GPT25H - Aldea Escolar
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Recent Alerts and Suggestions
Season Section Log
- 2020-Jan-15-16 / Shaun / Regular hiking route southbound
The southbound start of this section is now open and so there is no need to initially re-route along the road. The trail is overgrown in a number of places which slows progress. But the only tricky piece was a few kms around km14 where the trail disappeared several times under bushes or fallen bamboo for a little while. But it always reappeared exactly where the gps projected. There were lovely views in many places along the section, especially early on where the past fire damage allows you to see a ring of mountains in every direction.
Summary Table
| GPT25H: Aldea Escolar | Hiking | Packrafting | |||||
| Group | E: Lagos Argentinos | Total | 39.4 km | 11 h | 61.4 km | 17 h | |
| Region | Argentina: Chubut | Trails (TL) | 15.7 km | 39.8% | 15.6 km | 25.3% | |
| Start | Villa Futalaufquen, Lago Kruger Lodge | Minor Roads (MR) | 23.7 km | 60.2% | 23.9 km | 38.9% | |
| Finish | Aldea Escolar | Primary Roads (PR) | - | - | - | - | |
| Status | Published & Verified | Cross-Country (CC) | - | - | 0.1 km | 0.2% | |
| Traversable | Nov - Apr (Maybe: Sep, Oct, May) | Bush-Bashing (BB) | - | - | - | - | |
| Packraft | Only Burden | Ferry (FY) | - | - | - | - | |
| Connects to | GPT24H, GPT24P, GPT25P, GPT26, GPT70 | Investigation (I) | - | - | - | - | |
| Options | 89 km (2 Options & Variants) | Exploration (EXP) | - | - | - | - | |
| Hiking | Packrafting | Total on Water | 21.8 km | 35.5% | |||
| Attraction | 1 (of 5) | 1 (of 5) | River (RI) | - | - | ||
| Difficulty | 3 (of 5) | 3 (of 5) | Lake (LK) | 21.8 km | 35.5% | ||
| Direction | Both ↓↑ | Both ↓↑ | Fjord (FJ) | - | - | ||
| Comment | - | ||||||
| Character | Forest, Farmland, Settlers | ||||||
| Challenges | Bush Bashing | ||||||
Satellite Image Map
Elevation Profile
Elevation Profile of Regular Hiking Route
Section Planning Status
Recommended Travel Period
The Regular Route is best hiked from November to April.
Benefits of Hiking and Packrafting
Recommended Travel Direction
Hiking in either a northbound or southbound direction is feasible and recommended.
Section Length and Travel Duration
The section is 40km long and takes about a day and a half to complete.
Suitable Section Combinations
Section Attractiveness
There are panoramic views, and an openness not common in adjacent sections. There are also a few kms of interesting bamboo forest.
Section Difficulty
Due to the ocasional overgrown state of the trail, bush bashing is required in several places and progress is a bit slow in many other places. However, the trail has been passable throughout.
Resupply
Resupply Town
Town: Trevelin/Esquel. Trevelin is a large town with all necessary amenities for resupply and rest. Lodging options are primarily cabañas, but there is one local hospidaje. A bus to Esquel, a slightly larger town with more grocery and lodging options, runs every hour for 42 pesos. It is also worth noting there is a hospital in both towns. Although we spent a fair amount of time in the Esquel hospital, we heard rumours the Trevelin one was way nicer. Who were we to complain though, Argentinean healthcare is free!
In Aldea Escolar itself, there are at least three basic food shops and accommodation at Cabañas Rosa.
Shopping: Food
Shopping: Fuel
Shopping: Equipment
Services: Restaurants
Services: Laundry
Services: ATM and Money Exchange
Accommodation: Hostals and Hotels
Accommodation: Cabañas
Accommodation: Camping
Transport: Ground Transport
Transport: Ferries
Transport: Shipping Services
Resupply on the Trail
Location, Names, Available Items and Services
Access to Route and Return
Access to Start
Return from Finish
Escape Options
Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues
Regular Route
Regular Hiking Route
Previously, the opening few southbound kms of this section were officially closed, but they have since reopened. There is clear evidence of past fire damage in the opening segment and this has contributed to the openness of that segment.
Regular Packrafting Route
Optional Routes
Route description by Kara Davis after Season 2017/18
This section was not completed. We left the route after 24.5 km and went into Trevelin due to sickness. See below for notes about the part we did complete. Alternate: At the Villa Futalaufquen information center, a ranger informed us that the part of GPT25H in Parque Nacional Los Alerces is closed due to fire closure. She could not give us any information about when the trail would reopen. To bypass this part, walk along highway RP71 to the entrance gate for the national park. 2 to 3 kilometers past the national park entrance, turn off onto a gravel road that heads south southwest to rejoin the regular route. The route becomes a maze of dirt trails that can be hard to follow. There was heavy GPS use in this section. Within a few kilometers, the trail disappears into thick brush and begins to follow a fenceline. It is slow going through here. After reaching the end of the fenceline, we decided to go to Trevelin for a week of illness and misery.
