GPT42 (Glaciar Upsala)

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* '''Start Date to Finish Date (use Format YYYY-MMM-DD) / Duration in Days / Hiking or Packrafting / Travel Direction (SOBO for Southbound or NOBO Northbound) / Chosen Route and/or Option Name (RR for Regular Route) / Names or Alias'''

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* <span style="background-color:aqua;">'''YYYY-MMM-DD / X days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Your name'''</span>.

Include remarks about your route useful for other hikers and packrafters, alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties. Try to be specific. Do not be shy to fix obvious mistakes.

Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions

Season 2024/25

• 2025-MAR / Randonnée avortée / Pierre-Marie ​​

Etape : GPT41+(GPT 43)+GPT42+(GPT43)+GPT44 | Intérêt : ? | Difficulté : ? | Danger : Accès difficile ou très cher, permis obligatoire, groupe obligatoire, bush-bashing

Cette étape ne semble pas mature, le sentier est inexistant (que du CC ou du BB) et les routes 19 et 21 pour y aller et en revenir sont une grosse incertitude. Combien de jours de nourriture prendre, comment réserver le bateau (GPT43), pour quel tarif, réglementation interdisant de randonner seul, obligation de se déclarer... La region au sud d'El Chalten est sûrement faite pour le packraft. Mon projet était de faire un aller-retour en bateau Puerto Bandera <-> Estancia Cristina et de faire l'option 42-01 (~60km) ainsi que le lac Tannhauser et le cerro Sombrero (~50km) sur 4 jours. En effet les retours sur wikiexplora indiquent que ces endroient son magnifique, et que la partie nord de cette étape est abandonné et inintéressante. Le bateau est cher, mais c'est un transport fiable. Marcher sur des routes désertes en attendant des voitures me coûte beaucoup plus cher en moral, en énergie, et en temps. Je suis allé au bureau de l'Estancia Cristina dans le centre de El Calafate. On m'a dit que c'était 200 000 ARS pour un aller retour le même jour. Et que si le retour se faisait un jour different de l'aller, c'était 200 000 ARS l'aller et 200 000 ARS le retour. C'est complètement grotesque et insensé. Il ne veulent pas qu'on randonnent sans guide et nous le font payer. Je suis quand même allé au bureau du Parque National Los Glaciares également situé dans la rue principale de El Calafate. Et là on me dit qu'il faut faire la demande d'accès 3 jours avant, et pour 3 personnes minimum. J'abandonne doublement puisque je n'ai pas le droit d'y aller et qu'en plus ce n'est pas dans mon budget. Je suis profondement déçu et me tourne vers ma prochaine randonnée. Le GPT44 présente des problèmes de faisabilité à cause de la frontière, je ne peux pas le faire. Il se trouve que les bus pour Torres del Paine coûte 190 000 ARS et celui pour Puerto Natales 32 000 ARS. Je vais donc faire le GPT46 puis le GPT45 NoBo, pour des raison financières. Le stop est évidemment possible car la route est très fréquentée. C'est la première fois que je me prend la tête à ce point sur le GPT. L'intendance, le transport, le coût, et l'administration prennent des proportions insensées pour un simple randonneur. Si ca avait été aussi compliqué sur les étapes précédentes je serais encore au GPT03 à l'heure qu'il est. Bon courage à ceux qui veulent absolument voir cet étape 42 qui est sûrement grandiose

• 2025-01-16 to 2025-01-24/ 9 days (including one rest day, excluding multiple hitchhiking days!) / Hiking / NOBO / EXP43, New Route, RR, option 1/ Magdalena & Tim

We walked a new route in the GPT42 area from Settler {42} [#3/385] to Estancia Helsingfors in 9 days including one rest day. We started with some EXP 43-03 but soon leave the track for a probably safer but slower alternative. We connect to Lago Tannhauser and from there walk the same route as described by Robin Marcille.

We hitched on Ruta Provincial 19 to Settler {42} [#3/385]. It took around 7 hours until we met a car going to the end of the road. One inhabitant in the settler hut invites us enthusiastically to stay the night. They have no livestock, they are working for Solo Patagonia, a tourism company, to build and extend the road (OH-MR&CC-V {43-02}) to a viewpoint over the lake. CC can probably already be removed from the track, although we didn't walk it. In a year or so they say tours will go there by boat from Puerto Bandera. Then a bus will shuttle tourists up to the viewpoint, where many condors breed. They are working in shifts, we met their colleagues earlier who left by car in the morning.

Day1: We start walking NOBO on the old MR (km 26.4). Easy Walking but not boring. At km 24.1 there is a easy ford, afterwards the track fords the tributary as well, while we stay on the southern side. There are many cow paths either way probably.

Now EXP 43-03 starts. As we get above the treeline there is some moderate scrambling needed to get further up. S 50.07576°, W 072.93645°

Soon after we leave the track for a bit to ascend via this pass, which looks easier. S 50.07086°, W 072.95873°

From the high plateau we try to ascend to the ridge at S 50.04458°, W 072.95789°. We abort quickly as the wind gets too strong to be safe (over 80kmh?) and it's getting late. I can't really say if it's doable, maybe with low winds.

We descend for ~3km on 43-03B and enter a small sidevalley to the north, hoping for a sheltered campsite. We camp between two glacial lakes at S 50.04525°, W 072.99735°. The spot is somewhat sheltered from 3 sides, but strong gusts regularly hit our tent from all directions. We build a small stonewall, which helps to get some sleep. A very small tent or bivouac bag could find a better spot in between the boulders above.

Day2: from here we ascend to the east up towards EXP 43-03. We see lots of Guanaco tracks on the way, so that was reassuring. No major difficulties except the wind until the pass at S 50.03497°, W 072.96812°.

From here EXP43-03 is not possible. A rocky steep outcrop is blocking the way: S 50.03390°, W 072.97002° To go around, we descend 40m and reascend to another pass at S 50.03267°, W 072.97092°. Only the final bit is difficult, very steep, loose sand. Luckily it is somehow completely windstill (in our case).

We easily descend to camp, finally in the wind protected forest at S 50.01617°, W 072.99547°.

Day 3: We ascend on decent cow trails to a pass at S 50.00991°, W 073.01324°. Once in the beautiful high valley, the going is pretty easy and fast. We see a herd of cows as well as guanaco. Via another easy pass (S 49.94691°, W 073.01142°) we reach Lago Tannhauser.

From here we take the same route as described by Robin, so I'll keep it shorter. We descend and camp at S 49.93053°, W 073.09374°.

Day 4: Since we don't have a permit, we are quite scared to walk within 2km of Ea. Christina and its ranger station. We meet employees of the estancia three times (Guides with dayhikers twice and once someone leading horses to the estancia), but they did not seem overly suspicious. Afterwards we didn't meet anyone. Once we reach Refugio Pascale, we are still worried a ranger might search for us, so we camp instead a bit further.

Day 5: it's supposed to be raining most of the day, so we decide to do a rest day. We still have enough food, we had planned for the EXP section to take longer.

Day 6: I think we see Robin's footsteps from 3 weeks before and follow them towards Cerro Yumil and over the pass to it's east. The views of the glacier are awesome, definitely happy that we waited for better weather.

Day 7: in the morning there's a fraction of the water in the river. Robin described the way up to the pass as difficult, not in our case, probably we found an easier way. There's a old trail all the way up and over the pass, maintained mainly by cows I assume. We camp near Camp {42} [25.1/677]

Day8: at the small lake (S 49.74042°, W 073.07323°) as Robin recommended we stick to the Western shore without problems. The ascend to the pass directly after was very hard for us, dangerously steep loose rocks, maybe the hardest of the trip. Maybe we took a bad route up. The valley after was definitely the least fun of the trip 😬. super thorny BB. The trail is almost completely overgrown and if you find it, it won't really help much. After the second pass out gets easier CC although we still found the trail here and there. Once lower we face very hard BB again, up to chest high, but at least not as thorny. We camp at S 49.70767°, W 073.04438° decently wind protected. Might be swampy if it has been raining.

Day 9: don't try to CC directly to the beach like we did from our camp, it's steep cliffs and CC back to the track is blocked by a ravine. At the beach campsite [13.6/254] a trail starts marked with cairns. Around S 49.69399°, W 073.00547° we lose the trail, it's quite overgrown, we don't find any good way. Afterwards it's easy until Ea. Helsingfors.

Getting back from Ea. Helsingfors: We discuss with the dueño Nico and one other employee our options to get back. They are very nice. The only guests left a day ago and the next ones will arrive in 3 days or so. A taxi is not an option for our budget.. Traffic is nonexistent. Nico offers us food if we decide to walk and ask the other estancias. We take him up on it, we only had food for one meal left. Nico gives us food to walk for 2-3 days. We start walking in the evening and ask at Ea. Los Hermanos if we can camp there. We are invited in instead. No one is going back to Ruta 40 from them.

At estancia Santa Teresita the son of the dueño agrees to drive us to La leona for 70k Pesos (~70US$). His family rents and operates various estancias in the area. From la leona we hitchhike to El Chaltén.

• GPT 42 - Uppsala - NOBO - 20/12/24 - 24/12/24 - Robin & Manon - New option + RR + Option 1 - 4.5 days - 2 persons permit

We followed the idea from Célio Lebailly and started at Puesto Guanaco after a taxi transfer of 180 USD and 3 hours. Discussing with the APN at El Calafate, we understood that the permit to go between Puesto Guanaco and Ea. Cristina is for groups of *2 persons* minimum. We then applied for this permit, and went straight to Puesto Guanaco. We went to the ranger station to ask if we could start 1/2 day before and he was super chill, showing us the way and telling us to enjoy ! By doing so we were legal for the first 4 days, and could go back to el Calafate with the ferry in case anyone would tell anything to us.

Day 1 : took the beautiful pink granite valley south of Lago Azul and slept before the pass. S 49° 56.719', W 072° 54.442'

Day 2: hiked up to the pass south of Cerro Sombrero, the moraine passage is very steep and would be problematic with snow. We took straight in the granite slabs which was easy. Cerro Sombrero is superb, and so is Lago Tannhauser. Went down along the OSM track which is non existant on an easy CC, then we cut straight to the entrance of cañadon de Los fossiles and slept at the lake where we had some interactions with ruting bulls. S 49° 54.952', W 073° 09.267'. Met no one, but saw the horse tracks that Celio was talking about.

Day 3: followed the stunning cañadon de los fossiles on a marked trail up to Laguna Pascale. This is not to be missed ! Small refuge at Laguna Pascale S 49° 51.782', W 073° 11.060'. Continued on the marked trail to Lago Azul, where you get the first glimpse of Glaciar Uppsala, incredible. Slept by the lake, view on campo de Hielo and wind protected S 49° 49.786', W 073° 11.837'.

Day 4: we followed option 1 to get views on the glacier. From the foot of Cerro Yumil, don't hesitate to go your way. We took a more direct route, it's moraine terrain anyway. Views are stunning.Easy CC until the bottom, but turns into difficult CC&BB on steep terrain to reach the pass S 49° 51.042', W 073° 08.373'. you probably want to follow the track there. Went down to the valley and slept by the first moraine lake.

Day 5: went up to the pass on relatively easy CC. Had a very bad (the worst so far) Lengas BB on the eastern shore of the lake before the pass. Either stick to the shore or take the west shore. Don't go to the pass but to a terrace 60m above on the right. Down and traverse to the next pass is very difficult CC on very steep rocky terrain covered in thorny plants. That was tough. From the pass to the Seño Moyano, it's again very bad CC&BB on calafate. Tough times there but we saw a Huemul ! You'll find an old track at the lake corner that will lead you with cairns up to Helsingfors.

We arrived at the Estancia with low food, and talked to an employee who did not help us. They have free WiFi though.

We went to the next Estancia los Hermanos and got invited by Juanito, who's been working here 30 years for Navidad. He's retiring in July, and has no idea if anyone will take over. Had the best possible Christmas Eve there. He later talked with the Helsingfors dueño, that would have helped us. Talk directly to him (Nico).

Got a ride with his friend that came for Navidad to La Leona and took the bus from there. Don't expect any hitch hike on this road, except for Helsingfors clients ! Taxi rides are super expensive (got proposed 400USD)

• GPT 42: Glaciar Upsala/NoBo/ 2024 dix 95 to 2024 dic 10 / Participant: Amalia, Isabelle Celio / 6 Days / Hiking / New option + RR

We walked from Puesto guanaco (end of ruta provincial 69) to Estancia Helsingfors. First part is not on the GPT track and it's mostly CC until lago Tanhauser (49.929450° S 73.026713° W) then there is a trail marked on OSM, you start to see it when you enter the forest (49.937360° S 73.053745° W) but there is also a lot of cows trails and some angry bulls too! Second part we mostly follow the RR. From the camp at lago Anita (49.901503° S 73.123986° W) we did a hike up to the valle de los fossiles (49.907952° S 73.170325° W) and a viewpoint higher up. If you have the time to do it, it's amazing. Day 1 : at Puesto guanaco there is a ranger station, if you registered previously the ranger will be informed that you come (that was for us). We started following the trail going to laguna azul and quickly left it for some animals track at 49.923508° S 72.842736° W on the left. We enter the valley south of laguna azul and reach the pass and camp there (49.945402° S 72.933853° W). Day 2 : We went surrounding the cerro sombrero on is south face up to the pass (49.947031° S 72.976260° W) then went up to the summit of the cerro sombrero (amazing view). Then we goes down to the south shore of the lake Tanhauser and followed it. We camped on a hill west of the lake, we were exposed of the wind (49.927634° S 73.033441° W). Day 3 : Walked around the camp, beautiful landscape and up to a hill where there is a pirca. Then down to the valley of lago Anita. We did not follow the trail and tried to shortcut to arrive directly at lago Anita and the campsite (49.901503° S 73.123986° W). Them did the hike to valle de los fossiles and viewpoint. Day 4, 5 and 6 we followed the RR threw the "canyon". After the first pass and until the seno moyano campsite it's CC and BB on calafates and others friendly spiky plants! Then it's getting easier to follow until estancia helsingsfors.

Permits : Permits only doable in el calafate national park office. You need to do a "area remota permiso". When you ask it,it will be ready the next day at midday. It supposed to be only 4 days but one should try to ask more. To have this permit you need to be at least 3 and complete a basic form that ask you contacts, experience, if you have a sattelital communication gps (but don't check it). At estancia christina there is a ranger station that will check if you are legal. And the workers there will advise him if they see you. At estancia helsingsfors there is no more ranger at the ranger office. Once you get out the park, informe them that you leave, if not they will start the rescue research has they said.

To get to Puesto guanaco and to leave at estancia helsingsfors you can schedule a transfert, there is several in el calafate and el chalten.

Season 2023/24

• Frank Not the RR /mostly SoBo/ 10-12 December 2023

As I could not get a permit for Ea Helsingfors-Ea Cristina - see permits section - I walked around on the road from La Leona to Calafate in 3 days as follows:

1. I got the bus to La Leona and walked 43KM SOBO. You are in the Leona river valley although you mostly walk well back from the river. Bluffs above the river make the walk a lot more sheltered than the open pampa. 11KM from La Leona is a derelict Estancia by Rio Leona, you could camp there or sleep in one of the buildings. After about 25KM you start to ascend one of the bluffs above the valley. As the road drops in a loop I went CC downhill which can cut the loop by about 2KM. As the descent flattens out there is a wadi, you could camp on the dry wadi floor. Risky if it rains but that is not so common on the pampa. At KM 43 is a mirador marked Vista a Lago Argentina on Openstreetmap, I hitched back from there to Calafate.

2. I bought a ticket to La Leona, talked to the driver and he agreed to drop me at the mirador - they usually don´t do that. From the mirador I walked about 41KM SOBO. There are two bridges and you can camp by trees below both of them. A shed about 300M before the Rio Leona bridge had rats around it so is best avoided. Between the bridges where Ruta 17 goes inland towards 2 estancias there is a small concrete hut/shrine which you could sleep in. The estancias are a long way inland, 20KM or more. I continued to the junction with the road from Rio Gallegos and stopped after about 10KM where a jeep track goes right towards Estancia Bon Accord. Then I hitched in to Calafate.

3. I walked NOBO on jeep tracks away from Calafate, easier as the wind was at my back. I went to see the cave paintings at Punta Walichu which is by the lake below Cerro Gualicho and marked on Openstreetmap. However it is quite a detour to Punta Walichu and they charge 11,000 pesos entry or about 12 euro. They gave me the student price which is 8000 pesos. In the Walichu reserve they will not allow you to walk anywhere except in and out on the main access road-I came in directly from Calafate on jeep tracks which was OK as they didnt see me but had to leave on the access road. So it seems best to avoid the site and go directly out from Calafate on jeep tracks which are marked on the track file. I rejoined the track file route but where it turns towards the lake I left it to go straight ahead on a smaller jeep track. It bisects the airport road. Cafe in the airport but I didnt go in as it is 1.7KM off the route I took. After crossing the airport road I continued on a faded jeep track which improved and led out to the main road where there is a sign for Estancia Bon Accord, then I hitched back to Calafate. This section is about 20KM if you walk directly from Calafate on jeep tracks. Including the detour to Walichu cave paintings its about 28KM.

Season 2022/23

• GPT 42: Glaciar Upsala/SoBo/ February 2023 / Participant: Tobias Schorcht/ 3.5 Days/ 60 km/ Method: Hiking

I walked from EA Helsingsfors to EA Cristina. Since it is part of the Nationalpark “Los Glaciares” you need a permit. Got the permit easily in El Chaltén (park office) free of charge. They asked me for my inreach contact, I don’t know if they let you go without it. Since they removed the cows in that area, the trail is in a bad condition and some parts are overgrown with Calafate. I recommend the use of gaters. I marked the few camping spots before and after the 2 passes, which is the tough part. Reached EA Cristina after 3 days of walking and took the catamaran to Puerto Bandera (every day, 5 p.m., 100 000 CPS). Amazing views and landscape up there. Met no one.

Transport to and from Route

Hitchhiking Ruta provincial 21: Extremely little traffic, you might go a day or more without seeing a car. Estancia Helsingfors has guests only infrequently, like one group per week.

Hitchhiking Ruta Provincial 19: Little traffic, but doable. A car every few hours. At the first 10km more traffic from car campers.

December 2023 info: In high season i.e. from 1st December there is a boat every day from Puerto Banedera to Estancia Cristina, leaving at 9AM & returning from the Estancia at 5PM. It costs about 100 euro. Inquire at the Ea. Cristina office in Calafate on Av. Libertador. Transfer from Calafate to Puerto Bandera costs an additional 25,000 pesos (about 27 euro) and leaves Calafate at 7:15 AM.

Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues

Tim & Magdalena January 2025: Permits for the area are only given for groups of 3 minimum. That's why we went without permit. Robin got a permit from a ranger who wasn't aware of the policy. The rangers we talked to have heard of their colleagues mistake.

Frank 14-12-2023

Chalten park office are not giving permits for Ea Helsingfors-Ea Cristina now, they refer you to the Calafate park office. You can talk to them in person or email your request to Mesadeentradaspnlg@apn.gob.ar or Informespnlg@apn.gob.ar I did both and all answered the same: minimum group size 3 people no exceptions and they want you to have comms. also i.e. a radio or inreach. This situation may change so it is worth checking with both park offices.