Cambios

====Diversity of Patagonia====

Patagonia consists of surprisingly disparate zones. There are vast open plains in the east of Patagonia with a dry and wind battered steppe that spans from the eastern edge of the Andes to the Atlantic cost. The western part of Patagonia is in some regards the opposite. In the west you have the rugged and rainy Pacific coast with countless fjords and islands. An impenetrable forest covers most of this land to the west of the Andes. And in between these two unlike areas – in between the dry plains in the east and the humid fjords in the west - tower the Patagonian Andes. Dormant and recently active volcanoes rise into the sky and glaciers cover all higher summits. During previous glacial periods these glaciers grew to a formidable size and carved deep wide valleys into the Patagonian Andes. These valleys are now partly filled by lakes and get drained by powerful rivers. All this is Patagonia and this diversity creates the mystery and magic of this region.

The Greater Patagonian Trail snakes mostly through the southern Andes but also diverts to the west into the Patagonian fjords and descents in to east where the vast plains and the Patagonian steppe begins. Therefore you can sample the full variety of Patagonia when walking the length of the GPT.

In the northern part of the trail from Santiago to about latitude 35° S (about 150 km direct line) the Andes are very high with some summits exceeding 6000 m. Here passes exceed 4000 m altitude and steep rocky walls and glaciers impede walking along the main mountain chain close to the continental divide. Therefore in this northern zone the trail (GPT01 to GPT04) climbs through the Precordillera mainly along the first mountain range next to the central valley. But don’t misunderstand “Precordillera” as low; here the regular route reaches the highest point with 3300 m. The mostly semi-desert like vegetation is adapted to the dry and hot climate.