GPT64 (Bahia Yendegaia)

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Add a new log entry always on top in the appropriate season sub-chapter and use format:

* '''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'''

If you are packrafting, put the above info into HTML tags like this (if you follow a hiking route for part of the way, highlight only "packrafting", as above):

* <span style="background-color:aqua;">'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''</span>.

Include remarks about your route useful for other hikers and packrafters, alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties. Try to be specific. Do not be shy to fix obvious mistakes.

Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions

Season 2024/25

• From 2024-12-4 to 2024-12-06 // 3 days // Hiking // SOBO and NOBO Way and back // New option route to be published// Robin & Manon

With Manon Petit we're walking NOBO from Puerto Williams. We wanted to explore Yendegaia. While looking for a way to disembark at Caleta 2 de Mayo Yendegaia we got the following information:

- The ferry between Punta Arenas et Puerto Williams regularly stops at Yendegaia but only if material or staff are to be dropped or picked up. If it stops there, tickets for yendegaia exist at 27 kCLP, but there is no way to check beforehand.

- We couldn't have the information whether or not carabineros would let us pass from there. We contacted the military chief of the area Rodrigo Quesada, who ended up saying that we would need authorization from the CONAF. We went yo see the CONAF itself, they dont issue authorizations except for scientific purposes. The management plan of the park will not be ready before 10 years. Until then there will be no authorization. However, there is noone from CONAF there.

- We found a guy who could have dropped us legally at Caleta Ferrari. It's Jorge Caros, +56 9 9368 9723, owner of the lodge Errante. However he'd ask 600 USD for the crossing

- There is no boat in Puerto Williams that would take someone to Ushuaia without making the immigration.

All in all, it is much easier to plan it SOBO ! Anyone who reaches Caleta 2 de Mayo by foot would be able to jump on the ferry to Punta Arenas or Puerto Williams.

So that's what we did ! From Punta Arenas we hitchhiked to Villa Cameron then Pampa Guanaco and Caleta Maria. From there we walked the incredible Paso Bárbara, that opens up great views on the Cordillera Darwin and Bahia Blanca. We descended to the Glaciar Dalla Vedova and came back the same way to Caleta Maria. It took 2.5 days of really hard terrain. The pass itself has no difficulty, but two steep dense forest sections on the northern side are to be taken seriously ! No big river crossing along the way. 60km way and back. We followed a great track found on wikiloc. Nothing else to add. Don't hesitate to cross the river multiple times at the bottom of the northern valley. Here is the wikiloc track, the two 'Tapon' are the hard steep dense forest section. Both are exposed if it's raining because of the risk of slipping ! Between Caleta Maria and the first tapon, don't hesitate to follow closely the river and cross it multiple times. Gains a lot of time and energy ! Otherwise follow the footsteps, cow steps and Guanaco steps. They know better ! https://fr.wikiloc.com/itineraires-randonnee/caleta-maria-a-glaciar-dalla-vedova-32165066

We think this pass would be a great alternative to the paso de las lagunas and the road under construction. It adds up length and turbera terrain, and linking up to Yendegaia would be a serious expedition. We got confirmation from Manuel at Caleta Maria that he could provide resupply and shelter for any hiker there ! We slept at his cabine for 10kCLP each. Hot water, great talk with a great man ! You can contact him through contacto@caletamaria.cl. He does bot answer emails often, but he assured us that you could just show up ! It would never be an issue to host and resupply few persons.

From there it would be possible to link with Pampa Guanaco where a small almacén just opened, Dónde Ximena +53973019628 , si there is possible resupply bere too.

Season 2023/24

• From 2023-10-25 to 2023-10-29 // 5 days // Hiking // NOBO // RR // Quentin Clavel

This is wild. No, it's way more than wild, it's brutal. After the Tierra del Fuego national park. You continue to the official track "Hito XXIV" until the border between Argentina and Chile.

Then, it's nature. Exploration. Hard to go on, between rivers, forest, mountains, swamps... It was very cold for me, rainy and snowy. Crazy conditions.

This area is part of the Yendegaia National Park.It took me 5 days, and it was difficult to do more than 10/15 Kms per days with these conditions and in this amazing nature, where you'll find nobody, except some amazing birds, beevers, wild horses and .. wild bulls !

I followed the Lago Roca, then Rio Rojas, and finally tried to pass the final push near Laguna Encantada. I knew it was quite early in the season but luckily, with a nice weather and instead of a big amount of snow I managed to pass.

When I found the gravel road Y-85 at the end of this section that was like a big amount of happiness !

Resupply and Accommodation

Resupply and Accommodation along the Route

Absolutely nothing. The only point where you could find something is inside the Tierra Del Fuego national park, at the really beginning of Lago Roca. A touristic place before going onto deep and wild nature.

It's called alakush restaurant. Here is the GPS Point : S 54°50.236', W 68°33.719'

Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues

Depends where you begin. I did it from Ushuaia. So I passed the border without any permit or permission. There's obviously no official control at the border here, because it's at this border that the little track stop, and that you're evolving in the wildness.

From Ushuaia there's just a little hut at the beginning of the national park, where there's a guard from the NP, but he was just giving me informations about the tracks who were open.

Just be careful. You enter illegally in Chile. So you expose yourself to serious problem with authorities. Be just awarded about that.