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Next day, the walk down to Los Quenes was uneventful. Met a family on horses who wanted to go to the Lagoonas del Teno (we told them it is probably possible but are not sure)and hitched the last 4 km (deeper in the valley, there was no traffic our direction). Then we took. Bus at 1400 to Curico.
*2023-Jan-10 5 days RR SOBO Frank
Camping Los Pinos on the RR in Los Quenes is good. Shop & restaurant in Los Quenes. Stayed at hut on the ridge above Rio Claro (after ford) reached in 1 very long day. It's used by arrieros but there was no one there. The descent to Rio Negro was a bit sketchy in places, hardly any trail & eroded but it improves as you go down. Rio Claro ford was OK. Forded Rio Negro in afternoon, it was pretty far from OK. The water was waist deep & breaking over me in a wave, nearly knocking me over but I hung onto a submerged boulder in midstream. The most difficult crossing I had on GPT1-40. Cross early in the morning if you can. After Rio Negro you traverse through a small gully, it looks sketchy but is OK if you cross on RR. On the ridge after & above the small gully look for cairns which mark where you descend into the big gully. You can't continue along the ridge as it cliffs out. I don't think the descent is really difficult or dangerous (others may disagree) but it's very slow & awkward going. When you are low in the gully be sure to stay on RR which traverses out left. If you continue directly down to Rio Colorado there are a few gullys perpendicular to the Rio Colorado valley. They are very steep sided & you can only cross them by staying on RR. Stayed at hut before Rio Colorado bridge, it's 1 KM off the RR. Again it is used by arrieros but there was no one there. As I was leaving in the morning I saw them coming in.
Followed Tomas's suggestion & found a good track all the way to Lake 2300M. After the lake don't ascend by the waterfall which is steep & nasty. Instead, at the lake looking towards the waterfall go up a small ridge on the RHS of lake, then traverse left to come in above the waterfall on its right. Cross the stream above the waterfall & find a small horse trail which goes through a breach in the cliff & leads to open ground on the way to the pass. This option bypasses all the nasty & loose scree & is much easier. Saw about 30 condors feasting on a carcass near the pass. Met the guards @ Laguna Mondaca, they were very hospitable as detailed by Kris & Stiina. The 1000M climb to the pass after Laguna Mondaca is steep, sandy & without shade or water, best tackled early in the morning. I continued out to Parque Ingles in 1 long day from Laguna Mondaca. Although I walked GPT5 & 6 separately it was no drama as the section from Parque Ingles to/from El Bolson is very quick & easy. The last bus was gone but it was easy to hitch out.
* 2022-Dec-23 to 2022-Dec-27 / SOBO / RR / Tomáš
* 2022-Dec-17 / SOBO / RR / 5.5 days / Martin&Helena
Just like many others we chose to combine sections 5 and 6 with expected 8 days on the way, in reality it was about a half day longer. We have to agree with previous comments about the difficulty, eventhough even though we were prepared for it and expected the worst really which helped a lot after all.
Starting from Los Quenes we followed the RR and after the gate next to the camp we run into a barbed wire fence that is restricting access to the RR, probably new construction site based on a sign we saw there. Its no problem, just follow the main car road the whole time. Its really nice walking for quite a long time, all the marked gates were opened. First river crossing was no problem in the evening, nice camp place a few minutes later with amazing views. First pass also ok, no one at the puesto.