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→Season 2022/23
You can by snacks at the camping on the southern shore of Lago del desierto but it is not a good resuply spot.
* 2023-Mar-23 to 2023-Mar-26 / 4 days / SOBO / Lago del Desierto - El Chaltén / RR + option 1 + variant B / Anna & Christopher
What a contrast arriving from the last section without meeting anybody. At the southern end of Lago del Desierto there are lots of tourists. We continued from there around 3 p.m., when people slowly started to come back from their day trips. Our timing proved to be pretty good, because we got a ride after walking for a couple of minutes. There is also a bus to El Chaltén leaving atound 4 p.m. for 3.500 pesos.
The car dropped us at the bridge at km 31.8 where option 1 starts. That night we camped somewhere between the rocks next to the trail around km 8. Camping at Piedra del Fraile is 3.000 pesos.
The next day we knew it would rain in the afternoon so we got up early at sunrise, left our backpacks behind and went up to km 12.3 to get a nice view of the glacier. When the rain started, we fled to the hut at Piedra del Fraile to wait until it passes.
If one is short in time, we would recommend to skip this glacier, because the other options of GPT 39 are definitely more spectacular.
We loved the detour to Laguna Piedra blanca.
Due to the horror stories of mice at the official campgrounds, we decided to stay away and camped approx. 1km away from the campsite
"Poincenot" that night.
The next day we got up early to see the sunrise at Lago de los Tres, which was beautiful, even though there were way more people than expected for sunrise ;)
Up there we saw one possible camping spot surrounded by a stone wall. With strong wind it's probably not the best shelter though.
The stretch to Laguna Torre is amazing. When we arrived there we could enjoy the spectacular view with sunny, windless weather for a while, before it suddenly got extremly windy and everyone looked for a shelter behind some rocks. We decided to return to the woods, camped there and wanted to continue with the options around Laguna Torre the next day.
When we went up to Laguna Torre the wind still was extremely strong and unfortunately all mountains were covered by clouds, so we quickly continued to El Chaltén.
* 2023-Mar-7 to 2023-Mar-14 / 2.5 days / SOBO / RR + Option 1 / Lago Desierto - El Chaltén / Ondrej
This section offers lot of impressive views of snowy peaks, turquoise rivers and glaciers - if one has the luck of a good weather. If you are going SOBO and want to do the weather-sensitive GPT40 afterwards, one way to reduce potential waiting days is to pause GPT39 once you get across Lago Desierto and hitchhike to El Chalten. This allows you to consult rangers in El Chalten about a good weather window for The Huemul Circuit (GPT40). You can complete the remainder of GPT39 while waiting for the weather window or after you have finished GPT40. I was on a relatively tight schedule and this strategy has worked well for me.
Starting from the Argentinian checkpoint at Lago Desierto around midday, I did the lake stretch in the afternoon (took me around 5 hours) and camped at the official campsite at the other side of the lake. The rates were 3,000 Argentinian pesos per person. They have hot water but the pressure is really really bad. They also have a new common room (more like a big refugio) where you can cook and recharge devices (if you have the argentian plug, which I didn’t). The campsite also sels some biscuits, chips etc. There was also a big restaurant bulding, however, it closed at 6pm so I didn’t have a chance to check it out.
On the second day I walked the road to the point where the trail branches off the road (km38.0). The road was quite scenic but in a hindsight the trail after km38.0 felt much more beautiful. Once you get closer to the trailhead you can observe the monumental Fitz Roy peak, weather permiting. In my case the forecast predicted rain all day. However, at noon the sky suddenly opened and after five gray days granted me beautiful views. This made me to change my strategy and hitch to El Chaltén from the crossroad (km38) hoping that I will be able to use this good weather window for the Huemul circuit (GPT40). This has indeed worked out.
I hitched back to the crossroad (km38.0) few days later and continued with Option 1 (Laguna Piedras Blancas - L. De Los Tres - L. Torre - El Chaltén) with light backpack in a single day as I was short on time. I would prefer to spend at least two days on this portiom, exploring the lagunas further away. Very scenic and mantained trails in general. Easy to jog some parts for those who enjoy trail running.
* 2023-Feb-17 to 2023-Feb-20 / 4 days / RR / SOBO / also all the optional routes to the various lagunas on the way to El Chaltén / Véronica & Zach
We resupplied in El Chaltén that evening, then the next morning hitched back up to Bridge, X {39} [31.7/449], where Option 1 starts. For the next three days, we walked beautiful, well-maintained trails to the lagunas and viewpoints in the vicinity of Monte Fitz Roy. Most of them are out-and-back, and you can easily stash your backpack and walk unencumbered to the glaciers and lakes. Note: Option 39-E requires a harness to cross on a Tyrolean cable, or a burly ford.
* 2022-Dec-29 to 2023-Unknown Jan-01 / Helen and Craig >Well marked trails. Very busy on sunny days, Incredibly dusty camp sites in high winds (but nicely sheltered) >Really sad amount of rubbish around the trail. Maybe because of this reason mice are a real proplem around the camp sites. *Secure food* (we have taken to sleeping with all food in the main compartment of our tent and don't trust drysacks and backpacks alone to protect). We picked up the bits we could carry but sad to see. Worst littering we have seen anywhere in Patagonia. Wished I had a bigger trash bag to pick up. >We walked a very leisurely 3 night loop with side trails in high winds whilst waiting for a weather window for GPT40. Then hitchhiked up to rejoin the trail at Lago Desertio. >To avoid the crowds, the popular miadors we walked to at odd times of day, sunset for the 'sunrise' veiw. Very much Worth it. * 2022-Dec-09 to 2022-Dec-11 / 2 half days & 1 full day walking / SOBO / Frank
==Season 2021/22==
