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==Recent Alerts and Suggestions==
* Dec 2022 Frank
There is a bus from Cochrane to Lago Brown twice a week (see transport section) Taking it to the junction with Route 901, a little after the bridge over Rio Tranquilo, will save a 34KM road walk.
* 13.03.23 -18.03.23 / Anna & Christopher / SOBO, Cochrane - Villa O'Higgins / 5.5 days
We camped approximately 3 km outside of Cochrane to get an early start on the first day. After walking some km we got pretty lucky and got two hitchhikes and were able to skip 41 km until km 53. The views in between were amazing though, especially Glaciar Calluqueo.
The next day it was supposed to rain a lot until the afternoon. Therefore we planned half a day in the tent and went to a small simple shelter at km 65.8, that is indicated on Gaia.
It didn't rain as bad as last predicted and we were able to continue around 2 pm. The weather got surprisingly good then. Nice stretch over the pass. We camped at around km 76 next to the river. All rivercrossings were all pretty chill, even with Anna beeing 1,63m. But there were tons of small streams, muddy pools and rivers to cross. We had no dry feet for 5 days. There were also lots of fallen trees to climb over/walk around from Puesto la Pampa until Lago Christie, therefore that stretch took us longer than expected.
The trail between approx. km 105 to 107 is starting to get really overgrown. It was still wet from the rain and our pants were completely drenched after we got through there, even without rain.
We met the settler at km 118.9. He even invited us in, but we continued on to make some more km that day and camped at km 122.9, which is a pretty nice spot at the lake.
The next morning we had to slip into frozen shoes to continue. After another friendly encounter with the next settler, we were happy to reach the dirtroad, were it felt good to gain kilometers a lot faster again. We spent the night at the refugio km 148.7 with a fireplace.
On our final day there were some fantastic views. Just when the road got more dull and we started our first brake after approx. 11 km, a car of the Carabineros passed and they took us to Villa O'Higgins. A pretty lucky section for us :)
*Feb. 2-8 / Zach + Veronica / 36H-Regular Packrafting Route / 7 days
==Season Section Log==
[[Archivo:Greater Patagonian Trail (4).jpg|miniaturadeimagen|Greater Patagonian Trail, section 36]]
*2022 Dec Frank 6 days mainly SOBO
As weather was initially poor I split the section as follows:
1. Got bus from Cochrane towards Lago Brown, got out @ road junction near Rio Tranquilo bridge, walked NOBO back to Cochrane.
2. While I was waiting for the ferry in Villa O'Higgins I walked out about 25KM NOBO to Padre Antonio Ronchi chapel & hitched back to O'Higgins.
3. I again got the bus towards Lago Brown, got out @ the same junction & walked the central section of the route SOBO in 4 long days.
1. NOBO, nearly all on road. You pass by the 'mortal falls' on Rio Tranquilo (by the bridge) About 1KM further on the road was blocked by aggressive dogs who came up from a settlement about 800M off the road. I had to shout to the settler to call them off. Around 7KM out from Cochrane the road bends left at a metal crash barrier. I left the RR here & went over the low crash barrier & continued straight ahead on forest tracks, quicker & nicer than the road. About 1KM from Cochrane you return to the road by climbing over a small wooden gate.
3. I walked on the road past Calluqueo glacier then on a trail. After the first puesto the track fades out among fallen trees.
Camped by a ruined shelter. I crossed the river on RR the next day. La Picota crossing is for horses & best avoided on foot. The RR crossing was easy. After the crossing continue straight ahead & go up the far hillside, pick up a small trail going left above a bluff about 70 metres up. Continued over the 2 border passes. There are some cliffs you need to go round when descending the first pass . There will be snowfields early in the season also. I crossed Rio Bravo high up between two waterfalls, descended to cross it again by the lake, then stayed on LHS of Rio Bravo. No trail initially on LHS of river & a lot of bush bashing over bluffs but judging by later comments the route may now be improved. I continued down to Lago Alegre. There is a settler just as you reach Lago Alegre. She was friendly & allowed me to sleep in her barn. She radioed Ruben, the settler who lives on Lago Christie, to let him know I was coming. It's slow going round the lakes with lots of up & down over bluffs. The hut between the two lakes had been used by sheep & was not in v. good condition. I met Ruben about half way round Lago Christie. He was friendly but I continued on to camp by a ruined hut after descending from bluffs to the lake. I walked out the road to Padre Antonio Ronchi chapel & hitched from there to Villa O'Higgins. There is a good hut on the road at the junction with the X905 road. Another hut further on but it's dusty. All other huts marked on the route are in poor condition or ruined, they are mostly good for cooking & camping outside. The weather for the central section was good so I didn't have any problems. It's possible to hitch part of the road sections - traffic is sparse but they will usually stop. In both cases when you reach the road there is nothing, you need to walk out about 15KM & then start hitching.
* 2019 Dec / Olrik / Northbound
From O'Higgins there are 50km on a dirt road to the beginning of the sendero. There are some open refugios on the way to sleep. you can also arrange a paid transportation from O'Higgins. Hitchhiking is possible but there is not much traffic. The sendero was in pretty bad shape due to the weather conditions. Muddy and flooded all the way near the lakes. We ended up turning back as we did not plan to walk that slow and did not have enough food, and we felt it was safer. We met Matthieu (see below) and they completed it so his report seems better. Puesteros are really nice though.
====Elevation Profile of Regular Packrafting Route====
[[File:profile GPT36-p.PNG|frame|center|Elevation Profile of Regular Hiking Route (2019)]]
==Section Planning Status==
==Recommended Travel Period==
The biggest thing to realize about Villa O’Higgins is that nearly all of the lodging and restaurant options only take cash and there is no ATM in town. The closest place to withdraw money is Cochrane which is a 9-hour drive. Fortunately, there are two grocery stores in town thatl take credit cards. Lodging options vary from camping to a bed in a hostel.
====Shopping: Food====
Supermarket on the square in Cochrane. Several shops in Villa O'Higgins.
====Shopping: Fuel====
====Shopping: Equipment====
====Services: Laundry====
====Services: ATM and Money Exchange====
Banco Estado on the square in Cochrane. The ATM was open on Christmas day.
====Accommodation: Hostals and Hotels====
====Accommodation: Cabañas====
====Accommodation: Camping====
Cochrane: Campsite run by Patricia half a block from the Plaza. She does a good breakfast & also has Cabanas & a 4 bed dorm.
====Transport: Ground Transport====
====Transport: Ferries====
===Resupply on the Trail===
====Location, Names, Available Items and Services====
There are no resupply options & you should bring everything from Cochrane or O'Higgins. There are only two settlers living permanently on the central off road RR: A woman at Lago Alegre & Ruben on Lago Christie. All other off road puestos are only used occasionally.
==Access to Route and Return==
===Access to Start===
There is a minibus from Cochrane to Villa O'Higgins on Monday, Wednesday & Saturday at 8AM
& one from O'Higgins to Cochrane on Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday @ 8AM.
Operated by Buses Katalina, they have an office at the bus terminal in Cochrane.
There is a minibus from Cochrane to Lago Brown on Monday & Thursday at 11AM. It comes back from Lago Brown on the same days & passes the junction with RR at about 2PM.
===Return from Finish===
===Escape Options===
