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→Season 2025/26
==Season 2025/26==
''' GPT13/2025-12-26/RR-variant F+A/SOBO/Denis and Robert '''
We resupplied in Liucura, very solid shops, able to buy camping gas. We stayed one night in Cabañas Garcia for 40 000 pesos for Cabaña for two people. We asked to wash our clothes and they were happy to do it for us, as well small shop straight next to the cabañas (same owner). We started afternoon and it took us 8 hours to get to camping San Alfonso (15000 pesos per tent). Easy going section not that busy in the evening.
Difficulty 1/5
Attractiveness 1/5
*'''2025-08-25: Track file update 2025 and investigation suggestions of Jan Dudeck'''
- The Regular Route is located east of Rio Biobio to avoid walking on the primary road between Liucura and Icalma. But the Regular Route requires fording Rio Biobio. Early in the season during snowmelt, this might not be safely possible.
Southbound hikers: If the upper Rio Biobio is not safely fordable, hikers must make a 14 km detour to cross the river on a bridge near Lago Gualletue. Therefore, early in the season with river level high, hikers better walk the main road (Variant A) or even take the bus from Liucura to Icalma to avoid 30 km of road walking.
Northbound hikers: In this direction its only a 2 km detour to check out the ford location of Rio Biobio and opt for the primary road should the river level be too high.
Packrafters: With a packraft the upper Rio Biobio offers some calmer sections where ferrying over the river should be safely possible.
==Season 2024/25==
'''2025-01-27 to 2025-01-31 / 4 days / NOBO / GPT 13/12/11 (Packrafting Bio Bio) / Mara & Tobias
Jan is right as he put Río Bio Bio not as an official option for the GPT. But for experienced packrafter it might be a great thing to do!
We crossed Lago Icalma in the early morning hours and hiked to Laguna Galletue where the Bio Bio river is born. We started paddling downstream. It was a funny but also demanding experience. Lage parts are overgrown with trees (non-native willow) and some rapids have little water. After we had 2 holes in the Packraft, we stopped the adventure after 6 km, went to the road and hitchhiked to bridge Lolén (-38.47294 -71.23612). One bridge earlier (-38.59210 -71.14081) would be suitable for river in as well.
Then the great part started! We paddled 3 days down to the embalse Ralco lake and enjoyed the rapids (class 1-2+) there are 2 rapids class 3. All of the rapids can be easily spotted before entering. And also be bypassed. We did that 3 times. In Troyo there are 3 mini markets for resupply. Crossed the lake in the early morning hours to avoid strong winds. Bio Bio is a warm and not very clean river. We took the drinking water from the creeks beside.
* ''' 2024-DEC-29 / 1 jours / Randonnée / SOBO / RR / Pierre-Marie '''
Etape : GPT09+GPT10+GPT11+GPT12+GPT13
| Meteo : soleil
| Eau : facile
| Neige : non
| Intérêt : 1/5
| Difficulté : 0/5
| Danger : gravel road
Le lac est vraiment beau et le sentier qui le longe est sympa. Mais le reste de la rando n'est pas interessant, et la gravel road juste avant le lac est dangereuse.
Je pensais prendre un bus vers 7h pour Temuco et j'ai campé juste avant l'arret de bus. Mais j'ai vu le bus passer a 6h40 quand je pliais ma tente. J'ai donc pris un bus pour Lonquimay a 7h20, puis le bus de 10h20 pour Temuco.
DEC-30>JAN-01 : Repos Temuco
*'''2024-DEC-28 to 2024-DEC-29 / 1 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR + OH (var. B, F) / Ivan, Jakub, Daniel'''
A calm and very easy section, mostly along a minor and paved road. We started from Liucura in the evening and camped on a small hill above the main road after crossing the bridge [2.0/1022]. The next day, we returned to the MR near the Biobío River and continued via the {13-B} variant. Near the settler [1.2/1036], we had to cross a pasture with horses and climb over several fences. This was followed by a section without water; the first water source we found was around km 10.6 at coordinates (-38.7115369, -71.1264958). The ford [16.6/1100] was easy to cross. Although the water reached waist height at one point, the current was calm.
In the afternoon, we left the RR to follow the variant {13-F}. We ended GPT13 in the evening in the very touristic village of Villa Icalma, which offers good resupply opportunities with several stores available.
* '''2024-Dec-16 / 1 Day / Bus / SOBO / Bus / Tomáš & Natalie & Clara'''
On our way to Villa Pehuania, we took a bus. It leaves at 15:00 from Lonquimay, passes around 15:30-15:45 through Liucura and arrives to Icalma some time after five. On Sundays, it leaves Lonquimay at 15:20. From Icalma, the bus leaves "Rincon Icalma" at 7:10 (12:30 on Sundays). Met Clara at the bus stop in Liucura, great! BTW, the landscape now in mid-December is significantly greener and more attractive than when we passed in February 2023. I also think there might be a much nicer path either following the border ridge or Cordillera Lonquimay. Needs investigation. Entel internet now just works ( but town was empty pre-season). Road between Icalma and Liucura is to be paved in March, a local said.
To Victoria buses leave Monday-Wednesday-Friday at 6:15 and go back at 17:15. From Temuco on the same days at 7:30 (9:00 on Sundays) and back to Icalma at 15:00 (same Sundays). There is also (subsidized) bus on the same days from Marimenuco (mid-GPT13) to Melipueco at 6:00 (Sunday 14:00), back 18:00 (same Sunday).
* '''2024-Dec-03 to 2024-Dec-04 / 2 Days / Hiking / SOBO / RR, D / Karin'''
I arrived on the 02 Dec at 4pm in Liucura, so I went to the second bridge (km2). Downstream is a nice place to camp. The night was freezing cold.
The ford (km16.6) was not passable for me (170cm). The water was too high (above hips) and the current was too strong. So I took variante D. After having walked var. D, I camp at the ford. Very nice place.
The road is easy to follow, not too many traffic. But definitly not the most attractiv.
I camped at campamento (km35.2). The camping is not yet open, but the owner lives in the house on the other side of the road. He charged me 10000 pesos for one night. There are sanitary installations.
As I did GPT 13 and 14 in one, I did not go in to Icalma, therefore I don't if there are shops for resupply.
==Season 2023/24==
=Transport to and from Route=
December 2024:
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