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What you do not see much more is extreme poverty. Since the end of the military dictatorship in 1990 a center-left government runs Chile for most of the time. This government was quite successful in fighting extreme poverty and improving the infrastructure in rural areas. And hikers benefit from it in several ways. When hiking in Chile and Argentina you will not experience bagging like this is the case in the neighboring countries Bolivia or Peru. Also roads are build and in rural areas what is a mixed blessing from a hikers perspective. On one side these roads greatly facilitate resupplying and getting to the trail heads but on the other side they also replace horse trails that are nicer to walk. The government also subsidizes public transport into particular remote places that are not served be profit-oriented private bus and shipping companies.

The middle class from the cities starts to discover the mountains in their vacation. A growing number of Chileans and Argentines begin to hike; mainly in national parks; but many still lack experience and appropriate gear. This results in normally concerned park rangers especially when you do not plan to walk just off the standard trail.