Cambios

After a month and a half, we finally did something standard! From Puerto Varras (the bus stop on Avenida Vicente Perez Rosales just after Antonio Varras street) we took a bus at 8:38 going from Puerto Mont that went all the way to the end of MR to the "Road end " waypoint (aka the trailhead). At our hostel (Casa Apel), they told us it would arrive at 8:45. Not sure if this is the same bus that others said would pass Puerto Varras at 8:15 or if it just goes to the road end only in high season. It was 7000 per person - I think they might charge double for backpacks, it seemed expensive but happy they took us all the way.

We were at the entrance at 11 AM and were let through for free when we told them we were going to El Arco. Nat worries this excuse won't last long. The way to la La Junta is really busy (met maybe 50 people and about ten horses), easy and without many views as it goes through a forest. When we reached la juntaLa Junta, we decided that the valley is too special to just walk on by, so we decided to try our luck and ask for camping in order to do the side trips. We asked all the campsites and only La Junta let us stay, 8000 CLP per person. Nat says it is important not to spread the word as they were nice people and did us a favor even though they were not supposed to allow people without reservations to stay. So, do not expect to be let in. We had a numbered site so I think they genuinely had some places free. If nobody had places, after ford 98.9, there is a maze of paths and mini-meadows on the left where I saw somebody camp illegally. If you hide your packs well for the day and then camp from dusk till dawn, you would probably get away with it. Alternatively there are some flat spots in Trinidad valley two hours up - if you start so that you would arrive by dusk, you should meet nobody.

The side trips are steep but not challenging, many people take them. We went to Paloma (not in GPT trackfiles as of early [November 2024) : in our suggestions and in OSM, like the next option too] in the evening, it can be done in three hours there and back if you do not stop (we did). We started going up at 1715 and saw last person going down at 1830 or so. It is quite splendid and fun, there are a couple of places you have to use a fixed rope. OSM says there is a route to Cerro La Junta. It is probably an exit route for climbers, I did not see any traces of it , but it looked like it were was possible. If it is, one could probably continue all the way to Cerro Capicua.

Arco Iris is still closed. If it were open I think one could follow the ridge, which is not very steep or outcroppy, all the way north to above GPT21 - only there is probably no way down[November 2024: in the Facebook group, it was said that somebody died there and that is why it is close, so maybe there is nothing wrong with the path, but it is closed officially for sure].

The next morning I went to the Trinidad Valley and all the way up to Cerro Bella Vista and Nat went ahead to escape the approaching rain. The roundtrip takes about 7-8 hours. There is a marked travelled trail to the pass ("El Paso"), the last 300 vertical meters or so are marked by cairns. You will need your hands occasionally, but it is not exposed or particularly hard - SAC 4. The views are well worth it. It seemed most people only go to La Laguna (lake just under the pass). We started at 6 AM and I met the first people on the my way down around noon at La Laguna. Both La Laguna and Cerro Bella Vista are not in GPT trackfiles as of early 2024. The way up through Camping Vista Hermosa (the current GPT track) is not supposed to be used by people not staying at the campsite. The proper way up seems to be the more western trail that is marked on OSM. Going back down trough camping Bella Vista was without issues though. They told Natalie you are not supposed to use their cable car (the one more upstream). Tomáš thinks you should use it as it is the only one that you can use without going through either of the campsites (the downstream one goes directly from La Junta campsite). No horseflies by now!

I left the camping at 153015:30, and met only one group of hikers all the way up to the second Camp waypoint at Lago Grande. It is a nice camp, bigger than the first , but no good water sources. Wild legal camping, if I get it right. Refuge El Arco is unmanned, it is just a simple wooden hut. I would only use it in case of severe rain. The way up was almost all dry after two weeks of no rain. Mostly through forest, with some nice views of the valley, a few more fords then than indicated , but they could all be jumped.

The next day it rained (5mm?) from 4 AM till 11 AM but it was not enough to make the trails substantially muddy. Nat had camped under a tree on a bench at Doña Luisa (5mil) and despite the rain was mostly dry without a tent, . Tomáš had camped at Lago Grande and the tent got very wet(but not his sleeping bag). The bridge before Lago Vidal is not there but there was a nice log. There are some pre-european colonization rock paintings after Lago Vidal, one probably needs to make a sidetrip to see them based on the information signs near Torrentoso (trail 22-10 was signposted; trails in the valley are well maintained so I assume the option is good to go). On the last meadow before the gone bridge at 51.8, there was a cherry tree that still had very tasty miniature cherries in the beginning of February. It is behind the house to the left of the trail, maybe 40 m from it. I discovered it by going south of the house (nobody seemed to be in it). Do not miss the turnoff of the trail from the meadow - I went straight, there was initially a trail but petered out into a landslide. Camp at 45.2 is nice but bring water (reach it by turning left from the trail cca 50-100 m beyond the imaginary shortest routefrom the trail to the camp, that way you avoid any vegetation, there is an opening in the fence,(-41.70438, -71.99186). Finally met Natalie after two days of escaping rain, she found a dry spot under the tree canopies there. Shop in El Manso is better than expected (has good veges and fruit) but not as good as the one in Llanada Grande. El Manso also is besides a cerveceria with wifi (you have to buy the beer). The bus only came at 1530 despite being told it comes at 1pm. In almost three hours of waiting, we did not manage to hitch a car.

We walked back for about an hour on the main road before getting a hitch for the last 3 km to turnoff to 22-02, as others indicated the RR is badly passable due to a landslide. The MR we walked was aesthetically dreadful and supersteep. We had to climb a locked gate right at the start. We found a miniature camping spot (dry) about 200 m before the signposted trail turnoff. In the morning a lorry driver waved at us so probably no issues with climbing the gate. Luckily the trail is much nicer than the road. We met the settler at the lake Azul, he let us walk through his property. The few km to the first very small lake are actually an undriven MR, but very pleasant, it does not seem to be connected to the road network. After 2 km, one turns left onto a trail, there are new signposts indicating you ca go to the "Frontera" or the lake- go to the Frontera. Until the pass, it is very clear. After the pass, the visibility deteriorates somewhat but no bush bashing is involved. Soon after that, there is a gate saying there is no trail afer a harsh winter. We went further and it turned out there is a trail. There were some trees on it, but not too much and we lost it only for about 50 m. From setler at 11.4, the trail is much more clear. Met a seemingly lonely girl from the next homestead with whom we had a lovely chat. The trail to the border control was easy, we came there at 1530 and were let through. They told us that it would be ok to reach the Argentinian border control the next day. They too had a very ripe cherry tree but did not pick up on my appraisal of it and did not suggest I get some fruit.

We met several people on the way to Argentina border. We camped there (wild permitted numbered camping sites with numbers - there was about twenty other Argentinians, the functioning toilets are unsigned immediately next to the Police building, the building that looks like the old toilets is closed). The next day we had no issues with getting a stamp and going down. The last CC part is a trail. We forded the second ford a bit earlier than suggested, it was waist deep but very slow moving. Took a bus at 1340 to El Bolson - seems to run regularly (the dog bandit's bandits there are aggressive, watch out).