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==Season 2025/26==
* <span style="background-color:aqua;"> ''' GPT37P Option 4 (Packrafting Brazo Poniente), Option 8 (Hiking along valley Rio Cascada and Rio Colorado) and Option 8D (Hiking to Viewpoint Glaciar Oriental) / 2026-01-03 to 07 / 5 days / Meylin Ubilla & Jan Dudeck ''' </span>
About 2 years ago I drafted an exploration route to a viewpoint over Glaciar Oriental based on satellite images. These images did not show any trail but sufficiently open terrain that hiking to this viewpoint seamed worthwhile trying.
Day 1: We packrafted in 2 hours from Rio Manso on Lago O’Higgins to the port La Ramona and walked in 3 hours to the home of Lencho, a settler that lives next to the confluence of Rio Cascada and Rio Colorado.
Luckily, Lencho arrived in the evening after a week of driving cattle and maintaining trails. Years ago, Lencho had investigated the first part of our planned route and confirmed that the forest is traversable.
We stayed in his home and had a filling dinner with him.
We left all our packrafting gear and some food in the home of Lencho to reduce weight.
Day 2: Lencho accompanied us on horseback and showed us the best access to our planned route. Numerous cattle tracks in the forest facilitated walking. Anyway, the mix of weakly visible animal tracks, cross country terrain and a bit of bush bashing require careful navigation with frequent checks of satellite images to avoid denser patches of forest and steep rocky terrain. While gaining altitude, signs of rooming cattle become scarce and disappear above 900 m elevation.
When reaching the first pass (1130 m) the view opens up towards towards Laguna Cascada and Laguna Azul. After the pass, careful navigation is required to sneak through the few gaps in the rocky terrain with partially steep cliffs.
The occasional animal tracks appear to be created by Huemules. Here we saw a young Huemul that appeared somewhat puzzled when seeing us. It steered at us for minutes until deciding to walk away.
We camped on a reasonably dry patch of grass next to a lake where several walls provide decent wind protection.
Day 3: We seeked our way towards Laguna Azul through a labyrinth of lakes, rock walls, patches of dense forests and swamps.
When we reached the drain of Laguna Azul we attempted to ford but this seemed unsafe. The hot sunny weather melted the remaining snow rapidly, increasing the flow rate substantially.
We descended along the river and a further lake to find the perfect ford, where the river becomes nearly 100 m wide. The shallow water posed no challenge at all and left a generous margin for a further increase of the flow rate.
The following kilometer requires traversing a rocky hill next to lake. Numerous gaps in between the rocks and walls allow hikers a safe passage and carefully cross checking satellite images helps to avoid dense patches of forest.
After this last obstacle it’s a generally easy walk up to the viewpoint. The only threat are the remaining snowfields with powerful meltwater streams creating dangerous hidden cavities underneath. We avoided these risks by walking a bit south of the valley and crossing side streams where snow was already molten.
When reaching the pass and an amazing view over the entire glacier oriental opened up. We could see all the way down towards Laguna Oriental and Lago O’Higgins (Brazo Bajo Esperanza) where we explored another access route to this glacier about 1 year ago.
Day 3 and 4: We returned on a similar route camping one more night at the same camp side.
Day 5: To return to Isla Central (our base camp) we could choose between 3 options:
Option 1: Take the walking route to Pocas Pilchas and packraft the 4 km to Isla Central.
Option 2: Walk on the shortest route to Lago O’Higgins and packraft 10 km to Isla Central.
Option 3: Walk on the shortest route to Lago O’Higgins and take the supply boat that was scheduled to travel on this day. We opted for this Option 3.
Conclusion: GPT37P Option 8D adds another highly attractive glacier access to the packraft and hiking routes of Lago O’Higgins. In good weather it’s a worthwhile detour with amazing views and good chances to spot Huemules.
* <span style="background-color:aqua;"> ''' GPT37P Option 4 and 7 / Lago O‘Higgins, Brazo Poniente, 3 Lakes and 6 Glaciers upstream of Rio Manso /2025-12-31 and 2026-01-01 / Meylin Ubilla & Jan Dudeck ''' </span>
We just attempted a long planned exploration in the vicinity of Lago O’Higgins (valley of Rio Manso at the western terminus of Brazo Poniente). This valley with 3 smaller lakes and 6 glaciers appears quite attractive on satellite images. Settlers (Ana and Jorge) live at the entrance of this valley and offered us one or two years ago to guide us to these lakes.
We used a reasonably calm morning to cross from Isla Central to Rio Turbio (packrafting 6 km in a 1:15 h) but then wind from the west stopped us to paddle further into Brazo Poniente. Therefore we exited the lake and hiked with very heavy backpacks along a partially overgrown trail in 1.5 days to the home of Ana and Jorge. We had to use our packraft to ferry over Rio Manso.
When we reached the settlers, Jorge then explained:
- The valley of Rio Manso is infested by partially aggressive wild cattle („baguales“) making it unsafe to hike in this valley without being accompanied by trained dogs that detect and chase of these animals before they can attack invaders of their territory. Especially territorial bulls may attack humans that walk into this valley. Therefore these settlers don’t permit hikers to explore this valley and these lakes without being accompanied by them.
- Between November and February the meltwater from the glaciers raise the river levels making river crossings on horseback difficult and unsafe (Rio Manso could be crossed safely by packraft, other glacier streams not). Especially on sunny days this becomes an issue. Therefore Jorge could not accompany us to show us the hidden trails.
We therefore aborted this exploration and plan to use the next calm day to packraft back on Lago O‘Higgins to attempt the exploration of Option 8D.
Conclusion: Exploring the inner Rio Manso valley is only advisable in September, October, early November, March or April after careful pre-planning with the settlers. WhatsApp contact information can be provided on request.
Side note: Even without access to these 3 lakes and 6 glaciers the Brazo Poniente of Lago O’Higgins is very attractive route. The impressive glaciers Santa Lucia and Huemul are easily reachable on foot from the western terminus of Brazo Poniente. But a packraft is required to travel these routes in summer due to the high river levels.
==Season 2024/25==
*<span style="background-color:aqua;"> '''GPT 37P (Exploration Lago Chico to Brazo Poniente) / 2025-01-03 to 2025-01-10 / 7.5 days / Hiking & Packrafting / NOBO / Packrafting: Lago Chico PR and Option I, Hiking: Option 14, Option 4, Option 6, Packrafting: Santa Lucia, Hiking: Option 7C, Packrafting: Option 7B, Hiking: New Option: Cerro Tono, Packrafting: crossing to Isla Central / Manon, Robin, Lucie, Thomas'''</span>
From Lago Chico to Leo Muñoz's place :
Day 1:
Woke up around 5am to have conditions as calm as possible. The lake Chico was perfectly calm so we crossed it from la playita to 49°00'03"S 73°03'13"W in ideal conditions following the RP at the beginning and then the packrafting Option I to cross the lake before the island as we saw the conditions were favorable there and could not see the amount of tempanos on the other side of the island. we finally continued neraby the shore to go onshore just at the beginning of Hiking Option 14. Absolutely fantastic !
Then, we hiked Option 14 from km 13.6 to km 0. We did a small summit 48°58'13"S 73°06'38"W from the last pass before heading down the moraine, absolutely stunning views on the Gaea glacier. The way down is relatively easy except the moraine which is tiring. We did not follow the gpt tracks and just went straight down. Jan and Leo told us it is much easier though longer to follow the track. You should stick to the GPT tracks !
Once down the moraine, we attempted to packraft Option 14A (from the bottom of the moraine to Refugio O'Higgins) but the wind was too high so we decided to turn back at the middle and instead hiked Option 14A until the refugio O'Higgins. Wonderful view on the glaciar O'Higgins. We met Jan, May, Leo, Matcha & Misha, Leo Muñoz and Pancho at the refuge. A packraft is needed anyway to cross the river coming down glacier Gaea, don’t attempt to cross it by foot !
Day 2:
Early in the morning, we crossed the brazo Suboccidental with Leo's motor boat from Refugio O'Higgins to Leo's place, as this crossing seemed too engaged for our light packrafts. Had a rest day at Leo's place, helped him catch goats on Isla chica, had an asado with the great Jan, Meylin, Misha and Matcha and slept there. Incredible people and incredible place.
Expdetition Brazo Poniente
Thanks to Jan & Meylin, and thanks to Leo & Emma we were able to resupply for the next days. Make sure to contact Leo beforehand if you want him to provide a resupply, as he should order food from the resupply boat that comes every 10 days. Leo & Emma were kind to provide us with bread, sopaipillas, and vegetables from the garden. Jan and Meylin provided us with excess dry food that they had. Jan contacted Ana & Jorge in Rio Manso for an intermediate resupply in sopaipillas and vegetables.
Day 1:
We started packrafting around 5am as the lake was really calm early that day, in excellent company of Jan, Meylin, Misha, Matcha and Pancho, for the largest packrafting expedition this lake has ever seen ! We left Leo's place and followed by the shore RP-LK-2 (Lago O'Higgins, Brazo Sudoccidental) from km 71 to km 62.7 (did not cross to isla central) and continued by the shore until Rio Turbio (total packrafting of ~10km).
Next we hiked Option 4H. We stopped briefly at Rio Turbio where we met Marcelo and his wife (very kind and welcoming). Continued Option 4 from km 64 to 55.8 (La Lesna) and we camped on a playita at La Lesna.
Absolutely stunning rowing in tempanos, with condors and huemules on the shore. The ultralight packrafts are very slow for this kind of crossing, and we were relieved to hit the beach at rio Turbio !
Day 2:
Continued Option 4 from La Lesna to Rio Manso (km 55.8 to km 46). A couple of river crossings (ankle/below knee). The Rio Manso needs to be crossed just before Ana & Jorge's place. Crossed it quite easily (several crossings, knee to below hip height).
At Rio Manso, Ana & Jorge had prepared some sopaipillas for our next hiking days after Jan had told them we would pass by. Super nice and welcoming people.
When leaving Ana & Jorge's place we followed the beach until it was not doable anymore (because of the lake) and from there found a small path up. It enabled us to contour the big stone/small cliff by above. Mix of bush bashing and small path to go down to Rio Santa Lucia. Too much current to cross Santa Lucia by foot (Jorge had told us) so we followed the rio following Option 6 up to the glaciar lake of Santa Lucia where we camped in the moraine. The moraine at the end is not difficult at all but quite long (lots of ups and downs). Camp at Santa Lucia is absolutely stunning.
Day 3:
Early in the morning we packrafted the glaciar lake of Santa Lucia: easy and short route, stunning, lots of beautiful tempanos. Hiked down following the rio on its other bank is way easier as the terrain is flat (Option 7C). Hiked until we hit the Rio going down from the Huemules glaciar for which we did exactly the same: too wide to be crossed, followed the rio up to the glaciar lake, packrafted the glaciar lake following half part of OP-7B. Wonderful view on the glaciar Huemules. We went into the water on some rocks but going out of water was very comfy (nice beach on the North-East side of the glaciar lake 48°37'47"S 73°07'05"W).
From there we hiked up ~1400 meters (cross country) to Cerro "Tono" (coordinates: 48°39'32,0"S 73°02'48,4"O, the name was later given to us by La Tola,not official, she named it from her late husband). Views up there were completely breathtaking, probably the most wonderful view that we had during this time at Lago O'Higgins.
We wanted to sleep at the summit but the wind was supposed to become stronger during the night so we decided to go down about ~500m and camp next to a lake with a nice view on the Lago O'Higgins 48°39'52"S 73°01'40"W.
Day 4:
We went down from our camping to La Tola's place 48°41'31"S 72°59'53"W and spent the rest of the day and the night at her place as the weather was bad and it was a good opportunity to meet a bit better the very welcoming inhabitants of this lake.
Day 5:
We followed the shore on option EXP {37P-04} from La Tola's place to Pocas Pilchas. We slept on the peninsula 48°44'59"S 72°54'58"W
Day 6:
Early in the morning we packrafted towards Isla Central: first following the peninsula on its east side and then crossing to Isla central (total ~3km of packraft). We arrived at isla central around 8-9am and stayed there for 10 days. We were in constant contact with Andrea through satellite phone as this crossing was hazardous especially with our ultralight setup. In case of troubles she could have picked us up at Pocas Pilchas with her motorboat.
We did not plan to stay for so long, but the next resupply boat, La Soberania, was 10 days after, and the conditions were too windy for Andrea to drop us on Peninsula la Florida. Furthermore, Andrea and David are very cautious with the use of their motorboat, and will be reluctant to take you to Peninsula la Florida if La Soberania is coming in a few days after. Remember that your timeline is not theirs, and don’t expect them to take a day off and take a lot of risk just for you to continue hiking. We strongly encourage GPT hikers and packrafters visiting the lake to stay a significant amount of time on this incredible island, with these incredible people. Trust us, you won’t regret it !
*<span style="background-color:aqua;"> '''GPT37P Option 8 and 17: Lago O’Higgins circuit from Isla Central to Laguna Larga, Bahia Bajo Esperanza, Lago and Glaciar Oriental and return via Brazo Desagua to Isla Central / 2024-Dec-21 to 2024-Dec-28 / 8 days with 3 full waiting days / Misha Bogdanov, Masha Ovchinnikova, Meylin Ubilla, Jan Dudeck'''</span>