GPT29P (Valle Picacho)

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Summary with remarks to route that are considered useful for other hikers and packrafters. Include alerts, suggestions and personal perception of attractiveness and difficulties.

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Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions

Season 2021/22

• 2022-Jan-04 to 2022-Jan-06 / Tobias Schorcht / Northbound / Regular Packrafting Route from Picaflor to Puerto Cisnes / 2.5 days

Exploring this Remote Valley was one of my favourite parts of the southern GPT. Since there were some days with heavy rain before I went, water levels were high. Many rapids class 2 let me enjoy the Rio Picacho a lot. Such a wild and mystic place! The first rapid of Lago Copa could be packrafted as well, the 3 other rapids I needed to bypass, which was VERY challenging, because I didn‘t bring a machete (stupid me). It took me 4 hours to bypass the second rapid of Lago copa (only 2,5 Kilometers!). Don’t ask how I managed to get through that dense Jungle, but there was also no way back. I looked very funny afterwards. The third Rapid on Lago copa is „easy“ to Bypass. Thanks to Tobias Hellwig, Ricardo Campos , Jen Ni and Meylin Elisabeth Ubilla González for cleaning up the last bypass from Lago Copa to Lago Escondido in 2019!! The Trail is still visible, only some parts are overgrown. I highly recommend to read there well written and detailed Report below.

Season 2019/20

• 2020-Jan-28 to 2020-Jan-29 / Southbound / Regular Packrafting Route from Picaflor to Puente Mañihuales / 3.5 days

From the crossing “Picaflor” on the Carratera Austral, follow the dirt road and Rio Picaflor for roughly 11km until you meet Rio Mañihuales.

I wanted to put in further upstream on Rio Picaflor, which is a pretty-looking small river, but there are too many fallen trees accross the water and it didn't seem to be worth the effort. The Upper Mañihuales, then, is a narrow, shallow, slow-moving river. Some parts are already so shallow in January that you'll touch bottom regardless of your skills at reading rivers. It's a nice little stroll for about 10km. While the scenery is not impressive at the start it improves dramatically as you progress. After paddling for about 12km, you hit a first, fun rapid. Quickly, a second rapid that you should scout first (impressive drop). Then quickly a third, scary-looking one. It might not be very technical but it sure looks like the kind of rapid you don't wanna go into solo. It marks the start of a long, Class-IV section. Fortunately, you can easily take out and reach the Carretera Austral nearby. You have about 6km left to reach Villa Mañihuales. I would strongly advise against going solo from there on. This first section takes about 3 hours.

You can of course easily resupply and camp in Villa Mañihuales, which is a pretty little town.

You can then get back into Rio Mañihuales from Puente Mañihuales II, roughly 22km south of Villa Mañihuales on the Carretera Austral. The road from Villa Mañihuales to the bridge is stunning and so is the Rio, with crystal clear water. Experienced paddlers should not have any problems. Others should proceed with caution in the first few rapids (one that you should scouted first, I think it was the third one). Quite a few dead trees and branches are stuck in the rapids. Again, proceed with caution.

No hazard once you've paddled accross the first couple km.

On the day of that trip, head winds were getting quite strong while approaching the valley where Puerto Aysen lies. Taking out at Puente Mañihuales I, I covered the 20km in roughly 3,5 hours.

Links to other Resources

Retired Section Article GPT29P - Valle Picacho

Images

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GPT29P: Valle Picacho				Hiking		Packrafting
Group	G: Aysen Norte		Total	-	-	192.4 km	44 h
Region	Chile: Aysén (XI)		Trails (TL)	-	-	0.7 km	0.40%
Start	Carretera Austral (Camino Picaflor)		Minor Roads (MR)	-	-	24.0 km	12.50%
Finish	Puerto Cisnes, Puerto Cisnes		Primary Roads (PR)	-	-	12.7 km	6.60%
Status	Published & Verified		Cross-Country (CC)	-	-	3.9 km	2.00%
Traversable	Jan - Apr (Maybe: Dec, May)		Bush-Bashing (BB)	-	-	1.3 km	0.70%
Packraft	Required		Ferry (FY)	-	-	-	-
Connects to	GPT28P, GPT29H, GPT30H, GPT30P, GPT31P		Investigation (I)	-	-	-	-
Options	263 km (3 Options & Variants)		Exploration (EXP)	-	-	(39.9 km)	(20.7%)
	Hiking	Packrafting		Total on Water		149.7 km	77.8%
Attraction	-	5 (of 5)		River (RI)		127.2 km	66.1%
Difficulty	-	6 (of 5)		Lake (LK)		16.3 km	8.5%
Direction	None	Only ↑		Fjord (FJ)		6.1 km	3.2%
Comment	Hiking: Hiking not feasible
Character	Packrafting: Flip-Flop recommended
Challenges	Valdivian Rain Forest, Sea Coast, Farmland, Settlers, Unpeopled Areas, River Packrafting, Lake Packrafting, Fjord Packrafting