9
ediciones
Cambios
→Season 2025/26
==Season 2025/26==
'''2025-01-05 to 2025-01-08 / 3.5 Days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Martin Ankel'''
A general comment about section 12 is that it includes a lot of cross country hiking. Even when the track files say trail, it is often overgrown or barely visible. A demanding section to be sure, but one of the better ones.
I highly recommend a stop at Los Cuyucos (km 20). The hot spring was amazing. Note that there are two hot springs; one where the marker is, which is not very nice, and one much closer to the camp down by the stream. The second one is very nice and they have built a roof over it. Additionally, the campsite offers shade so it is possible to pitch the tent early without turning it into a sauna.
Leaving Los Cuyucos, there is an unmarked Puesto at S 38.208504° V 71.079601° with potential aggressive cows. Instead of running away from me they came towards me, and the big bull that was a bit further away started charging against me. It stopped when I started running seemingly content with exerting its dominance, demonstrating who is the boss. You just wait till I return with my red cape and sword.
At Lake Marinanqui, the northern side is filled with cows and their feces. The southern side, however, is perfectly still. Good place to take a bath I believe (I did not at the time).
Camp [51.6/1293] was a bit soggy and wet so I went down to Camp 12-E instead.
Regarding the mark “Water ? [54.3/1930] there were a few small pools left contaminated with bird feces. Much of the following lakes were also largely dried out, but there was some good water left.
Puestos [67.2/1822] and [75.3/1549] are destroyed. There is one unmarked puesto at S 38.461189° V 70.989133°.
Camp at [77/1750] was ok, but not great. The lake, Laguna Escondida, is slightly difficult to access, but the water is clear and reasonably warm. A bath is recommended.
At Puesto [78.5/1774] there were four extremely aggressive dogs that followed me for a long time, making several lunges at me, closing their mouths only 10-20 centimeters away from my legs. The inconsiderate owner saw the whole thing and made no attempt in recalling his attack dogs.
In Liucra I highly recommend staying at Hospedaje Normita (check google maps), a private room with two beds and bathroom for 15 000 CLP. The bus departs towards Victoria at 7:10, and if I understood correctly 16:00 every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I changed buses in Lonquimay to go to Temuco from where I took another bus to Pucon. The whole journey took about 8 hours.
