Cambios

==Summary==

[[Archivo:Main IMG Greater Patagonian Trail.JPG|thumb|500px|Section 1: View to Laguna Caracol.]]

The Greater Patagonian Trail is a long distance trail that leads you right through the heart of the legendary Patagonian Andes. It's a stunningly beautiful and diverse trail that crosses volcanic fields, idyllic Andean valleys, snow covered mountain ranges, lush green forests and deep blue lakes and rivers.

==Used Trails==

When planning the Greater Patagonian Trail the first choice were the '''hiking and horse trails''' that traverse the remote valleys and mountain passes in the heart of the Andes close to the border between Chile and Argentina. Most of these trails are created and maintained by local herdsmen to drive livestock to their summer pastures and by settlers that live in solitary.

==Recommended Season==

If you plan to hike the entire trail in the correct sequence starting with '''section 1''' than you should leave in December, ideally in the '''second half of December'''.

==Hiking Direction==

The generally recommended trekking direction is '''southbound''' even if most sections can be hiked in either direction.

==Trail Files for GPS and Google Earth==

The KMZ file displayed on the satellite map above is optimized to provide a good overview but does not include any waypoints and shows only some of the optional routes. Therefore the files below in the next table should be downloaded and used if you actually plan to hike on the Greater Patagonian Trail. There are trail files for individual section and for the entire trial.

==Long Distances Challanges==

The sections 2 and 3 can be combined with an alternative trail through a pristine area that bypasses the settlement and the road at the finish of section 2 and the start of section 3.

==Entrance Permits and Fees==

The Greater Patagonian trail is not an official trail that is set up and managed by a government agency. Is simply a compilation of horse trails, minor roads and some cross country sections that pass over private properties and state owned land.

===Entrance Permits and Challenges===

'''Section 1'''

===Entrance Fees===

'''Section 13'''

==Logistical Considerations==

===Tourist Visa===

===Food Supply on the Trail===

On this trail, in particular on the first seven sections you will meet herdsman on the summer pastures with their livestock, which are mainly cattle, sheep, goats and horses. Depending on the altitude and the snowmelt they migrate up between October and January and return to their winter quarters in April or May. These herdsman, locally called "Puestero", live in improvised permanent shelters, called "Puesto". They bring large quantities of food with their horses and mules up into the mountains. You may ask them for food, in particular for flour and bread or whatever they are willing to sell. With flour, dry yeast and salt you can bake your own fresh bread on the trail. If you are desperate for meat they may sell you a goat or a sheep but be aware, the smallest quantity for sale is typically half an animal (Spanish: "Medio Canal"). To communicate with the locals you need to speak Spanish.

[[Archivo:Sopapilla.jpg|thumb|350px|left|Making Sopaipillas. Image: Jan Dudeck]]

[[Archivo:GPT14-MakingBreadAndPizza.jpg|thumb|350px|left|Our way of baking fresh bread and pizza. Image: Jan Dudeck]]

This is not a listing of all the standard trekking foods like pasta and cereals. If you attempt this long distance trail you should know all this by heart. This section lists and describes selected traditional food items that are typical for this region but may be less known outside or named differently.

==Recommended Equipment==

===Packraft and Drysuite===

==Required Skills and Capabilities==

The Greater Patagonian Trail requires endurance not only because of the total trail lenght but the rather long trail sections. The first three sections exceed 100 km each without regular resupply points on the route. If combining sections the distances become even larger and can reach or exceed 300 km.

==Code of Conduct==

The trail leads mostly through unspoiled wilderness with little human intervention. And where you meet some settlers or herdsmen you are welcome and get treated as honourable guest. To maintain this I plead all hikers to follow this code of conduct:

==Dangers and Annoyances==

2005 during a snow storm. Image: Jan Dudeck]]

'''Fox''': The Chilla or Grey Fox populates the southern cone of South America and can be found on both sides of the Andes in Chile and Argentina. Their diet is varied and includes small and medium mammals, carrion, birds, reptiles and fruits. They sometimes attack small livestock in particular young goats and sheep but there are no records of attacks on humans. Foxes do not always show fear of humans and sometimes approach camp sites at night in search of food. Therefore do not leave any food outside of your tent but also not your smelly boots. In one camp site a fellow hiker missed one of his shoes in the morning. The park ranger later told us that this was not the first time that a fox has stolen a stinking shoe because foxes find intensive smell attractive.

Horse-Flyes or Tabanos will form an annoying aerial escort on some parts of the trail. They are abundant in December and January in humid parts of the River- and Lake District. These rather noisy flyers get attracted by dark moving objects in bright sunlight. So avoid dark cloth and do not try to chase them off with rapid movements, otherwise your will attract the attention of more of them. They inflict painful bites but do not leave an itching stitch.

===Spine and Bur-Bearing Plants===

==Creation of the Greater Patagonian Trail==

[[Archivo:GPT12-P0006.jpg|thumb|1050px|none|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 12: Lago Pirihueico. Image: Jan Dudeck]]

===Idea for the Trail===

===Trail Name===

While hiking the trail I have long thought how to name this trail. I was looking for a precise but well descriptive name.

===Distances, Ascents, Descents and Walking Times===

[[Archivo:GPT07-MakingABreak.jpg|thumb|left|Making a lunch break. Such breaks are not included in the Walking Times. Image: Jan Dudeck]]

This trail description contains plenty of numbers for distances, altitudes, ascents, descents and even walking times. All these numbers are based on the "cleaned" GPS track without our occasional seek and search detours. Also all altitudes, ascents and descents are based on a digital map with a quite precise altitude profile.

==[[GPT 1: Volcán Descabezado|Section 1: Volcán Descabezado]]==

* '''Duration: 6 to 8 days'''

==Section 2: Laguna Dial==

==[[GPT 2: Laguna Dial|Section 2: Laguna Dial]]==

==Section 2-3: Alternative Long Distance Challenge via Las Truchas==

==[[GPT 2-3: Alternative Long Distance Challenge via Las Truchas|Section 2-3: Alternative Long Distance Challenge via Las Truchas]]==

==Section 3: Volcán Chillán==

==[[GPT 3: Volcán Chillan|Section 3: Volcán Chillan]]==

==Section 4: Volcán Antuco==

==[[GPT 4: Volcán Antuco|Section 4: Volcán Antuco]]==

==Section 5: Laguna El Barco==

==[[GPT 5: Laguna El Barco|Section 5: Laguna El Barco]]==

==Section 6: Guallali==

==[[GPT 6: Guallali|Section 6: Guallali]]==

==Section 7: Laguna Marinanqui==

==[[GPT 7: Laguna Marinanqui|Section 7: Laguna Marinanqui]]==

==Section 8: Laguna Icalma and Volcán Sollipulli==

==[[GPT 8: Laguna Icalma and Volcán Sollipulli|Section 8: Laguna Icalma and Volcán Sollipulli]]==

==Section 9: Curarrehue==

==[[GPT 9: Curarrehue|Section 9: Curarrehue]]==

==Section 10: Volcán Quetrupillan==

==[[GPT 10: Volcán Quetrupillan|Section 10: Volcán Quetrupillan]]==

==Section 11: Neltume==

==[[GPT 11: Neltume|Section 11: Neltume]]==

==Section 12: Lago Pirihueico==

==[[GPT 12: Lago Pirihueico|Section 12: Lago Pirihueico]]==

==Section 13: Volcán Puyehue==

==[[GPT 13: Volcán Puyehue|Section 13: Volcán Puyehue]]==

==Section 14: Volcán Antillanca==

==[[GPT 14: Volcán Antillanca|Section 14: Volcán Antillanca]]==

==Section 15: Lago Todos Los Santos==

==[[GPT 15: Lago Todos Los Santos|Section 15: Lago Todos Los Santos]]==

==Section 16: Cochamó==

==[[GPT 16: Cochamó|Section 16: Cochamó]]==