13
ediciones
Cambios
sin resumen de edición
==Season 2025/26==
* <span style="background-color:aqua;">'''2025-12-22 to 2025-12-24 / 3 Days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP + RH / Michel, Lisa & Antoine B'''</span>
After previously meeting in Santiago and hiking/packrafting separately (Michel/Lisa: 16-17-18-22, Antoine: 19-20-21), we met in El Bolsón again and joined for 24P-70-27P-28P). A wonderful trip in overall great conditions.
Day 1
Took the bus from El Bolsón to Cholila that leaves at 7:00 from the main road, across from Banco Patagonia. Here: [-41.96305, -71.53529]. There's another one at 16:00. It took 2 h 30 min. At the tourist office which is in the building where the bus arrived they helped us find a taxi (Daniel, phone: 2945400456, we paid 20'000 ARS) which brought us to the spot where we could put in nicely ([-42.50510, -71.52348] - it's also a camp spot with some tables so one could also spend the night here if taking the 16:00 bus from El Bolsón).
We paddled/floated down the 18.6 km on Río Carrileufu until we reached Camp {24P} [7.4/526] at the mouth of the river, which took us 3 h 40 min. The wind was blowing strong over Lago Rivadavia, directly against us. We asked the owners if we could stay and they said it was 5000 ARS per person. There are toilets and many nice, flat camp spots. The beach at the lake is also pretty, although windy.
Day 2
Woke up at 5:00 with hopes of crossing Lago Rivadavia. However, the InReach forecast had lied and the wind was still in our faces and too strong. We could've maybe attempted a crossing staying to the very eastern shore where it seemed a bit sheltered, but decided against it. We hitchhiked and walked (mostly, little traffic) on the road to the park entrance ([-42.60970, -71.64629]) where we paid entry fees and hitchhiked on to the camping on the end of the lake ([-42.66667, -71.67819]). Here, the water was calm and absolutely paddle-friendly. We could've maybe tried to paddle from the park entrance since some people had mentioned that from the middle of the lake, the wind would be much less (west winds come through a valley at the middle of the lack and distribute towards the north and south from then). Well, you're always cleverer in hindsight.
We paddled from the camping to the river where there are still all the signs and the rope telling you only to go there if you have a guide but we pretended they didn't exist and started down the absolutely beautiful Río Rivadavia (such clear water!). When we entered Lago Verde we faced some headwinds but continued on after a break at Camp $ (24H} [30.7+0.5/516]. With some effort we got to the end of the lake despite headwinds after only 20 min. Río Arrayanes was beautiful as well and we got to the northern arm of Lago Futalaufquen soon. There was some tailwind and we decided to continue on. We stopped at Cuma Hue Campsite ([-42.77662, -71.73451]) but didn't like it too much since the old campsite is abandoned and you have to carry your stuff up further now and there were no showers either since they were broken so we decided to save the 15'000 ARS per person and go to the free Playa el Frances (Camp {24H} [43.2/531]). We had some really strong gusts (70 km/h) and waves in our backs which made paddling a bit less fun yet very fast to get there and we arrived safely. There are some nice flat spots here and a beautiful, sheltered bay ([-42.79068, -71.72799]). There are warning signs of falling branches so we tried to stay away from the trees as best as possible since it was still very windy and gusty.
Day 3
We started paddling at 10 after watching a beautiful and very persistent rainbow across the lake for a while. The winds were okay at first, then increased with pretty strong gusts (~70 km/h) just before Lago Futalaufquen opens up towards east and west. With improvised sails on, our galions progressed very fast. We turned east at the bend to continue with GPT25H RP. the wind immediately died down and it was exceptionally calm paddling. (Continue reading in GPT25H article)
* <span style="background-color:aqua;">'''2025-12-07 to 2025-12-8 / 2 days / Packrafting / SOBO / RP / Daniel.s'''</span>
Day 1:
Coming from an early morning on Rio Carrileufu I continued straight away with crossing Lago Rivadavia. It was an exceptionally calm and hot day, no wind until I had finished the crossing at 14:00. Went on Rio Rivadavia (the sign and rope are still there, saying that it's forbidden to go without guide), passed 2 fly fishing boats, no complaints. The rapids are very easy, as is the rest of the river. Attention is still needed for trees in the water and sometimes the current is pushing you underneath the willow trees lining the river. Arriving at Lago Verde the wind had picked up a little. I camped at campground Lago Verde (15K ARS).
Day 2:
Another exceptionally calm day, very hot. Paddled across Lago Verde (no wind), Rio Arrayanes (no wind, no other difficulty) and Lago Futalaufquen (no wind until 14:30 and only a light breeze after that). Took the raft out at -42.885561, -071.604088 to start hitchhiking right away.
Got a ride within a few minutes (dec. 8th was national holiday) all the way to river in for GPT 70 (alto rio futaleufu).
==Season 2024/25==
* <span style="background-color:aqua;">'''2025-02-03 to 2025-02-04/ 2 days / Packrafting/ SOBO/ RP / Tomáš&Natalie&Thijmen'''</span>
We all met at camp at km 7.4 - it is paid, 10000 ARG for three people, very basic, only cold water and toilets available. The next day we got up early, started after dawn at 7:00 and paddled through the lake Ridadavia in 4 hours. In the beginning and middle we had some tailwind and waves (30 cm max), then it got better. By 11, we were on the other side, where there is indeed a rope. We are not sure if the sign that you are not supposed to cross without a guide applies only to fishers. Probably not, but seeing two fisher boats cross without paying attention to us, we went for it. The river Calihuel is class I, the rapid waypoints are not demanding at all, it took us maybe two hours to get to Lago Verde, but the river flows. We paddled the lake in 30 minutes. The shop at 31.6 with an extremely limited offer is misplaced, it is at the bridge at the end of Lago Verde: -42.72669, -71.74049 in a building with functioning toilets (yay!). The bridge is overrun with people. Rio Arrayanes does not flow that much, expect to paddle. Having read the reports about vigilant guardaparques, we wanted to sleep in an official campsite. Probably we would have gotten away with wild-camping if we managed to hide in the vegetation though. We camped at camping Cuma Hue here: -42.77572, -71.73476, 15mil pp. It has 9 places for tents, but not all were taken. Showers have lukewarm water, and toilets function (well, you pay for it, though I would not be sure in Argentina). Coming from the water, nobody checks you or sees you, we think we would have gotten away without paying, it was quite a struggle to find a person to pay at the hospidaje uproad. 29 km paddled in a day.
The next day we crossed waveless lake Futalaufquen to Lago Krugger. Only in the strait between the two lakes you get some stream helping you, as lago Krugger is not 2 m higher as OSM elevation data show. We were denied to go for 25P, see our entry there for details.
Thijmen notes:
* The camp site at lago Puelo was paid but cheap : 10.000 for 3 people.
* The river had some nice little rapids. Just watch out for the wood in the water and above the water. Great beautiful float !
* We were with 3 so we camped at an official camping, which was expensive (15.000) and barely had facilities (no electricity, internet or hot showers). Because I read on the Wikiloc other people got caught by the guards. If you are on your one I would wildcamp and be very stealthy. Don't show your boat or tent in sight from the lake.
* Lake futalaufquen and Lago Krugger are nice paddle.
* We went trough Lago Kruger in order to do the 25P. However when we wanted to start on the trail to trail next to Rio Frey we passed the guards and they did not let us trough and we had to show our pasport. So we returned hiking via option 1 to via futalaufquen.
* Option 1 is steep but very well maintained and easy trail.
* So if you wanne do #25P you have to sneak past the park guards by putting your packraft to shore more at the beginning of Rio Frey and sneak in the trail from there.
==Season 2023/24==
Overall, your biggest annoyance and risk are winds on the lakes. Luckily there are many options for bailing out and waiting or hitchhiking if wind gets crazy. Otherwise, I have nothing to add - stunning and somewhat easy section. This is a strict park with park rangers on boats watching - if you need to make camp outside camp zones - hide your boat/gear from sight behind first few rows of trees otherwise they will tell you to move on.
==Season 20222021/2322==* <span style="background-color:aqua;">'''2022-Jan / Packrafting / Mikhail Bogdanov&Masha Ovchinnikova'''</span> See https://web.facebook.com/groups/222224388283455/posts/1272287349943815/
==Season 2019/20==