wide and well defined inthis sector, will make you climb foraround 150 meters until findingyourself soon within an adult andhealthy forest surrounded by ñirresand Coigues. You will have to pass bytwo natural stairs in the next 200meters, and walk now by a soft, butdry surface. Helechos and someCoicopihues (Philesia magellanica)will start showing up. Your attentionwill also be caught by a robust coigüe(Nothofagus betuloides) with over ameter diameter. Now, path gradientis higher and is zigzagging in such away that you will find yourselfheading south more than once. Youwill be joined by beautiful tall shrubsby both sides of the route, amongwhich we can mention[[File: siete camisas(Escallonia rubra), calafates(Berberis buxifolia), romerillo(Chiliotrichum diffusum), andchauras (Pernettya mucronata).Walking now by flat land, you willfind a continuity marker post, havingPorteño lake to your right. Thisaround 20 km² lake, discharges itswater into Maravilla lake, a waterbody that cannot be seen from thisroute.Looking to the north, you may watchPorteño lake final portion by theisthmus that separates it from Torolake. This sector gives rise to Peninsuladel Toro, a wide section of “ElComplejo” Ranch, with over 5,000hectares of unmatchable cattleMilodon-breeding and tourism aptitudetramo1b. Notethat this ranch houses is a fewMayten forest (Maytenus boaria) inMagallanes Region.The path is always wide and welldefined, making you easier todistinguish between a track amongthe little wood and the shrubs. Afterwalking another 200 meters, pathsurface becomes softer for beingmade up leaf dirt. Then, you will startwalking up by rocky ground and bysharp naked rock during severalsegments. 100 meters ahead, you willfind the highest point andunmatchable natural Atalaya withbeautiful panoramic views,corresponding to Guidepost Nr. 11.Now, you may appreciate themajestic south face of Tenerife hill(1,670 m.a.s.l.) at your back. Macizodel Paine is the most grandiose by thenorth and dominates the entire zonehighlighting Cuernos del Paine (2,600m.a.s.l.) and mount Almirante Nieto(2,670 m.a.s.l.). To the west and fromnorth to south, we can see Castillo hill(1,250 m.a.s.l.), Campana hill (1,220m.a.s.l.), Ventana hill (1,180 m.a.s.l.),and Mocho hill to the south-east(1,350 m.a.s.l.) as part of the sierraManuel Señoret. Keep going by thepath, always on naked rock andcareful to its continuity, since it is notthat clear. Be careful to start climbingdown through the rocks since windcould be dangerous.Few meters later, the route clearlystarts to climb down looking forRincón river eastern bank. Path isclear here and 250 meters ahead, youwill pass by a rustic handrail thatcrosses an old road driving to aquarry. Landscape is always beautifulwith Macizo del Paine as abackground. You will then find a newcontinuity marker post locatedalways to your jpg|thumb|500px|right.The path is always wide and clear,crossing sectors covered by lowshrubs and thickets. Walk in the samedirection and 300 meters ahead, youwill find the equestrian path junctionthat drives to a ranch spot thatcannot be seen from here.Turn to the right and follow theRincón River, sounding at your left.From the last junction, walk around500 meters until finally getting to adoor. A ladder has been built in oneside to cross the fence and arrive tothe vehicle road and the bridge onRincón river. If you cross the door, donot forget to leave it closed; these aregood manners which are alwaysappreciated in Patagonia.Cross Rincón bridge and continue bythe vehicle road around 150 metersuntil arriving to Guidepost Nr. 12,corresponding to the entrance to thepath and start of the third segmentof this route.]]

To take the track again, after crossingthe bridge, observe the interpretativepanel installed at one side of the roadand that announces the thirdsegment. You will walk on a landcovered with thicket roots, alwayskeeping your position at the west sideof the vehicular road.After crossing, a few Leaving Milodón steps aheadthere is a very thin water current. Youshould take a general direction to thenorth. During about 400 meters youwill move forward through a forestof beautiful young forest of AntarcticBeech; the surface is now a beautifulfirm-grass prairie. Besides increasingheightbehind, you will enter follow by a forest of leafyand ripe Coigües, crossing again arivulet. Although there is a footbridge,you should take some precautions tocross it. Take advantage to drinkwater and supply with it.Begin to enjoy the appearance ofthe first Guaitecas cypresses(Pilgerodendron uvifera) you willbe finding on your way.Although the well defined track continues throughthe rocky edge it is easily predictable.At both flanks you will find thepresence of cypresses associated toCoigües (Nothofagus betuloides).After moving forward for about threehundred meters you will be enteringin a forest of high Fire Bushed andCoigües; in spite the track is no longerin good conditions, it is clearlysignaled, which will enable walkingwithout difficulties. A large numberof coicopihues (Philesiamagellanica) cover the ground,providing great beauty to theenvironment, depending on theseason of your visit. A few metersahead and next to a short but steepslope you will find a beautiful sightof Tenerife Hill (1.670m.a.s.l.) whichshows its northern face practicallydevoided of vegetation and in strongcontrast to highly forested hillsideswe saw in passing by the north-east; these areindisputable signs bank of the dominantwinds of the region favoring life insouth-east hillsides. Seize thisopportunity to immortalize thismoment with a couple of photosriparian habitat.Continue in north direction. You willperceive the vehicular road at yourright hand practically during all yourway at no more than 200 meters. Youwill walk on rocks and sometimes onpillows of Líquenes. You will see ahuge dump of dry commodities fromrecent construction labors of the newroad. You should displace carefullyon these huge stones. In a low-lyingland you will face some difficulties towalk through some 200 metersbetween bushes and high pines. Afterthis reef you will pass to anothersector This is where you will walkcomfortably. The dump will beaccompanying you for about 200meters at your right. Concentrate onthe sight you have on your left whereyou will watch find a beautiful mountainhillside almost within hand’s reach.Be careful when crossing a group mirador ofrocks existing in that place, which arerisky because of their humidity.Continuing with the tour by the rightside, you can observe a large forestof Guaitecas Cypresses that hasfavored its development as it locateson a peat surface. Do not doubt tocome close and watch this particularnatural system. You will observe howthis tree species develops solely inflooded zoneswetland, feel its special aromaand confirm how the path of a bigfire recurrent formation in 1925 burnt trunks. Now, 80years later, cypresses show their newsprouts, denoting the regenerationof forest in these peat banks.Peat bank corresponds toheterogenic soils constituted bydecomposed vegetal material andminerals accumulated through theyears. Wrong drainage conditionsdepressions formed after retrocession of iceglacial recession, in cold andrainy climates favor this type ofpeculiar formations.Most representative species of peatbank areas are musgo de turbera(Spagnum magellanicum),gramíneas, cyperáceas, and specieson cushions mixing with each other.It must be noticed that the highcontent of peat organic matter allowsit is an excellent humus supplier,providing vigor to plants andvegetables and providing higherextension of roots. This hasencouraged its use as fertilizer inseedlings and greenhouses.Continue by the east edge of this peatbank and then enter the adult forest.Consider a bit more than 150 metersin the wood until you arrive to astream, corresponding to GuidepostNr. 13, which can be crossed withprecaution passing by bridgedconstructed thereto. This is anexcellent site protected from strongwinds.Next to the stream, take theadvantage to admire an interestingwood of Coigües, partially intermixedwith Canelo, representing what someday in the past were ripe forests inthese humid valleys.From Guidepost Nr. 13, continue in anorth-west direction for about 300meters across the forest and then getout of it. Always continuing by themain track, continue until reachinga site where land opens facing thesouth end of a riparian habitat withan interesting cypress bank, cross it.This crossing has been enabled withfootbridges and it will lead you to theother end of the wetland or riparianhabitat. We are in Guidepost Nr. 14,may see a beautiful site to watch thisprotected native specie.Ciprés de las guaitecas(Pilgerodendron uvifera), a nativetree specie from the south cone, mostaustral representative dense cover of Coniferae,has leaves laid out in scale positionvery similar to alerce southern bulrush (FitzroyacupressoidesScirpus californicus) appearance, butarranged in pairs in one same pointforming a cross.Generally, it is found in small size, butin favorable conditions it can reachup to 40 meters height and 1 meterof trunk diameter. The bark looks likethe Larch but it is not reddish, formingpartly pure woods.In these valleys, the Guaitecas Cypressis present dry cypresses in very restrained areas dueto the extraction of its timber andfires, reason why it does not longerform pure woods but rather itassociates with Antarctic Beechesand Coigüe of Magallanessurroundings.From We are at [[Hitos Milodon#Hito 2 / Guidepost Nr. 14, cross thissame riparian habitat in a segmentnot higher than 100 meters which hasalso been intervened to improveconditions of hiking. From the northend of riparian habitat, walk up thepartly rocky hillside gradually withnorth-west direction.Consider no more than 800 meters ofsteep ascent by rocky hillsidescombined with thickets on lands withless marked track. In consequence,you should be a little more aware inthe direction to be followed. Takegeneral north-west direction untilbeginning a short descent by thehillside, where splendid panoramicviews open to Macizo del Paine andToro Lake in all their extension,corresponding to 2|Guidepost Nr. 15, asite exposed to strong winds reasonwhy you should have maximumprecaution to possible falls orhypothermia.Toro Lake with a number ofpeninsulas and small bays is thelargest lake of the region. It has anextension of 202 square kilometersand 320 meters depth. Its crystallinewaters offer great conditions for sportfishing with the presence of browntrout and rainbow trout.From Guidepost Nr. 15, followdirection to the north for 400 metersto arrive to a good benchmark in thispart of the road: A natural bridge ofrocks over a stream which will allowyou to cross and follow across openlands covered by dense thickets anddisperse Fire Bushes.From the previous natural rockbridge, calculate another 400 metersto the north until you reach to astream with a rivulet that provideswater supply.From the rivulet continue with equaldirection for a little more than halfkilometer and you will find an oldfence, cross it watching at your leftside a small waterfall of El SantoRiver, which you will cross later. Fromthe old fence, star a small descentuntil finding a riparian habitat thatyou will see from the distance.Cross the riparian habitat or wetlandand you will enter a woodimmediately. At a few meters insidethis wood of Coigües and Lengas(Nothofagus pumilio) you shouldcross El Santo River, a crossingcorresponding to Guidepost Nr. 16,an ideal place to spend the night in aservice area and continue walkingacross the last segment of this roadthe day after2]].<br>

Before starting this new segment, donot forget to bring a good supply ofdrinking water (minimum From [[Hitos Milodon#Hito 2 liters perperson) because, depending on theseason of the year, it could be yourlast chance to obtain it before arrivingto the Serrano River sector, finish ofthis heritage road.From El Salto River, continue climbingthe hillside slightly changing directionto the north-east until you cross afence. At a short distance, you willobserve a small lagoon to eastdirection going downwards by thehillside until reaching / Guidepost 2|Guidepost Nr.172]], an ideal place to observe one ofthe most representative tree speciesin these ecosystems.The endemic sauco (Pseudopanaxlaetevirens ) of sub Antarctic forests,grows up to keep going for 1,300 m.a.s.l., althoughin these latitudes it hardly grows morethan 50 m.a.s.l. in humid and forestzones or on banks of water courses.This tree with a growth of up to 8meters height has a grayish andsmooth trunk. It characterizes for itsblue fruits at 2 kilometers by the end border of the summergiving an unequal coloring.From Guidepost Nr. 17 continue theroad to north-east direction whereyou will find riparian habitat at a short distance asmall lagoon. When you cross thiswater body completely, it flows tonorth-west, and climbing by the rockyhillside at no more than 400 metersyou will arrive to a sector, thatdepending on the season of the year,is slightly water-flooded. Be extremelycareful when crossing these humidopen lands, and then continue by sharprocks with extraordinary panoramicviews for about 200 meters to thenorth-west. After a short descent, youA small river will enter a Lenga coppice andimmediately after you will arrive to arivulet that during dry seasons doesnot contribute waters, reason whyyou should take a water provisionbefore in El Santo River.Continue through the same directiongoing round the edge of a wood ofCoigües and Fire Bushes not goingdown the stream until arriving to aninteresting forest of canelo Trees,corresponding to Guidepost Nr. 18.The canelo (Drimys winteri) locatesin swampy lands and next to riversand streams between the Limarí Riverbe flowing by the north and Cabo de Hornos bythe south at no more than 1your left,200m.with a.s.l.. The trunk is straight andcylindrical, reaches about 30 metersheight up to one meter of diameter.Bark is smooth, light gray, thick andsoft.Sacred tree for the Mapuche people.They adore, venerate, and assignmagic properties to it.Timber of canelo is very attractive,reason why it is used in construction,furniture and manufacture of musicalinstruments. It is not useful as fuel aswhen it burns it generates stingingsmoke.In the past, canelo was used to fightscurvy as it was rich in Vitamin C. Forits tannins, essence oils, antibacterialsubstances, and iron and calciumsalts, it is used in applications to cleanwounds and against rheumatism,stomach affections, throat pain,mange, tinea and even it has beendiscovered that it has properties in thetreatment against cancer.After admiring these wonderfulspecies and their qualities, and takingthe tour again from Guidepost Nr. 18,you will enter a mixed shrubby wood of Coigüeand canelo Trees. Consider about 600meters of steep climbing, in part theyare step-shaped naked rocks,abundant thicket and adult wood, soyou will have to be speciallyconcentrated while you walk up.Although this climbing will demandsome effortplaces, do not forget theinnumerable sites that allow todelight with wide panoramic sightsthat give until reaching a breath during this ascent.Consistently with the finish of ascentsfence,at a few meters more to north-westdirection, already upon descent, youwill reach Guidepost Nr. 19, anextraordinary mirador with morethan 180º of vision. We recommenda brief break and take some unequalpanoramic pictures. Do not forgetthat in this place as in many otherexposed sites of this road, strongwinds are recurrent. Frequently, theyreach speeds higher than 35 knots,making walking difficult. If you facethem, remember that you are in oneof the most atmospherically unstablezones of the planet that generatethese peculiar phenomena andundoubtedly require that you equipproperly with wind-resistant jacketsand thermal clothes for theselatitudes.From Guidepost Nr. 19, walk about300 meters, always in north-westdirection until you see the first viewsfrom the distance of Grey Glacier.Consider that you are in open landspartially covered by thickets and withcoppice of young forests, where thetrack is less precise. However, in lessthan half an hour you will be forcedhave to cross a fence going downwards themountain hillside. Already in the lowpart A flat land of the valleyprairies starts here, you will take a trackfairly clear again direct connected to northdirection and pass across aninteresting community of Fire Bushes.Approximately 200 meters ahead,after passing a rock step of about 5meters height in the middle of thedescent of open lands, old ranch from which you will arriveto Guidepost Nr. 20, a preferred sitefor those who enjoy with specialattention, the tracks left on the rockssome day in the past by the path ofhuge ice mass and their abrasivepower. They are glaciers of Campo deHielo Patagónico Sur, particularly,Tyndall and Grey glaciers, which withtheir gradual quaternary retrocessionsleft these marks uncovered. They arereal lines in furrows generated by theirconstant transport of detritus inpermanent crash with the motherrock.From Guidepost Nr. 20, always goingdownwards by the clear trackmay still obtain, at 800meters more to north direction fromthe last guidepost of interest, youcould see a lagoon on your right side.Try to take your right hand in the nextbranching, entering into a riparianhabitat with east direction. There is along footbridge thereon which nameis “Puente Toro”. Certainly it willfacilitate your pass. Pay specialattention to take your right again,once you have crossed the wetlandfrom where you can continue yourtour when getting near the publicroad, but without going through it.Continue the tour, walkingdownwards across open lands,crossing a small lagoon around itssouth edge. Go around the edge of thisbeautiful water body through a cleartrack until you arrive to a mirador,ideal for watching the bird faunatypical in these environments distance and thatcorrespond to Guidepost Nr. 21. Oneagain, if there is strongly windy day,take the necessary precautions.In this site, we can watch, amongother species of birds, the SpectacledDuck (Speculanas specularis), thatcan be observed from Aconcagua toMagallanes in rivers and lagoons ofwoody zones.It has dark brown head and rear neckwith large white spots around the eyesand front neck. This beautiful specieis generally in torrential rivers andforested lagoons of woody zones.They generally look for pools, pondsor puddles, where they are observedin couples or small family groups.Omnivoresgood weather, they find food on the edgeof rivers or lagoons, avoiding to getdeep inside the open field.They nest in pastured islets and builda voluminous nest coated withplumule, covering it with grass andnormally laying between 5 and 7eggs.From Guidepost Nr. 21 continue untilthe north end of the lagoon and fromthere go round the edge of the woodof Antarctic Beeches. There you willcontemplate silence, the beauty of thesinging of a number of bird specieswondering in the wood, among them,the Andean Tapaculo (Currín del Sur- Scytalopus magellanicus) and theThorn-tailed Rayadito (Aphrasturaspinicauda). Follow the well-markedtrack, in a few minutes you will crossa small rivulet where you can supplywith water, but, do not be confident,because in dry seasons this rivuletdries and will force you to supply withwater from El Santo River during allthis last segment.From this small rivulet, walk up by asmall perron that will lead you to theeast. Short after, you will arrive to anopen sector, having a new chance tosee interesting sights of thesurrounding places.Continue going downwards thehillside gradually and soon you willarrive to a dump of rocky materialsgenerated by the construction of thevehicular road to the Serrano River.Cross this dump by a segment ofsomething more than 100 metersto north-west direction.After passing a small forest in cleartrack, you will start to climb by openlands with abundant Chaura andwhere panoramic sights of Macizodel Paine, Grey Glacier and ToroLake are predominant. This willundoubtedly draw the attention ofany tourist. At the end of the ascent,you will find Guidepost Nr. 22,corresponding to the sixth miradorof this road, an ideal place tocontemplate the last first views ofMacizo del Paine and Toro Lake too.In this part of the tour, due to theexposure to strong winds comingfrom Campo Hielo Sur, werecommend to wear wind-resistantand thermal clothes appropriate forthese austral latitudes.From Guidepost Nr. 22, the trackgoes downwards smoothly by thehillside for about 200 meters untilseeing for the first time in this route,the majestic Serrano River. Continuethe tour leading to the west,crossing 3 small streamssurrounded by beautiful coppices,sites appropriate for short breaksand that will protect you fromstrong winds.After crossing the third stream, youwill arrive to a new mirador,Guidepost Nr 23, number seven inthis route, where, under weatherconditions with good visibility, youwill be allowed to observe the Greyglacier and lake, as well as the valleyevident signs of the Serrano River, which iscoming closer. This is a clearannouncement that we are gettingnear the final part of this heritageroute.From Guidepost Nr. 23, you canbriefly climb the hillside by a trackdelimited by rocks, increasinglyobtaining better sights of the valley.Take into consideration if weatherconditions get worst or if you willrequire a sheltered place, because at400 meters from the last guidepostyou will pass across a forest, an idealplace to shelter. Otherwise, continuedownwards, and short after you willarrive to a lagoon surrounded bycentenary Coigües and Lengasproviding the landscape with apeculiar beauty.From the lagoon, walk up by the cleartrack and continue through the forestfor about 200 meters until you reachanother interesting mirador of thisroute, corresponding to Guidepost Nr.24, with a great panoramic view ofthe Serrano River.The Serrano River is part of one of themain hydrographic river basins human intervention in theregion. It originates in Toro Lake andflows in Fiordo de Última Esperanza.It has a 7350 km2 basin, is 38kilometers long and has a flowvolume of 61 m3/sec on the upperpart. Its main affluent is the Grey River,in addition to the course of the PaineRiver that flows in the Pehoe Lake andToro Lake, respectively. It has a pluvialfeeding system with snowcontributions in summer. Due to itsclean waters, this river is well knownby the fishing of Brown Trout andRainbow Trout, which weights rangebetween 2 to 3 kilograms.From Guidepost Nr. 24, continuedownwards, at a few meters you willenter a forest of shrubby young forest,and then find a branching of thetrack. Take your right thinking thatin a few minutes more you will meetabreast a beautiful lagoon and a fewmeters beyond(farther), taking theleft bank, the Guidepost Nr. 25.Very soon you will complete theRoute and will access to a placewhere you could spend the night. Inthis lagoon, take a breath and recoverenergy for the last kilometers.Restarting our tour, take the path thatcontinues the riverbed of the lagoonwith west direction. Do not get awayfrom the road. Continue then untilreaching a clear zone dominated byan interesting adult wood of Lenga,which marks the direction to befollowed through an open track thatallows your passing through thicketsuntil a new path bifurcation. Take thepath at your right (the other one hasbeen traditionally used by muleteers).In this part of the road, although notat sight, important archaeologicalvestiges - such as lithic workshops -have been found, remarking theancestral occupation of the land bynative people in these latitudes.Continuing our trek towards the westit will begin a short span of steepraises. Once above up we will walkalong a relatively flat path borderingalways on the hillside of the hill andwith spectacular conference of thetowers. We go direct towards the lastmilestone of our trek. We begin nowthe decrease across a fingerprint fromwhere it will be possible to spy tofullness the zone of services out of theNational Park Tower of the Paine, theHighland river and the area ofadministration of the properly suchpark. A bit later on you will interceptthe way. A table of information anda panel of Welcome indicate us thatwe have come to the Guidepost Nr26, Congratulations! You havefinished the route. Through the roadyou can access the services zone andhave a deserved rest and also reflecton the road run and the naturalwonders appreciated in these 45 kmof watching, learning and adventurethrough the Patagoniavalleys.<br>

Milodón Cave is now a referencepoint and a must-see destination totravelers visiting chilean PatagoniaAt [[Hitos Milodon#Hito 3 / Guidepost 3|Guidepost Nr.Located 24 km north the city of PuertoNatales3]], it is currently lodged by the189.5 hectares that make upMILODÓN CAVE NATURALM O N U M E N T. T h i s N a t u r a lMonument is one of the three existingin the Region of Magallanes and isthe most important and more visitedby far – it received over 52,000 visitorsonly in 2005, among whom 55% wereforeigners.As a Unit, it was created in 1978 beingthus incorporated addition to the StateProtected Area System underCONAF’s management.DISCOVERY OF THE CAVE:Hermann Eberhard, German colonistwho had settled in the surroundingsin 1893, visited in 1895, accompaniedby other people, rest for a huge grotto or cavethat caught their attention by theeastwhile, opening to you can see the western hillsideof Benítez hill ”chilco” (51º36’ S - 72º41’ OFuchsia magellanica), a truly beautiful flower specie usually growing along water streams.This huge 30 meter high and 80 meterwide cave, located around 160 metersabove the sea level, is over 200 meterslong.On February 1895, the visitors founda piece of dry skin that was semi-buried on the dusty soil. When theytook it out, they all realized they hadnever seen such a thing before,considering that a number of littlebones were located above the hairs.Size of this piece of skin was around1.50 x 1.00 meter. They also found anapparently incomplete humanskeleton next up to the piece of skin.The piece of skin was taken to the nearEstate Consuelo, where it was hungand caught the attention ofwhomever visited the district ofUltima Esperanza through this Estate-Port. Among the large number ofpeople who visited the cave, we canhighlight the Swedish geologist OttoNordenskjold who was then3 meter high perennial shrub requiring wet soils, rich in 1896organic matter,directing scientific works conductedin Magallanes by an expedition fromhis country. In sum, Nordenskjoldconcluded that the remains foundwould correspond to an alreadyextinct animal that he calledNeomylodon listai properly drained and that couldhave lived in recent times and becontemporaneous to human beings.The Swedish scientist was followedby a huge number of naturalists,researchers, and study practitionersfrom many countries who are stillmaking their best efforts to unveil thismystery, an interesting fact that hasnot been extinguished by the passageof years.CONCLUSIONS TO THE DATE:Vestiges found correspond to a verybig herbivore that disappeared latethe Pleistocene (8,000 to 10,000 yearsBP). Scientific interest grew even morewhen recognized that primitivePatagonian man lived in the area,whose date would go back to around12,000 years BP. These beings knownas Paleoindians were land hunterswho traveled into the fiord zone.In addition, the Milodón was ateethed and plantigrade mammal. Itwould have walked on all fours or onits two rear legs being supported byits strong tail.SCIENTIFIC RELEVANCECONNECTED TO THE NATURALMONUMENT:Researchers have made efforts forover one century both in the maincave and in minor caves, as well as inthe number of eaves located in thearea, reason why this sector isrecognized as the best known anddocumented group of deposits inChile and South-America with regardto primitive human settlement andnatural life of that time.These works and vestige findingshave thus demonstrated presence inthis end of Patagonia of otherrepresentatives of extinct fauna, suchas, Saber-toothed Tiger (Smilodonsp.); Big Camelid (Macchauchenia);Big Bear (Arctodus pamparum); BigFox (Dusicyon avus).ORIGIN OF THE CAVE:The cave has changed very little fromthe times of primitive humanpresence and Milodón itself, onlyminor rock detachments and slightlybigger landslides, which are also veryold.Confirmation of existence of a bigpaleolake called paleolake of UltimaEsperanza, that existed around12,500 years BP, a key element forgeneration of proper environmentalconditions for early humansettlement, has allowed to clarifymany doubts and to ascertain thatMilodón Cave is a clear evidence of alutite rocky stratum decompositionprocess, located below conglomeratelevel. This cave formation action wasassisted by permanent whippingaction of Paleolake of UltimaEsperanza water, that subsequentlysuffered its sudden emptying, but thatpreviously carved and shaped currentlandscapeatmospheric humidity.<br>

Before departure it is necessary to bring thefollowing elements:<br>  · *Clothes including raincoat and thermalgear for greater safety and comfort,considering that routes are frequentlyunder strong wind and low temperatureconditions.<br> · *First aid kit.<br> · *UV protection cream and glasses.<br> · *Map of the route and watch to calculatetimes.<br> · *Bags to keep wastes.Basic elements:· Be previously informed about themeteorological conditions for a betterplanning of your visit.· Take the tour informed and read theguide before beginning each segment. Inorder to achieve an easier walking, thetrail have different types of information,from signs with written information whenhave been possible to do it, to colorribbons on trees and trail boundaries,made of stones and wooden sticks.· Consider seasonal variations that couldpartly alter floristic characteristics andaccess to water as mentioned in thistopoguide.· Pay special attention to the wet andslippery rocks.· Consider fluctuations in displacementtimes according to physical status andload transported. Remember thatsections in the route with extendedascents require good physical conditions.· Do not visit the route in Winter, except forskilled people with previous training forextreme weather conditions.· Special places, with information andfacilities, must be used for entrance andexit to the trail. Visitors should walk juston it. Do not separate from the route.· Do not remove or alter elements of theheritage route.· Do not hunt or disturb native fauna.· Do not remove species of native flora.· Do not leave garbage on the route, bringit with you.· Camp in authorized sites only.· Do not light fires.· Washing of dishes and clothes as well aspersonal cleaning, must be done withbiodegradable soap and at least at 60meters from water sources.<br>

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