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→Season 2024/25
==Season 2024/25==
* '''2025-03-23 to 2025-03-24 / 20 hours/ Hiking / SOBO / New option from El Principal via Cerro Papagayo and Cruzada Las Hormigas to RR/ Tomáš'''
There can be no GPT season without going to GPT01, it seems, though this was my last idea for now. This option provides a TL and CC alternative to running paralel to the road-based RR, especially if you do not insist on connecting footsteps and take the bus from Puente Alto. However of all the options I did on GPT01, I liked this one the least. Bear in mind I never walked the RR, as I do not like roads, and assume this is still far superior to RR. However, I quite liked the last 7 km or so. It is partially in our suggestion in the November update but hopefully will be part of GPT25/26.
I took the MB-74 from Puente Alto at 20:20 after waiting for it for 50 minutes, almost giving up. It was the last bus that Sunday. It took me to end of 01A here: -33.71013, -70.53235. At the end of the road, I met a slightly drunk local resident, who was surprised by me. I explained I was going to the mountains. He warned me that if I meet anybody, they might think I am a ghost (""fantasma") and shoot me. I did not point out ghosts cannot be shot. It was night - he said that during the day it would be ok, the riverbed is public. I was a bit spooked and walked afterwards without a headlamp to evade attention, but I did not meet anybody anyway. Judging from Strava, it would have been better to get out a few hundred metres earlier at -33.70930, -70.53656. I crossed the river bed and cut across to here: -33.70045, -70.5316, climbing over an easy fence. Both Strava and OSM show a lot of traffic and trails. Not sure what the right of access is, but I assume it is permissive. One walks through a tree plantation (or vinyard?) that diverts a lot of water from Rio Clarrillo (which was itself dry) for its use through a system of mighty ditches. I walked for almost 2 km through here -33.69468, -70.52804, going through and around two gates here: -33.69258, -70.52659 and finally fording here -33.68755, -70.52263. By now it was around ten, I started to go up on a steep trail that was mostly quite clear even with a headlamp until about 1400m of altitude, where I camped after midnight. I started late because of arriving late to Santiago and having a flight home booked in less than two days, but a late start might be advisable anyway to escape the heat.
The next day I started early continuing up on a maintained trail. Around 1900 m at -33.66986, -70.48218, there is a cave with a spring. In late march it wasjust a puddle that would need to be filtered, but maybe there is running water earlier in the season. Once up the ridge, the visible trail continues traversing and going up slightly to -33.66459, -70.46427. From there, a faint somewhat steep but not exposed trail with a cairn here and there leads you to the top of Cerro Papagayo. From there, a few hundred metres are a bit rocky and almost exposed, but I just used my poles for balance, I have never needed to use my hands. Traverse under Cruzada Las Hormigas and climbing it is very easy, mostly trailess. From there I started going down, here and there finding a trail. Around 2100 m at -33.67901, -70.41957, I traversed to a ridge on the other side of the trail. Some care was needed, but it was not exposed. This ridge can be followed all the way to RR. I left the ridge twice, seeking greener pastures/better trails, but that is pointless, from -33.67573, -70.41742, it is best to go down the ridge to -33.68415, -70.38865, where Strava marks begin. The MR on RR is actually more like TL&MR. It used to be a road thay served to build a gas pipe unser it. It is not used by cars and it is heavily eroded. Met water -33.68331, -70.38512. 20 uproad from the water, I joined Strava marks to find a CC&TL way to the other side of the creek, reaching variant E at -33.68189, -70.38373. I think upper part of variant E does not really exist, I could not find where it is supposed to join the RR from above and saw nothing from below. From here, I followed Strava and OSM down, RR does not seem to be picked very sensibly. I had a bath, the only time where there were many wasps. I saw a tent here and there and some rubbish. mamy trails. I reached the busy (5 cars a minute?) road around five, quickly hitching to San Jose de Maipo, from where a bus is said to go to Puente Alto every 20-30 minutes. It was a cold day. I took 4 litres with me and fruits and vegetables and drank 3 litres - might be much harder in high summer. Some plants were still blossoming.
* ''' 2025-FEB-27 to 2025-MAR-01 / 2 days / Hiking / SOBO / RR / Farah & Jan'''