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→Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues
Frank partly on RR flip flop Dec 19-21 2023 and Jan 23 to 25 2024 6 days (4 full days and 4 half days including walkout after the hike)
1. I talked to the carabineros at Pampa Guanaco and they allowed me to walk to the border which is currently was then closed. It is now open. Very little traffic but I hitched a lift for about 8KM with a worker from Estancia Bellavista which is near the border. Walked back and camped at Pampa Guanaco. The next day I hitched to Rio Grande via the San Sebastian border.
2. From Tolhuin I walked inland on roads to Laguna Negra & hitched back. You can walk from Tolhuin along Lago Fagnano to Laguna Negra which is nicer but a few KM longer. Laguna Negra is seperated from Lago Fagnano by a gravel reef. There is an alternative route along the reef (OH-BB&CC-A) but the reef has a small breach you would need to ford.
Followed Ruta 107 a few KM to Ruta 18. Saw no traffic on Ruta 107. A few vehicles on Ruta 18. There is plenty of water in the forest & some in the meadows but once you are on the road there is no water until you reach a campsite at the West end of Lago Yehuin. I walked on Ruta 18 & in the evening I got a lift for about 6KM & walked down to a good campsite by a ruined Hosteria on Lago Yehuen. It's marked as Picnic Site on Openstreetmap.
4. From the camp at Lago Yehuin I walked to the road junction at Los Cerros. Here I paused the hike as the frontier at Bellavista is currently was closed. I walked back about 11KM to the point where I got a lift the day before & then hitched back to Tolhuin.
5. In January went by Uber from Rio Grande to the Bellavista border which cost about 25,000 pesos or 21 euro. Uber is cheaper than taxi. I asked the Argentinian police and they allowed me to walk to the border without crossing it. I continued on RR SOBO from the border via Estancia San Jose. Route goes CC from the Estancia then picks up a small trail which bypasses Estancia San Justo. It soon joins a road which you follow for 14KM. The road becomes a good horse trail which continues to Puesto 38.2. Met the Puesto owner riding out. Then route is CC for a bit. All CC sections I walked were easy in open terrain and I never went more than 3KM of true CC before encountering a jeep, guanaco or cow trail. All river crossings were easy and knee deep or less in late January. A jeep track leads towards Rio Turbo, left it to ford the river and about 2KM after the ford I joined a good cow trail which led out towards Puesto 52.4. It becomes a jeep track as it nears the Puesto, which is visible from a long way off. The Puesto was occupied and they spotted me and came out in a jeep. They were friendly and invited me to stay at the Puesto.
==Resupply and Accommodation in nearby Towns==
There is one shop selling camping gas in Tolhuin. Also a big Anonima supermarket.
You can also get gas in Rio Grande & it has several supermarkets & a few outdoor shops. Hostal Argentino in Rio Grande is good value.
==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==
=Transport to and from Route=
There are regular minibuses from Tolhuin to Ushuaia & Rio Grande
=Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=
Frank Januaray 2024. I was told that the The border will reopen on 1st Februaryis now open. They are building have built a bigger bridge which hopefully will withstand the winter rains. If the border is closed you can talk to the Argentinian border police and they should allow you to walk to the border without crossing it.
I met the owner of Estancia San Jose. He was friendly but at first told me to walk around the Estancia on the road. After a discussion he allowed me to go through on the RR.