Cambios

==Markers== Markers have been designedbased on ones used in France. It isa pioneering system renownedworldwide for its efficiency andsimplicity and has beensupplemented with SNUPIES,represented by Arabic numberswhich at times accompany themarkers indicating route anddirection. Each number has its ownmeaning described in this Topoguide.<br> The Route is made up of 29SNUPIES and markers indicatingroute and direction, using signsconsisting of rock monoliths, woodenstakes and trees, as well as localmaterials that cause minimal impact.<br> The distance between signsvaries depending on the nature ofthe section. There are more of themin areas where the trail does not existor is not very clear. On the whole,they are placed within a hiker’s fieldof vision.<br> The circuit was signposted onthe field in two directions. One mustbear in mind that this Route considerspassing through part of the Dientesde Navarino circuit, so werecommend paying attention to theseries of SNUPIES whose sequencehas been altered to keep both routesseparate and ensure that a hiker isguided in the right direction.<br> ==General description== The “Cape Horn-Lake Windhond”heritage route is 41 kilometers longfrom start to finish. It takes 21 hoursto walk, in other words, 3 or 4 daystravel time. <br>It starts in the La Cascada sectorand ends on the Ukika River next tothe vehicular access road to PuertoWilliams. The trip takes you througha typical habitat of the high Andeansteppes. The impressive Dientes deNavarino chain, the spectacular, uniqueview from the top of Bettinellimountain, part of the large southernplain of Navarino island, and LakeWindhond where a shelter awaitshikers and fishing fans, stand out.<br>Its connectivity with the Dientesde Navarino Circuit, and its shape inthe form of a “Y”, mean that there areseveral alternative hiking routes. Thecircuit consists of seven sections,defined in terms of their geographicalfeatures, the existence of suitable areasfor camping and pre-designed andmarked routes.<br>The circuit can be traveled in bothdirections, in other words, startingfrom the Ukika River valley or startingfrom the Róbalo River valley.<br>The first section runs from the LaCascada sector to el Salto lake andincludes SNUPIES 1 through 6. The second section forms part of theel Salto lake-Escondida lakesection of the Dientes de Navarinocircuit, which crosses the Dientespass and includes SNUPIES 11through 16 of that circuit. Thethird and fourth sections are theaccess routes to Windhond riverand lake respectively. Sections 5,6 and 7 are the route going norththrough the Windhond river valleyand all of the Ukika River.<br>In order to minimize levelsof difficulty of the route for lessexperienced hikers, werecommend considering thepossibility of only doing a part ofthe circuit (Puerto Williams- lakeWindhond, there and back alongthe Ukika and Windhond valleys),so as to avoid the more difficultparts which are in the Dientes deNavarino sector and the Bettinellimountain pass. Unstableatmospheric conditions producestrong winds that mayoccasionally delay the trip throughhigh areas. Thus, in light of howisolated the area is, notice mustbe given before setting off.<br>In order to avoid losing thetrail, we recommend adheringstrictly to indications given in thisTopoguide and using the Dientesde Navarino Circuit Topoguide asa backup.<br> ===First segment=== The section starts 2800 meters fromPuerto Williams, in the La Cascadasection marked with SNUPIE 1,which coincides with the start of theDientes de Navarino circuit.<br> Two alternatives from there,both clearly signposted withdirectional arrows and sign-associated colors. The first 470meters between la Cascada andSNUPIE 1 are common to bothcircuits.<br> Alternative 1: Along Róbalovalley, starting at SNUPIE 1 andfrom there continuing along the trailsouthwards towards el Salto lake(blue signs) along the bottom of thevalley, always staying to the left ofthe river (except for the final climb).<br> Alternative 2: Start along thefirst section of the Dientes deNavarino section, in other words,climb from SNUPIE 1 up Banderahill and from there to lake el Salto.<br> If you have chosen alternative1, follow the visible blue signs whilewalking through beautiful forestson the bottom of Róbalo valley untilyou reach SNUPIE 2, painted on adead tree as you leave the forestand announcing an obvious changein vegetation from forest to peat.<br> This sector is made up of threesuccessive peat bogs that continuealong the bottom of the valley. Asyou advance, the valley opens outbefore you as you enter the first peatbog; you must cross the bed of astream that shows evident traces ofbeaver dams which have beendestroyed by floods.<br> Beavers are mammals that livenext to rivers and lakes in forestedareas, and this area is an ideal placefor them to live. Thus along theRoute you will frequently noticelarge dens and dikes that take uplarge areas and have ended upflooding and stripping forested areas.<br> After crossing the bed of thissmall stream, you follow the signstowards the right (South) so as tocross the peat bog lengthwise. Youthen enter another forest beforecrossing a second peat bog.<br> A climb up a slight slope in theforest takes you to a clearing withseveral dead trees in wet ground.To the right you can see the northernend of Lake Grande with its outlet,and SNUPIE 3 marking theentrance to the second shelteredmeadow in the Róbalo valley isvisible at the end of the clearingon the shore of the lake. You havereached SNUPIE 3, an ideal placeto rest or possibly camp. A trulymajestic landscape will entice youto stop and rest. If you light a fire,be careful of the wind eddies thatwhich tend to occur.<br> After SNUPIE 3, the routecontinues to the left, passesbetween a hill and the side of thevalley and zigzags up to a peculiar“black forest”. SNUPIE 4 ispainted on a tree in this surprisingspot.<br> Leaving the “black forest” assuddenly as it entered it, the routereturns to the luminosity of a highcanopy forest and zigzags until iteventually turns right onto firm,clear, fairly grassy land withclumps of creepers. You arereaching the top of the hillseparating the sheltered meadowof Lake Grande and the one ofLake Palachinque, whereSNUPIE 5 is located. As you leave the forest, there is a rockyhillock to the right. It is well worthstepping off the trail for a fewmoments to climb to the top. The all-encompassing view of the valley ismarvelous.<br> SNUPIE 5 is painted on a stonemarker on a large rock. It marks thesecond and second to last shelteredmeadow in the valley. It is anexcellent point to check out thecoming sections. As one lookstowards Lake Palachinque, one cansee to the left the descent to the riverthat feeds it and comes from Lake elSalto.<br> After SNUPIE 5, one mustcontinue skirting Lake Palachinqueuntil one reaches the shore and thencontinue on for a few meters. Becareful not to miss the signpostedfork which climbs sharply up to theleft. It runs through the forest for ashort stretch and then turns right tothe foot of a clearing which has ariver running through the middle.Take care to cross it at the spotindicated by signs and then turn leftimmediately in a southern direction.There is a sharp climb up to the outletof Lake el Salto, where SNUPIE 6is painted on a noticeable stonemarker on the western side of theoutlet of Lake el Salto.<br> There are suitable camping siteson the edge of the lake, althoughthey are not sheltered from the wind.The wind and cliffs form a hemicyclearound the lake and can cause violentwind eddies.<br> Beavers working on the shoresof lake el Salto have left numerousremains of dead trees, which are idealfor lighting fires. In spite of theselimitations, it is a favorite camp sitefor Dientes de Navarino visitors. Ifthere is bad weather, it is anobligatory stopping place to wait foran improvement in order to cross theDientes pass.<br> There are 4 alternatives fromthis point onwards:<br> 1 Return to Puerto Williamsalong the same route.<br> 2 Return to Puerto Williamsfollowing the Dientes de Navarinocircuit in the opposite direction, in other words, over Bandera hill,where you have to be careful becausethe route is only signposted in onedirection and hikers moving in theother direction cannot see the signseasily. Finding the trail will not behard, since it visible on the ground,and, although the stone cairns arenot marked, they stand out. Werecommend this route only forexperienced walkers, since thissection has some steep slopes. Infact, one of the main advantages ofthe “Cascada-Lake el Salto” sectionis precisely that it is an alternativeto these steep slopes.<br> If you choose this secondalternative, you will move out fromSNUPIE 6 seeing a steep rocky slopeto the left (east) of the lake. You willhave to climb it from the end on theleft (north). You will then skirt themiddle part of forest of creepers toyour right and then turn 45 degreesto the left, just before the cliffs, tohead off in a northern direction.Continue on the same heading for 3hours, cutting across the slopegenerally just above the vegetationline until you reach the top ofBandera hill. You can enjoy amarvelous view of Puerto Williamsfrom the top of the hill. At that point,you turn left (west) following the stakesinto the forest and down to the valleybottom, where you retake SNUPIE 1and turn right to reach Cascada in 5minutes.<br> 3 If you decided to camp at Lakeel Salto and visibility is good and youhave the time to spare, you can hikeup to the Dientes de Navarino. Thischain of mountains lies to thesouthwest and its series of sheermountain tops that rise to more than1000 meters are clearly visible. Thewhole sector between Lake el Saltoand the Dientes is suitable for walkingin the midst of imposing mountainlandscapes dominated by lakes, rockyslopes and sheltered meadows. This isone of the most amazing landscapeson the whole route.<br> 4 You can retake the Dientes deNavarino circuit from Lake el Salto tothe southern slope of the Dientes pass(two hours hike from Lake el Salto),and then retake the next sections toreach Lake Windhond or continuealong the Dientes de Navarino circuit.<br> ===Second segment===You start this section by skirting theleft (east) shore of Lake el Salto. It isimportant to mention that, from this pointon, you start to retake the Dientes deNavarino circuit, specifically part of theLake el Salto-Lake Escondida section.Therefore, the proper numbering will beSNUPIES 11 to 16.<BR> One can see a rocky promontorysouth of the lake that falls sharply ontothe shore. You must take care becausethe right place to start climbing is beforethis promontory, immediately to your left(SNUPIE N° 11). Follow the streamclosest to the rocky promontory,which runs along a steeply slopedravine. Continue up the ravine to thetop and then turn left (east), followingthe natural course of a twisting littlevalley that continues on until itreaches a large plain (SNUPIE 12).Then cross the river, climb right upa long grass and peat covered hillockthat rises up out of the center of theplain. Continue along the top of thehillock to a small rocky pass called“First Pass”, where a stream is born.<BR> After First Pass follow thecourse of the stream to the entranceto a high valley (SNUPIE 13), whereyou will find snow even in summer.Follow the valley to the left (east) ona 140º heading until you reachAustralia pass (SNUPIE 14), markedby a large stone marker. Continue onalong the right-hand side of the lakeat the foot of Australia pass, butwithout dropping down to its level.Take the route halfway down on aheading of 110º. This is a dangerouspass, especially when the ground iswet or is covered by sheets of snow;always make sure that the markersare clearly in sight.<BR> You will reach Dientes pass,which looks southwards (SNUPIE15). Drop down through the valleythat opens up on the other side of thepass, passing to the left (east) of thelakes. SNUPIE 16 is on the southernshore of the third lake (including thetiny one in the middle). So too isSNUPIE 1 of the section that leadstowards lake Windhond and whichindicates a fork in the Dientes deNavarino circuit.<BR> ===Third segment=== We start this section with theSNUPIE 1 marker which coincides withthe SNUPIE 16 marker of the Dientesde Navarino circuit. This marker lies afew meters beyond the southern tip ofthe third lake after the Dientes deNavarino pass. There are two possibleroutes from this point: a) Towards lakeWindhond (yellow markers) and b)Continue along the Dientes deNavarino circuit (red markers),turning towards the right (west).<br> The same stone marker thatindicates SNUPIE 1 uses initials anddirectional arrows to point out thealternative routes:LW = towards lake Windhond.CDN = continuation of Dientes deNavarino circuit.PW CDN = Puerto Williams alongDientes de Navarino circuit (in otherwords, towards lake el Salto).<br> The signs with the initials “LW”,“CDN” and “PW CDN” are repeated50 meters past SNUPIE 1 in all threefeasible directions, so as to preventany distracted hiker from setting offin the wrong direction.<br> When visibility is good, one caneasily see the way up Bettinellimountain. With binoculars, one caneven distinguish the stone markersthat lead to the top of that mountain.In order to climb to the top of Bettinellimountain and continue on towardslake Windhond, we recommendchecking weather conditions to seewhether it is covered in cloud. Accessto the top of Bettinelli mountain isbeyond the shelter of the forest andtakes about two and half hours (fromSNUPIES 3 to 5).<br> The following is someinformation to be kept in mind:• You will find suitable sites forcamping at 35 minutes and 1 hourand 10 minutes hike fromSNUPIE 2 and SNUPIE 3, beforebefore you get to Bettinellimountain. There are no otheralternatives for camping untilSNUPIE 10.•*If there is a strong wind or heavyrain, bear in mind that they willincrease as you gain altitude.•*It’s about a 4 and a half hour hiketo SNUPIE 10 and the bottom ofthe Windhond valley and another1 and a half hours to the lakeWindhond shelter.•*If you have decided to continueon to lake Windhond, descendtowards the south followingmarkers that are clearly visiblefrom each other. Further down onthe eastern side of the valley thereis a clearly distinguishable seriesof beaver lakes which you mustskirt to the east. After a stonysector, you have to cross an areawith low bushes. Turn left (east)as you leave this area, crossingover about 50 meters of yellowyground until you reach a mediumhigh, not very thick wood. Turnright and go down the slope untilyou reach an open space. SNUPIE2 is in this open space.<br> SNUPIE 2 is located at thebottom of a small slope just beforeyou reach the northern end of thebeaver lakes that you could see fromSNUPIE 1. It is painted on an isolatedrock. It indicates a change of directionto the left (east), the entrance to thewood and a camping alternative.<br> Turn left and enter the wood.From this moment until you leave thewood, the trail is not marked on theground, so you have to pay specialattention to reach a marker andvisually look for the next one. If youget lost, return immediately to theprevious one that you found and lookfor the next one again. Rememberthat the markers were set up so thatyou could see the next one from theone where you are, but that dependson the position of the hiker.<br> You will cross two rivers a fewmeters after SNUPIE 2, where thereare small camp sites that are not veryflat but which can be used as a refugein case of bad weather or poorvisibility. A large rock provides excellent shelter for lighting a fire.You will find dry firewood piled in agap under the rock. If you use any, itis imperative that you replace it beforecontinuing your journey.<br> Afterwards, still in the wood, theroute turns right across the slope ofthe hill for a few minutes (parallel tothe lake), before turning left andclimbing for a short distance. As youleave the high forest, you will comeacross a large clearing of peat andgrassland in the last section in themiddle of the creepers. The beaverlake will once again be to your right.You will see a small clearing on theforest covered slope and you shouldhead there following the stakes.<br> SNUPIE 3 lies at the upper endof this clearing and just before theupper limit of the forest. It is paintedon a stake on the bank of a stream, afew meters before the end of the forest.It also indicates the last suitable placeto camp before starting the crossingto Bettinelli mountain.<br> Even though the ground is notexactly flat, the area is well protectedfrom the wind and there is a streamnearby. When visibility is good, youwill have an impressive view of thesouthern slopes of the Dientes deNavarino mountain chain.<br> After SNUPIE 3, continueclimbing until you suddenly leave theforest and reach a large area of stoneswith absolutely no vegetation. Theline of stone markers takes you to thetop of Bettinelli mountain. At firstcontinue straight ahead and slightlyto the right (Southeast). Shortly beforereaching the summit that runs alongthe length of the eastern slope ofBettinelli mountain, the markers turnright (south), attacking the slope moredirectly. Once in the upper reachesyou will reach SNUPIE 4, indicatedby a cairn of stones on the summit ofBettinelli mountain. The summitprovides you with one of the mostamazing views in the whole journey.<br> There is cliff on the eastern sideof SNUPIE 4 generally covered by acornice of snow. Do not step on itbecause of the risk of avalanches. Ifthere is a strong wind, be careful notto fall over and take care of things that could be blown away (caps,gloves, even photographic cameras).<br> You have to be very carefulindeed in the next 400 meters.Crossing this sector with steep slopescan be dangerous, if visibility is pooror if there are strong winds, whichcan throw somebody off balance. Ifyou suffer from vertigo, you must beaccompanied by somebody surer.<br> It is a very short stretch (about10 minutes). Don’t try to look for anyalternative route – there isn’t one, andit could mean taking unnecessary risks.Markers are placed very close to eachother, so follow them withoutdeviating from the route.<br> After SNUPIE 4, turn slightlyright (southwest), following the lineof the cliff and the stone markers.After a hundred meters or so on a flatarea that tends to drop gently, the topof the mountain narrows towards theleft (south-southwest) and one canclearly see, on that same heading, asmall but deep depression that lookslike a crater and has one marker at itsnear end and two markers on its farend. Cross this “crater” along itsbottom.<br> After the double marker,continue along the steep slope untilyou reach the pass that can be seenbelow. Crossing this short slope is themost delicate part of this stretch. Theground consists of small, loose stonesthat occasionally cover smooth flatrock that can be quite slippery. Youmust test each step as you advance,especially if there is strong wind, soas to not slide down the slope.<br> Descending this slope ends thefirst difficult part of the route and startsthe second one – a small pass generallycovered by cornice of snow. The ideais to cross towards the left (east) andthen continue south following the lineof the valley devoid of vegetation thatcan be seen below the pass.<br> The small lake has to be circledon the right, without getting close toit. Bear in mind that it can be coveredin snow in spring. The slope ends, andthe ground until the next SNUPIE isfirm, fine stony ground that is pleasantto walk on.<br> In spite of the fact that the corniceof snow in the pass generallywithstands the weight of a hiker, onemust take normal precautions:<br> •*During the descent of the slope beforereaching cornice, observe it carefullyand determine which part is firmerand easier to cross.•*Do not stop on the cornice.•*Use a stick to check the depth of thesnow.•*Make sure that a hiker has moved offthe danger area (the cornice itself andthe area immediately below it), beforethe next one starts the crossing. The stone markers below can beseen from the pass. Depending on theslope, amount and extent of snowaround, adapt the route down to theconditions at the time. It would beimpossible not to find the markers atthe bottom of the valley that mark theroute towards the right.<br> Following the valley to the right(South), you reach a second large, longlake that must be skirted on the righthand side (west) until you reach itsoutlet. Cross the river just where it isborn (the shallowest spot, just a fewcentimeters of water), and turn right,quickly leaving the water course behindyou (notice the directional arrows onthe markers). A large plain that tendsto drop gently leads southwards to theedge of the forest. As you walk downthis gentle slope and look south youwill see a marvelous view of lakeWindhond, the adjacent bay of the samename which opens out onto Nassau bayand, beyond, the Wollaston islands.Further on, only 100 kilometers away,one can see mythical Cape Horn, theend of the American continent.<br> You continue until you reach theforest, where a stone marker indicatesthe position of SNUPIE 5. A newlandscape begins to appear at this point.The purest expression of Andeandessert vegetation changes to a beautifulforest of more than 25 meter highNothofagus trees.<br> Immediately to one side ofSNUPIE 5, there is large, clean areathat invites one to camp, but be careful,it is an area where guanacos come torub their backs on the ground (as horsesdo) and it is not advisable to set upcamp, since winds can pick upsuddenly and violently withoutwarning. It is preferable to camp atthe bottom of the next slope. All ofthis, if you don’t plan on reaching lakeWindhond that same day.<br> The entrance to the trail throughthe forest is a few meters fromSNUPIE 5. Continue along a naturalcorridor between creepers until youreach a sector with taller trees. Youmust follow the markers carefully,since the trail in this section is notevident on the ground. You will noticeas you advance that the vegetationthickens gradually until you reachSNUPIE 6, painted on a tree, whichindicates a change of direction to theleft (east-southeast) and the start of asteeper slope down to the bottom ofthe valley and river Windhond. If theground is wet, take care not to slip asyou walk.<br> There are two suitable places tocamp when you reach the riverWindhond crossing, if you can’t makeit to lake Windhond, which is about 1and a half hours walk away.Recommended sites are on your rightas you leave the forest, close to theriver (look for the remains ofcampfires). You cross the river on alog that spans the bed of the river. Itis a decent size and allows you to crosssafely.<br> Anybody who doesn’t feel safe,or who suffers from vertigo, shouldcross without their rucksacks (adestabilizing element) and withsomebody to take them by the hand.If anybody absolutely refuses to usethis perfectly safe “bridge”, then thereis a ford about fifteen minutes walk tothe south where one can cross the riverin about 30 to 40 cm of water (it’s theonly one in the area). Getting there ispretty hard because of fallen trunks,and getting back on the other side ofthe river is no easier.<br> After crossing the river, skirt thepeat bog on the right until you reachSNUPIE 10. ===Fourth segment===SNUPIE 10 is made up of severalmarkers painted on 3 trees close toone another and located in the middleof a small peat bog close to the river.They indicate a double change ofdirection and two alternative routes –towards lake Windhond on a southerlyheading and towards Puerto Williams,on a generally northern heading alongthe Windhond and Ukika valleys.<br> Both options are clearly visibleon markers displayed on trees andaccompanied by inscriptions that say“LW” for “lake Windhond” and “PW”for “Puerto Williams”. These markersare repeated about 50 meters beyondSNUPIE 10 in both directions toprevent any distracted hiker fromtaking the wrong route.<br> If you continue towards lakeWindhond, bear in mind that thenumerical order of the SNUPIEdecreases towards lake Windhond, inother words from 10 to 7. Turn right(south) crossing the small peat bogafter SNUPIE 10 and enter the forest.After a short stretch, you will reachthe end of the forest and SNUPIE 9,painted on a tree that also indicatesthe start of a large longitudinal peatbog (on a north-south axis) that youhave to cross to reach the lake. Severalstakes at the start indicate the heading,but these disappear in the center of thepeat bog and reappear at the end.Continue walking south, keeping tothe right (west) of the center of thepeat bog. You will find a fairly largelake at the end of this stretch, whichhas to be skirted on the right until youreach SNUPIE 8, located on a large,solitary tree that is noticeably visible.This indicates the approach to theforest that leads to refuge Charles,close to lake Windhond.<br> This is a firm peat bog that is easyto walk on. Every so often the mossSphagnum Magellanicum (often called“soft peat”) appears; it is easilyrecognizable because of its typicalhues which vary from white to red. Itis not dangerous in itself, but it is veryspongy. For easy walking and in orderto preserve this plant, we recommendthat you do not step on it.<br> You will see several “peat holes”,as they are commonly called, as youcross the peat bog. These are clearwitnesses to the eternal war waged bypeat bogs against their maincomponent – water (which makes upnearly 95% of the composition of themoss). You have to zigzag enough toavoid stepping in these holes, sincethey can be fairly deep.<br> At the start of summer, the peatbog becomes a privileged site forCaiquenes to nest. These nests cancommonly be found on the ground, sobe careful not to touch them.<br> After SNUPIE 8, follow the slopeof the peat bog for a few meters beforeturning right and entering a short stretchof wood that leads to refuge Charles(SNUPIE 7). This refuge was built bythe “Charles” section of the marines onNovember 2nd 1962 and repaired bymarines in 2000, who left it in a betterstate of repair.<br> It is 9 x 3 meter wooden buildingset on pillars. Its floor and walls aremade of split logs and its roof ofcorrugated galvanized iron sheets (zinc).It has a high table (like a bar), 4 bunks,each with two beds, mattresses, andblankets in a poor state of repair. It alsohas a “drum” (an empty metal fuel oroil drum with two horizontal divisionsinside and two doors), which allows oneto heat the refuge to a certain extent andcook. People who have sheltered therehave left a small amount of pots andpans and crockery, which is a blessingwhen one starts to cook.<br> There’s a broom and visitor’s bookfor when you leave, and don’t forget torestock firewood inside the refuge forfuture visitors.<br> There is ample space close to therefuge to pitch tents with water nearbyand shelter from the wind. Stumps markan area where helicopters can land inthe peat bog that separates the refugefrom the lake about 150 meters east.<br> The lake cannot be seen from therefuge. To do so, you have to leave therefuge, turning left until you’re out ofthe forest and then head south about 400meters until you cross the peat bog. It isimportant to mention that the refuge issomewhat hidden in the forest, so hikersshould memorize the route back to therefuge from the lake. For support youcan make a flag consisting of a tall polewith a shirt tied to the top and stick inthe ground at the entrance to the forestto mark the route to the cabin.<br> As a reward for this lengthyadventure, we invite you to try your handat fishing. Those who have done sorecommend December and January. Themain catch is rainbow trout, which donot exceed 1000 grams on average. Sincethe wind is a latent enemy, we recommendusing 12 to 26 gram spinners. It’s a 25minute walk towards the east from thecabin to fish from the sandy point thatjuts out into the adjoining bay. Youwill recognize it by the large numberof dead trees around the beach. Thebottom of the closest sectors to thecabin (river and river mouth included)is too dirty for good fishing.<br> It is important to stress that riverWindhond, which flows into the lakeclose to the cabin, is generally veryobstructed by fallen trees. Its irregularwidth is more than 12 meters and itoften has pools which seem to beexcellent for trout fishing. The visitors’book in the cabin mentions variousfishing expeditions that have caughtup to 30 trout in a single day.<br> We have no record of fishermenfly fishing in the lake, but we presumethat, apart from the wind, there shouldbe no impediment. ===Fifth segment=== This section starts from SNUPIE 7heading for SNUPIE 10 countingupwards, in other words, SNUPIE 7,8, 9, and 10. Take a right (east) onleaving the refuge and continue untilyou cross the forest and enter a largepeat bog. Turn left (north) until youcome upon a tall, isolated tree(SNUPIE 8). When visibility is good,you can see the far end of the peatbog from there, as well as theentrance to the valley and the climbthrough the forest to Bettinellimountain. The start of the peat bogis marked with stakes which thenstop. Continue straight on until youcome upon the stakes again at theend of the peat bog and reachSNUPIE 9, which marks theentrance to the wood.<br> After crossing the wood,follow the stakes that cross a smallpeat bog until you reach a smallstand of trees that divides the peatbog into two. This is SNUPIE 10.<br> When walking the route in thisdirection, SNUPIE 10 has twoalternative routes:<br> •*Continue straight on in agenerally northern direction untilyou reach Puerto Williams alongthe Windhond and Ukika valleys.*Turn left (west) to advancetowards Bettinelli mountain andthen reach the Dientes deNavarino circuit on the southernslope of the Dientes pass.The markers are repeated about50 meters after SNUPIE 10 in bothdirections with the inscriptions“CDN” (= Dientes de Navarinocircuit) and “PW” (= PuertoWilliams), so as to prevent anydistracted hiker from taking a wrongturn.<br> After SNUPIE 10, turn slightlyto the right to cross the peat bog andcross a small river crossing over abeaver dam so as to reach the sideof the slope of the valley and thewood. Turn left (north) immediately,so as to follow the course of thevalley along the lower reaches of itseastern slope, always remaining inthe wood or just outside it. Thenthere will be a short stretch over asoft peat bog, after which the trailturns sharply to the right (east) andruns into the wood again. The slopesteepens as you move back in thedirection of the valley, but this timeon the upper part of the slope. Itgradually becomes less steep andthe wood suddenly clears. The viewthrough the trees shows you whythe direction changed and why youhad to climb: the river formed anarrow meander that had to beskirted by climbing above it.<br> Follow the stakes keeping tothe eastern side of the river, crossingsuccessively over meadows, peatbogs, scrubland and small woods,getting continually closer to thecenter of the valley and riverWindhond until you reach SNUPIE11, painted on a very noticeable largetree on the edge of the river. Thisshows you the best place to cross. Amarker on the bank of the rivershortly beyond SNUPIE 11 showsthe location of the ford (the only onein this sector of the valley), whereyou can cross the river in water thatis 10 cm deep.<br> Starting from the river crossingat SNUPIE 11, you continue alongthe left (west) side of the river to itsheadwaters close to Alinghi pass.<br> Shortly after SNUPIE 11, youcan enjoy a clear view of the valleyto the north from the summit of thismodest hill and a good angle to seewhere this circuit’s route continues,especially in the sector where thevalley narrows visibly (level withthe highest hill on the eastern slopeof the valley). There one can see aprominent hill in the lowest,narrowest part of the valley. Theformer Beaucheff refuge, a goodplace to camp, is just before the hill.The route continues zigzaggingbetween clumps of peat, shrubs orsmall woods, often withwaterlogged ground, until you reachSNUPIE 12.<br> ===Sixth segment=== This is a section that passesthrough forest and peat bogs. It startsat SNUPIE 12, painted on a tree a fewmeters past the former Beaucheff refuge.It is a possible camp site in the middleof the wood, between river Windhondand the start of the western slope of thevalley. It is relatively sheltered fromthe wind (but there tend to be currentsof air that can form wind eddies). Youwill come upon the remains of theBeaucheff refuge. Unfortunately,during a snowstorm in 1995, theweight of the snow broke the roof andpart of the walls. There are severalsites to camp in close to the ruins ofthe refuge.<br> We suggest that you replacefirewood for the next occupants of theplace. It is not easy to find firewoodin the area close to the refuge; one hasto go about 150 meters south into theforest and the return following yourtracks. On no account use the piecesof broken cabin. There is a project torebuild the refuge using the sametimber.<br> Important recommendation: It isessential that loose sheets of zincshould be firmly held down usingheavy logs to prevent them flying offin the wind and seriously hurtingsomebody.<br> The hill obstructing the bottomof the valley is on the other side ofthe valley. You can reach the top inhalf an hour and enjoy a magnificentview of the valley and its mountainsThe only difficulty lies in crossing theriver (generally about 25 cm of water).This hike is particularly recommendedat sunset to enjoy the play of light andthe last rays of sunset over theimposing hill opposite the refuge.Condors and eagles fly around thissame hill.<br> After SNUPIE 12, leave theforest towards the river and turn left.The stakes marking the ascent to therocky summits that have to be climbedin order to avoid the deep canyon thatthe river forms here can be clearlyseen from the river bank.<br> We recommend that you followthe stakes carefully and do not try towalk along other trails that can be seenin the midst of the creepers. Theselead towards the bottom of the canyoncut by the river. The descent isdangerous because of the steep slopeand slippery ground, which can put ahiker in a dangerous situation at aplace where the river is a fast-flowingtorrent.<br> After crossing this hill, a shortsteep descent leads to a narrow rockypass between the river and a cliff. Youthen need to cross a small tributary ofthe river Windhond, from where youcan see a large plain that leads to theclimb to the Alinghi pass, alwayskeeping the river Windhond on yourleft (west).<br> There is a large lake at the end ofthe plain that must be skirted on the left(west) until you reach the northern shorewhere SNUPIE 13 is located in a narrowpass that runs forcibly between thewater and a small cliff. It is painted ona stake and marks the start of the Alinghipass and a change of direction to theleft (north).<br> Follow the natural course of thevalley keeping to your left (west). Youwill then reach the Alinghi pass andSNUPIE 14, which marks the top ofthe Alinghi pass and the start of theUkika valley, which will take youeventually to the Beagle channel andPuerto Williams.<br> From the Alinghi pass, youdescend towards the Ukika valley whichopens up at the foot of the pass andturns at first to the right, until you reachthe Beagle channel. Remember thefollowing recommendation in order toreach the plain at the end of the valley(which still cannot be seen from theAlinghi pass): “Walk down the stairsand stick to the right of the river andthe lakes”. “Stairs” represents the wayin which you descend along the Ukikavalley from the Alinghi pass to SNUPIE15, in other words, Alinghi pass, descent,flat area, descent alongside the waterfall,flat area, descent, flat area whereSNUPIE 15 is located.<br> The lake below the pass is one ofthe main sources of the river Ukika,which outflows into the Beagle channelclose to Puerto Williams. The circuitmostly follows the course of the river,skirting all the lakes on the right (east).<br> When you reach SNUPIE 14, turnfirst to the right and then (next marker)to the left to start the first descent,crossing parts of low scrubland. Skirtthe lake on the right and climb a small,long pampa to a small pass. End of firstplain or flat area.<br> Then continue along a narrow passin the midst of a low forest which leadsto a short, steep descent along a tinyvalley where one can see thedestruction caused by the beavers. Youhave to cross this valley and climb upone of its short slopes towards the left.Climb down again through a wooduntil you reach the second plain afterthe pass. Skirt the lake on the right-hand side until you reach its outlet.End of second plain or flat area.<br> Follow the stakes and the easternbank of the river in the midst of creepertype vegetation. There is a magnificentwaterfall to one side of the next descent,but it can only be seen from the bottom.The trail follows the course of thewaterfall before moving away from ita little and entering a tall forest whereit gradually turns to the left (it crossesa stream). Upon exiting the forest,follow the stakes along a large, softpeat bog until you come upon a smallpass. End of the third plain or flat area.At its end, a descent through the forestleads finally to the bottom of the Ukikavalley. After a short stretch whichcrosses the peat bog to the right andreaches the edge of the wood, youhave to continue along the edge of thewood until you reach SNUPIE 15.<br>  ===Seventh segment=== SNUPIE 15 is painted on a tree at thesite called “Las Marcas de Mansilla”.It indicates the start of the final plainof the Ukika valley and a place forcamping.<br> 2 or 3 tents may be pitched on thesmall plain surrounding the SNUPIE.There is no shelter from the wind orrain. The forest nearby is not suitablefor camping, because the ground iswaterlogged and because of theslope. If necessary, check about 60m inside the forest.<br> The River Ukika, whichcrosses the large peaty plain, formsseveral lakes of different sizes. Thebeavers’ work is evident everywhereand it is a great place to observethem.<br> After SNUPIE 15, skirt thelake sector on the right, crossing asector of peat mixed with jonquil.Stakes mark the route to the rightuntil a short climb through low trees,which leads to a higher plain withsimilar ground to the previous peatbog, but now full of obstaclescaused by the beavers’ work. Stakesand markers on dead trees guidehikers between small lakes beforeturning right and climbing parallelto a stream on a spit of peat bogsurrounded by forest. At the endof the peat bog, you have to entera very dense forest along acomfortable trail. After a slightascent, the ground drops again andthe dense forest gradually changesinto an impressive forest of tall treesthat form what could be describedas a natural cathedral<br> Leaving the forest, you crosspart of a large peat bog keeping tothe right edge and following thecourse of the river, until you reachSNUPIE 16.<br> SNUPIE 16 is on a stake onthe right-hand side (east) of thepeat bog, near the river bank. Itindicates a change of direction. Youturn right and take advantage ofthe ford to easily cross the riverUkika.<br> Given the width of the riverbed (without much water insummer), two SNUPIE 16 wereplaced, one on either bank (about40 meters apart), so that theindications included with theSNUPIE may be clearly understoodby any hiker doing the circuit inthe opposite direction to theSNUPIE numbering. Once on theother side of the river, enter theforest and turn left 50 meters later.<br> A trail that is generally visibleon the ground (markers always helpif in doubt) zigzags through the forest,following the course of the valley untilSNUPIE 17, sticking to the easternside of the River Ukika. At the end,the forest clears and opens up into anold, abandoned track for vehicles nowcovered in grass. Follow it, crossingthe river and, after about 300 meters,you will reach a gravel road whereSNUPIE 17 is located.<br> SNUPIE 17 is painted on a sheetof iron and indicates that you are closeto Puerto Williams. Turn left atSNUPIE 17 and follow the road. Aftera few hundred meters, you will comeacross another road. Turn right (DONOT cross the river) and follow thatroad. The same road skirts themunicipal dump (a metal fence andodors indicate its presence), zigzaggingin a generally northern direction untilit finally reaches the Beagle channelafter several bends on its way down.At the end of a large straight that cutsthrough the slope to the sea, you willreach the coast road, with Villa Ukikain sight. Continue until you finallyreach Puerto Williams.<br>