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===Public transport===
==General description==
Southern Ice Field Patrimonial
Road, The Glaciers, is a 79.1 kilometer
circuit. It starts and ends at Candelario
Mansilla quay, on the banks of
O’Higgins lake, at the south end of
Region XI of General Carlos Ibáñez
del Campo.<br>
The journey comprises huge
natural wonders, centennial Lenga
forests (Nothofagus pumilio) and
shrubby forest formations between 700
and 1000 meters above the sea level.
High Andean steppe habitat and its
vegetation floors may be observed in
crossings of mountain ranges.<br>
The Road provides a special
opportunity to recognize native bird
fauna. Between forests and steppes,
you may be surprised by Black
Wo o d p e c k e r ( C a m p e p h i l u s
m a g e l l a n i c u s ) ; “ Vi u d i t a ”
(Colorhamphus parvirostris), a little
kind of parrot, or “Dormilona Rufa”
(Musciasaxicola capitrata).<br>
Most of the Southern Ice Field is
made up by majestic glaciers which,
along with their related habitat,
transform this Road into a source of
inspiration for naturalists interested
in ecosystems and geomorphologic or
glaciological phenomena, which are
a real outdoors natural museum under
austral skies.<br>
Small glacier, GAEA glacier,
and O’Higgins glaciers are some of
the glaciers that can be seen from
the Road. The latter measures 810
square kilometers and is the fourth
biggest of the Southern Ice Field,
after Pío XI, Viedma, Upsala.
O`Higgins glacier shows a unique
panoramic view of a more than 60
meter high and over 4 km long glacial
front. You will be able to admire these
grandiose tracks of the past, with
O’Higgins mountain range as your
witness.<br>
The Road has been structured
into seven segments, divided in
accordance with their territorial and
transitability characteristics. The
first 6.7 kilometers correspond to the
public road, therefore, it is fit for four-
wheel drive motor vehicles, bicycle,
horse, or walking. The next 65.9
kilometers are only fit for walking
and horse-riding. Do not try to travel
the road in motorcycle.<br>
If you will walk, you must at
least consider 5 days to complete the
circuit from “Candelario Mansilla”.
If you prefer horse-riding, you will
take 4 days. However, a couple of
days extra is suggested for further
safety.<br>
For those who are not used to
long walks, note that difficulties of
this Road are only restricted to its
extension, unstable weather conditions,
and strong winds that may sometimes
delay the walk. We suggest you to
thoroughly follow indications provided
in this Topoguide to avoid missing the
path.
==Route description==
===Segment 1==='''CANDELARIO MANSILLA DOCK - BEGINNING OF THE TRAIL===''' <br>
The entire segment is a public road,
and starts at the quay (SNUPIE Nr
at the banks of O’Higgins lake. Here
you will find the information sign of
the road.<br>
If you want to visit old settlers'
houses, you will have to follow a small
few families that still live in
O’Higgins lake and share their kind
hospitality.<br>
From SNUPIE Nr 1, you walk
in the middle of Obstáculo river
aerodrome until getting to the edge:
a small and beautiful beach will be
waiting for you.<br>
From the police station, follow
the road heading south, starting a
visible landscapes when projecting
the sight to the Argentinean side,
where the lake is called San Martín.<br>
Following by the slope, you will
see Obstáculo river, to your right, with
enjoy the spectacular view and take a
rest before starting to climb Colorado
hill range (1799 a.t.s.l.).<br>
Following the road, you will
find SNUPIE N r 3, few meters
road to start walking by a path
which climbs Obstáculo river
valley in its south spring.<br> ===Segment 2==='''BEGINNING OF THE TRAIL - LAGO CHICO PENINSULA ===''' <br>Description of the Segment:
Follow the track from SNUPIE Nr 3
and you will get to a beautiful forest
Walk ahead about 100 meters and you
will arrive to the east bank of the main
stream of the valley.<br>
Carefully, cross the stream bound
to 280º, and you will see a gully where
the forest limit, from which you can
see a wide panoramic view of the river
in its upper section.<br>
After leaving the cliff, you will
have to climb a new slope, having a
6 brooks, always in the presence of
a shrubby forest up to the division
fence of the property.<br>
Walk forward for over 1
kilometer, and you will arrive to the
located at approximately 1,200 meters
of altitude, as reference, which must
be boarded by the left.<br>
Leaving the lagoon behind,
continue by a flat sector until getting
kilometer extension lacking of forest
formation. This sector is covered by
snow most of the year.<br>
After SNUPIE Nr 4, in the next
2 kilometers, you will have to cross
hillsides (1918 a.t.s.l.), after which
you will have to cross the main
stream of little flow.<br>
If visibility conditions are good,
you can see while you walk one of
are not lucky, don't worry, you will
have a better chance in coming
segments.<br>
Remember that only one
kilometer and a half is left to get to
steepest descent before getting to
SNUPIE Nr 5 and finishing crossing
of the narrow pass.<br>
SNUPIE Nr 5, is an interesting
natural mirador of O’Higgins hill
panoramic views of O'Higgins lake
south west sector and of all Chico
lake.<br>
Note that Chico lake peninsula
is an interesting remainder of Chico
seen by adventurer explorers and
old settlers who arrived to these
remote lands.<br>
Follow around 700 meters by
a well defined track. Keep Chico
define throughout the descent,
therefore, it should be easy to
properly follow the Road.<br>
An approximately 1 kilometer
descent starts after the stream,
and hospitality of its people.
Remember to obtain information on
Chico lake drainage crossing.<br>
At this flat sector of the
peninsula, head west for slightly
more than 1 kilometer by firm terrain
and abundant short thickets until
getting to Chico lake drainage.<br>
Pay attention to SNUPIE Nr 7
that is marked in a small thicket on
the opposite bank of the drainage.<br>
You will need any kind of boat
to cross at this point. Do not try to
you will have to contact the
neighbors and try to obtain a boat
to cross it.<br> ===Segment 3==='''LAGO CHICO PENINSULA – CAMP I===''' <br>
Keep walking from SNUPIE Nº 7 approx.
200 meters in north-west bound by a
small slope, until getting to a settler's
house that may help you cross. There,
you can rent horses to continue the ride.<br>
Here, you will find Patagonian
hospitality and some local service. You
this hilly ground that looks like an
old lateral moraine connected to
Chico glacier.<br>
Following this direction, you will
the brook at your right until arriving
surroundings. It is protected from
winds, allowing to rest before getting
to the next narrow pass.<br>
Once you leave SNUPIE Nº 8
behind, keep on climbing until reaching
middle of a dense forest, although shorter
and shrubbier, indicating that you are
getting closer to upper vegetation limit.<br>
The track continues by a slight slope
with general course 220º, progressively
gully, you will arrive to the narrow pass
of Fundo “La Carmela”, corresponding
to SNUPIE Nº9.<br>
This is a surprising stop for the
majestic panoramic view of O’Higgins
Glacier plateau and the mountain range
that makes up the landscape.<br>
Do not be surprised if strong winds
show up. It is a normal situation due to
are highly reliable upon making
decisions concerning continuity of
the Road.<br>
From SNUPIE Nº 9, start going
down taking right bank of a lagoon
panoramic views of the surroundings
and reconnaissance of the particular
habitat.<br>
Follow the track. Just before
arriving to the next stream, remember
Lenga trees. For bird watching lovers,
the nature will bring you in these
latitudes a never-ending bird singing.<br>
Approximately 400 meters away
from the above described rustic fence,
of the small valley, since stream
water will prevent you from
advancing.<br>
After a few minutes of walk by
the above cited moraine, the track
segment and the possibility to have
time enough to watch the landscape
in coming points of interest.<br> ===Segment 4==='''CAMP I - CAMP II===''' <br>
From SNUPIE Nr 10, move forward
a few meters and divert to the left,
11. There you will enjoy interesting
panoramic views of O’Higgins
glaciers and its surroundings.<br>
Once you take the track again,
enter the forest again, avoiding
necessary to watch the glacial
retrocession experienced during the
last century.<br>
Continuing the tour from
SNUPIE Nr 12, we observe that the
to wear a windbreak jacket with
thermal interior for your better
comfort and safety.<br>
Taking general south-east
direction and always following the
to a scarp, where you could identify
SNUPIE Nr. 13 in its shore, on a large
rock.<br>
SNUPIE Nr 13 is a unique
natural mirador for the perspectives
pieces falling to the lake. The ice
voice is heard, shaking us even with
smallest loosening.<br>
After beginning with the tour
again and leaving the O’Higgins
crossing a small stream, reason why
you should be extremely careful for
not getting wet.<br>
Consider no more than 10
minutes after this stream to reach
the GAEA cord. In this sector, the
terrace edge is exposed, it is advisable
to keep a prudent distance.<br>
It is also important to consider
that the following 7 kilometers from
indications. You should note that the
next camp is between 3 and 4 next
hours.<br>
If weather conditions are not
particularly good, consider the
Remember to periodically check your
barometer and to consider an
appropriate break in camp I.<br>
From SNUPIE Nr 14 take general
direction 75º, at about 800 meters you
to be followed due to the existence of
abundant rocks, for this reason a map
and ideally a GPS support are required.<br>
At the end of the ascent, you will
face SNUPIE Nr15, that will show you
proper of high-Andean erosion. For
those who are horse riding, we
recommend to go down unhorsed.<br>
During the next two kilometers you
will be close to a lagoon seen at the
beginning of a new descent, and soon
allowing the path to the forests of Chico
Lake.<br>
Upon entering the forest,
downstream the valley, you should take
of run from SNUPIE Nr 16, it will be
necessary to cross a stream at your right.
From there continue next to the riversides.<br>
Be careful when leaving the stream,
the track is lost in this sector reason
place for a longer break, at the stream
shore and well protected from winds in
a beautiful wood of Lengas.<br> ===Segment 5==='''CAMP II- LAGO CHICO PENINSULA ===''' <br>
From SNUPIE Nr 17 continue for
about 40 meters downstream, cross it
meters until facing an open and more
rocky land, where you should take your
left with direction to the north.<br>
At a few meters, you will cross a
stunted Lenga forest and gradually
of the hillside as destination. Do not
confuse to arrive to a close mountain
pass that you could see to the north.<br>
After finishing the ascent you
will arrive to SNUPIE Nr 18 , which
lake and Chico lake, we recommend
to continue the tour to SNUPIE Nr
19 .<br>
This SNUPIE is located in a
rocky promontory sculpted by ice
identified from the previous SNUPIE.
Be careful of not exposing too long
to the strong winds.<br>
From SNUPIE Nr 19 , take the
track again and continue down
clear sign of our descent and
closeness to the background of the
main valley.<br>
After continuing for not more
than one hour, you will arrive to
Woodpecker with its red panache or
– if you are lucky– a puma or fox
unexpectedly.<br>
From SNUPIE N r 20, you
leave the stream so that in a few
later you continue with the descent
through the wood until arriving to the
division palisade of the site.<br>
From this point, you will only
have to run about 1 kilometer to end
crossing. We recommend you a longer
break so that you have a pleasant rest,
share and prepare the return.<br> ===Segment 6==='''LAGO CHICO PENINSULA – CANDELARIO MANSILLA DOCK===''' <br>
In this segment we begin the return to
Candelario Mansilla. First of all, you
and part of Campo de Hielo Sur, as well
as the views of Fitz Roy Mountain and
Torres hill in SNUPIE Nr 7.<br>
If weather conditions are good to
cross the mountain cord of Colorado
recommend you to be advised by local
inhabitants and not forget to notify your
return to Carabineros de Chile.<br>
==Recommendations==
{{Topoguide|}}
==Route in Google Earth==
==Expected time==
5 Days
*[[Media:.kmz|Route of...]]
{{Download waypoints}}