GPT82P (Aysen Glacier Trail)

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Summary with remarks to route that are considered useful for other hikers and packrafters. Include alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties.

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Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions

Season 2022/23

• 2023-Feb-02 to 2023-Feb-06 / 5 days / Rio Nef - Lago Nef - Glaciar Nef and return on the same route / West and Eastbound / Packrafting / Meylin Ubilla, Masha Ovchinnikova, Misha Bogdanov, Jan Dudeck

The Aysen Glacier Trail combines several long-established horse trails with motor boat crossings of Lago Plomo, Lago Colonia and Rio Colonia and a 5 km long traverse of Glaciar Nef. The egress and exit by motor boat and the glacier traverse makes this an rather exclusive route that is not easily done unsupported. Also, the land owners at Lago Plomo and Lago Colonia collaborate closely with the company that offers guided tours on the Aysen Glacier Trail for several thousand USD per person.

See: http://www.patagoniaadventureexpeditions.com/the-aysen...

Attempting the Aysen Glacier Trail without this company requires:

1. A mountain guide that is familiar with this route and the glacier terrain and that can provide the mountaineering equipment for the glacier traverse. Nelson Baigorria (+56 9 6640 9400) is such a guide with lots of local expertise.

2. Permission and motor boat transfer from Puerto Bertrand to the western terminus of Lago Plomo. Crossing Lago Plomo by packraft is an option but requires optimal weather and may result in additional waiting time as the predominant wind direction is against the travel direction.

3. Permission and motor boat transfer of Lago Colonia and Rio Colonia. Crossing Lago Colonia by packraft is an suitable alternative as the predominant wind direction is in travel direction but this requires an extra free seat for the guide.

Due to time and weather constraints we opted against the Aysen Glacier Trail this season and choose to explore the valley of Rio Nef instead that potentially provides access to the Aysen Glacier Trail on an alternative route with less right-of-way conflicts.

The trail head is situated just south of the confluence of Rio Nef into Rio Baker and can be reached on several routes:

Option 1 (without packraft): 33 km on road from Cochrane via Carretera Austral, bridge over Rio Baker “El manzano” to “El Maiten”.

Option 2 (with packraft): Bus from Cochrane or Puerto Bertrand to Confluencia Rio Nef, walking 1.2 km to Rio Baker, packraft crossing of Rio Baker, walking 2 km to Rio Nef and packraft crossing of Rio Nef.

Option 3 (with packraft, some whitewater): Packrafting Rio Baker from Puerto Bertrand to the river exit BEFORE the the major rapids of Rio Baker start. You may discuss your plans with a rafting company in Puerto Bertrand to send heavy gear with the raft and packraft in the vicinity of the raft and the safety kayakers that accompany the raft.

From the trail head at “El Maiten” a well maintained 26 km long trail leads along the southern side of Rio Nef to the Tapera Cadagan. There are several abandoned “poblaciones” along the route. Access to drinking water is sufficient to refill a water bottle every hour or two. Also suitable camp sites can be found every hour or two.

After reaching Tapera Cadagan the trail becomes barely visible and poorly maintained. The route traverses the adjacent mountain. Enough water should be carried from the last river ford, especially on a warm sunny days. After the 740 m high pass the route descends towards the forest. In the forest the trail is somewhat better visible but remains poorly maintained. In parts the route traverse open terrain next to Rio Nef without any visible trail. The last 2 km to the Lago Nef is an uncomplicated cross-country traverse. A camp site should be chosen based on the required wind protection.

Packrafters can inflate their packrafts on a calm early morning or evening to cross the 5 km short lake to the glacier fron. Sufficient safety distance should be maintained to the glacier and stranded and floating blocks of ice.

A brief visual inspection and a drone video makes it appear feasible to walk from the southwestern terminus of the lake to the main route of the Aysen Glacier Trail without mountaineering equipment but this remains to be verified.

When returning on the same hiking route packrafters must walk at least to Camp (-47.1502 / -73.0501). There the rapids of Rio Nef are left behind and Rio Nef becomes a fast-flowing falt-water river with some boils. The former trail to the river is in parts still visible and 2 to 4 hours of machete work are required to clear especially the final 200 m to the river access. This is best done by a team of at least 2 persons with at least 2 machetes.

The return by packraft requires about 2 hours. Make sure to exit Rio Nef BEFORE the rapids and the confluence into Rio Baker.

Note: We documented this route

Links to other Resources

Retired Section Article GPT82P - Travesía Soler-Nef

Retired Section Article GPT83P - Travesía Nef-Colonia

Images

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