GPT62 (Pampa Guanaco)

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* Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or Packrafting / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias

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 2023/24

• Frank 2 days 2 and 3-12-2023 Y85 to Russfin then RR SOBO

The bridge at Bellavista frontier is gone and the frontier is closed, not likely to reopen soon. So you can not connect directly from GPT62 to GPT68.

1. I came from GPT61, from Camping Pioneros in Cameron I returned to the crossroads and walked 38KM south on Y85 to Parador Russfin. As you near Russfin the settlement the pampa is broken by woodland which should provide places to camp. Before Russfin settlement, which is 2.8KM before Russfin Parador, there is a meadow and a stream on LHS of road and woods on RHS. Russfin Parador, which is 1KM back from the road, is currently closed.

2. I continued 50KM South to Pampa Guanaco in one long day. Walking on gravel for several days is hard on the feet, I walked on grass by the roadside where possible. At first the woods are well back from the road, after 16KM they are by the roadside and provide camping opportunities. No water except for a beaver dam on LHS of road after about 20KM and at Rio Grande. After 27KM you reach Rio Grande. Estancia Cameron there caters to fishing groups, did not go in but I believe it is very expensive. At Rio Grande the bridge on the RR is gone, continue on the main road to cross the new bridge.

I stayed one night at Camping Municipal Pampa Guanaco and caught the twice weekly bus next morning - see revised bus schedule. It arrived in Porvenir in time for me to get the 2PM ferry back to Punta Arenas.

• From 2023-11-08 to 2023-11-10 // 3 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR // Quentin Clavel

Following the Ruta Y-85, with mainly long straight line on gravel roads. All in the pampa, that can be boring sometimes, because the landscapes are not very varied and because there's plenty of headwind. Fortunately the guanacos were here to keep me company. One stop possible to eat and sleep in Russfin (see paragraph below), and resupply is only possible in Cameron, take advantages of it.

More informations (bus, accomodations, minimarket) below.

Resupply and Accommodation

Resupply and Accommodation along the Route

Resupply :

Absolutely nothing except at Cameron, the starting point of this section, where you can find next to the camping Los Pioneros a minimarket open from Monday to Saturday.

Here is the opening time : Monday to Friday (10h30-13h00 and 14h00-18h30). Saturday (10h00-12h30 and 14h00-16h30)

Here is the GPS location of the Minimarket : S 53.64165, W 69.64685

Accomodation :

Parador russfin, in russfin. It was full when I arrived. So better to call them before if you want to stay. Here is the number : +56 9 9723 7707 You can contact them there too : info@paradorrussfin.cl

Not sure about the information, but rooms seems to be at 35,000 pesos per one night.

They purpose me a dinner for 11$ serve at 7pm with the workers (it's in a middle of a big logging station). It was early and I wanted to go on, si can't tell you if it worth it.

Here is the GPS location : S 53°45.430', W 69°11.381'

Frank 2-12-2023 Parador Russfin is now closed, not sure when it will reopen. The email given by Quentin is bouncing and they are not replying to phone messages. There is a shop on the road about 1KM before Pampa Guanaco Carabineros but it is only open Saturday and Sunday. Report to the Carabineros when you arrive, they are helpful. There is a free campsite behind Pampa Guanaco village, 1KM from the Carabineros. Sheltered camping in forest with fire pits and small huts. No water or bathrooms at the campsite. Ask for water at Carabineros or at one of the houses in the village.

Transport to and from Route

There's a small bus who's running onto this section. Here's the schedule timetable at the date of 15/11/2023 :

Porvenir ➡️ Cameron : Tuesday and Friday (06:00am and 04:00pm) Sunday (3:00pm)

Porvenir ➡️ Pampa Guanaco Wednesday (06:00am)

Cameron ➡️ Porvenir Tuesday and Friday (08:30am and 06:00pm) Sunday (5:00pm)

Pampa Guanaco ➡️ Porvenir Wednesday (09:00am)

Price : 1800$ Porvenir ↔️ Cameron 2009$ Porvenir ↔️ Pampa Guanaco

But you can find it easily on the website of the municipalidad of porvenir. Tap on Google " horario buses Cameron porvenir.

Frank 2-12-2023. The above info. is correct but from about 25 November there is an additional bus on Monday at 6AM Porvenir-Pampa Guanaco returning from Pampa Guanaco Carabineros at 9:50AM. I believe the Monday bus returns at 9:50AM also.

DAP fly Punta Arenas-Pampa Guanaco on Friday and Sunday at 6PM, returning on the same days at 7PM. Not sure if you can take gas canisters on the flight. The flights are very cheap if they give you the government subsidised price.

Images

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