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→Season 2024/25
==Season 2024/25==
*'''2025-MAR-26 to 2025-MAR-30 / 5 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR+OH (var. A, Rutas RN40 + RP11) / Ivan, Jakub, Daniel'''
For this section, we mostly opted for a boring walk along the main road. Still, the vast Argentine pampa had its own unique charm.
We set out from El Chaltén before noon, following RP23. On the second day, we chose Route A, but walking along the beach proved challenging due to the soft terrain, so we frequently shifted closer or farther from the shores of Lago Viedma. We recommend to keep farther from the beach. At point X {41} [108.0/256] near La Leona, we continued along RN40 and later switched to RP11 at the junction (-50.30970, -71.85501), following it all the way to El Calafate. Strong headwinds were a major challenge here.
*Challenges:
-Water management
-Long, monotonous stretches on asphalt
-Strong western wind
*Bivouacing:
Finding a good wind-sheltered spot can be tricky. These are the places we camped:
1. Old quarry – provided decent wind protection (-49.5197272, -72.5477242)
2. Lakeside embankment – protected from the wind, close to the lake for water (-49.6568358, -72.0516014)
3. Near Río La Leona – mild winds, easy water access (-49.9726949, -72.0823503)
4. Flat spot near water – slight wind, but took time to find a shard-free area (-50.2696277, -71.8864846)
5. Hostel Aguilar House – includes breakfast, 12,000 ARS (-50.3333094, -72.2610229)
*Water:
Water is scarce in the dry pampa, so planning ahead is essential.
Available water:
Small stream: -49.4040636, -72.7553371
Small stream: -49.4112803, -72.7401567
Small stream: -49.5036340, -72.5822583
Stagnant pool: -49.5081890, -72.5713409
Stagnant water: -49.5560720, -72.4225271
Tap with potable water (restaurant): -49.8090569, -72.0532054
River: -50.1568505, -71.9900064
River: -50.2698608, -71.8851865
No water available:
Dry riverbed: -50.0023450, -72.1077764
Dry riverbed: -50.3111712, -72.0635096
*Resupply:
El Chaltén - As far as we know, there’s no resupply option near the border control at the beginning of the section. However, on the other side of the lake (km 11.6), there’s a restaurant.
At the end of the section, in the tourist trap of El Chaltén, everything is incredibly expensive, and the selection is fairly limited, but you can resupply well enough. We combined resupplies from the supermarkets Lo de Lourdes (-49.3254052, -72.8916425) and Supermercado Chaltén (-49.3307613, -72.8857952), which seemed to us the best-stocked.
We also briefly visited Supermercado Pachamama on the main square (-49.33318, -72.88383), which we found to be the worst option.
Most outdoor shops in El Chaltén sell gas canisters.
La Leona – Overpriced tourist restaurant with friendly staff. Offers empanadas, pizza, some fruit, WiFi, and potable water.
El Calafate – We resupplied in the La Anónima supermarket (-50.3375244, -72.2616506). Plenty of restaurants, fast food, and a few outdoor stores available.
==Season 2023/24==
