15
ediciones
Cambios
→Season 2023/24
==Season 2023/24==
April 16 / 2.5 days / Sendero Windhond and Option 1 Dientes Paso Australia / Tanja
Took advantage of a 3 days good weather window. Trail is officially closed since April 1 (until October). When you register at the Carabinieros (recommended), you have to sign a paper that you do it at your own risk and pay potential rescue cost yourself.
Followed OSM after the destroyed refugio as suggested by Frank below. Saw some cute beavers swimming. Lovely autumn colors all around. Had a late start and did not make it all the way to Refugio Charles. Also daylight only from roughly 8am to 7pm these days. Found a dry and flat area within a small forest approx 1km south from the OSM river crossing.
Next day, instead of going to the refugio, I went up directly to Monte Bettinelli as was a sunny day that promised good views from up there. Crossed a dam over a beaver lake and the river at a shallow spot slightly further north from where OSM suggests. Not even knee deep but ice cold without shoes, ouch!
Beautiful views from Laguna Bettinelli and the Monte towards Bahia Windhound and the islands north of Cabo de Hornos. Snow from the previous week had almost entirely melted (saw that already from plane). Easy walk of passes Dientres and Australia but a different game if snow or rain (talked to a couple in the hostel that got snowed in over night the previous week, knee deep snow, stayed in their tent for a day).
Campsites on eastern side at Laguna del Salto were all pretty humid, found a small dry spot further up just below the trees.
Took high route back to town, nice views over the Beagle channel and Ushuaia from Cerro la Bandera. Saw no one else.
* 31-march to 4-april 2024 / 5 days / Option 2 puerto Torro- Lake Navarino - Bahia Windhond - Lake Windhond (east shore) - sendero Windhond / Matthieu
Started in Puerto Toro after taking the ferry at Puerto williams ( once a month on Sunday). Initial plan was to come back by Montes Miseria and Caleta Eugenia in 3 days (passing a night on the east shore of lake Navarino first so not on the GPT track). For hard snowy and windy conditions I had to reroute to stay at low altitude and decided to change the hole plan.
This section is a little bit monotonic with a lot of turbia but the views on the differents parts are amazing. Tried to go back by the Cerro Betinelli and the initial part of the dientes but the pass Betinelli was blocked by snow, had to go back to the swampy sendero Windhond. Note that there is a path going from the MR of the forest south of Puerto williams, crossing the river Ukika and arriving directly into PW without taking the big detour by the road (on OSM).
Note on climate : More and more snow days at end MArch and April, and temperature at night are lowering, so better have some backup plans. Walking with a bit of snow in the turbia is really difficult because it hides the waterpoints and holes. The first part of my first day was really physically demanding, with very slow progression, at around 300m, reason of my reroute to go lower far from snow. With more snow and proper winter material going in the montes miseria could be a good adventure though.
Terrain : Mostly hard and green Turbia until Windhond Bay, easy progression. After crossing the river before the bay it becomes swampy with cowpoop, progression more difficult. What I recommend is to go to the bay staying at east shore of the river (green turbia) and crossing it directly on the beach (sand, not mud, so easy crossing). This way you avoid high river crossing and the cow swamps. After leaving the bay for the eats shore of lake Windhond, mostly Red turbia, softer. The east shore of lake windhond is really easy to walk, mostly sand or rocks, I had to walk on the lakes for a few meters sometimes but there is no deepness (ankle level). or the sendero Windhond, the part betweem the separation of the trails (one going up to Betinelli, the other staying low in the sendero Windhond) and the ancient refuge Beauchef (destroyed) is really hard, progression slow and tricky with trees and swamp. AFter the refuge there is a good old trail, between forest and turbia, until puerto williams.
Rivercrossing : I crossed The river before Bahia Windhond on the GPT track that I joined after Lake Navarino, between 2 tiny beaches, Hip level with very few current. I do not recommend to pass this way though (see before), prefering crossing directly at the bay. NO other notable rivers.
* 09-March to 15-March-2024 / 7 short days (late morning starts) / Sendero Lago Windhund + Big dientes trail + last camp at lake Sirra next to cascada de oro south of Laguna Maku / Matthieu
Amazing section with diversity of landscapes and incredible views (you can see the cape horn from Monte Betinelli). Possibility of fishing at lago windhond (ask locals for secrets good places ) , some stuff in the refugio to cook the fishes. We added Laguna Sirra for the last night, by the OSM track that goes to Laguna Maku. Then the trail is marked by pink stripes on the way. We tried to go to Laguna Turquesa the next day, but we were taken in a little snow storm almost at the end, so we got back before getting lost.
Difficulties : Good old Patagonia. Lots of fallen trunks on the way to Windhond, turbia, so very slow progression on some parts. On the sendero de Windhond, better follow the GPT track than the OSM one, much more logic, better the flat turbia than the fallen trees. In the mountain parts with good conditions no difficulties except the descent to lago Guanaco, the very first and short part staying up is really steepy, better do it with good conditions. Going down is then much easier than expected, lots of sand its like skiing.
Water supply : rivers everywhere. Lots of birds and beavers though, and brown color, so I prefered using a filter in the low parts.
Camps : 1.In the forest next to Lake Alinghi (north east shore) where you can also fish 2. Some tent places around the windhond refuge 3. After monte betinelli in the tress next to a river. Then you have a lot of tent spaces along the lakes. Know that the wind can be extremely strong, better keep your tent safe hidden in the trees that break it for a perfect view in the morning. 5. After laguna Guanaco. Go to the right side of the very exposed campsite, in the bushes and you will find incredible and protected spots with better views on the Beagle. 6. Laguna Sirra at its south shore, didn´t find a really good spot but there were beavers swimming that was really a nice evening. I think that there are good spots but I lost the stripes to find it.
Weather conditions : very lucky, no snow and casi no rain. Neither big wind. Know that some passes on the way can be extremely dangerous after snow and cold air from the south, the rocks can be icy and the trail hidden.
River crossings: no special danger. Better cross after the big beaver dams, flow and depth really reduced.
Accomodation : Camping Il padrino in Puerto Williams, the best camping I’ve ever been to, meet the incredible Cecilia who runs the thing with her extreme energy. Nice evenings in perspective there. 15 000 pesos per night, but you can sleep in the house on the couches or the floor if you want with a comfy fire. She has a refuge to with dormitorios, little bit more expensive.
Hitchhiking to come back from the dientes can be very uncertain, and above all in late march season. We had chance after 1 hour on the road. Didn´t have this chance on my way back from GPT 66 (see the post).
To have a good idea of the campsites and fishing places on the way, a recent map has been made of the zone by a group named Kanasaka (see internet site to), can buy it in a view shops of puerto Williams and in the camping.
*Frank 3 long days 16-18 January 2024 Windhond Circuit
