GPT24H - PN Los Alerces Tierra
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GPT Section Articles
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Recent Alerts and Suggestions
- 2019-11-10 / Jan Dudeck
The regular hiking route is according to reports from past years mostly unmaintained. This means hikers must deviate on long stretches to the main road making this section less attractive for hikers. Also the trail from Lago Kruger to Villa Futalaufquen might be unmaintained. Therefore, ask before taking the ferry! The packrafting route GPT24P is unaffected by this issue and remains a highlight if the GPT because its 99% on water.
Season Section Log
- 2020-Jan-13-14 / Shaun / Regular hiking route southbound
This section was a bit better than I expected. Although they were officially closed due to being overgrown, I walked the first 15km of the regular route / Huella Andina and it was fine. In fact, I met two Alceres Park rangers with chain saws putting the finishing touches to a 4km part that was due to reopen the next day. There are many new-ish Huella Andina blue and white trail markers throughout. There were a few other parts of the trail that were closed that I didn’t walk on, but they also may have been passable or about to reopen. And there were a number of other parts that were open and were fine. So it was possible to avoid walking on the road for much of the first 47km. However, the boat service from Punta Mattos to Lago Krugger still does not operate and so I had to walk on the road for the final 20-25km.
According to park rangers, the trail to Villa Futalaufquen from Lago Krugger is open for its entire length, not just from Playa Blanca. Of course, without the Punta Mattos ferry it’s not possible for hikers to cross and start at Lago Krugger, but the trail is a packrafting option. There is a daily boat service from Puerto Limonao (3km north of Villa Futalaufquen) to Lago Krugger that leaves at noon and returns at 7pm. It’s possible to recharge devices at the VF ranger station.
Summary Table
| GPT24H: PN Los Alerces Tierra | Hiking | Packrafting | |||||
| Group | E: Lagos Argentinos | Total | 68.5 km | 25 h | - | - | |
| Region | Argentina: Chubut | Trails (TL) | 62.4 km | 91.2% | - | - | |
| Start | Villa Lago Rivadavia | Minor Roads (MR) | 2.1 km | 3.0% | - | - | |
| Finish | Villa Futalaufquen | Primary Roads (PR) | 4.0 km | 5.8% | - | - | |
| Status | Published & Verified | Cross-Country (CC) | - | - | - | - | |
| Traversable | Nov - Apr (Maybe: Sep, Oct, May) | Bush-Bashing (BB) | - | - | - | - | |
| Packraft | Only Burden | Ferry (FY) | (9.2 km) | (11.9%) | - | - | |
| Connects to | GPT23, GPT24P, GPT25H, GPT25P | Investigation (I) | - | - | - | - | |
| Options | 71 km (1 Options & Variants) | Exploration (EXP) | - | - | - | - | |
| Hiking | Packrafting | Total on Water | - | - | |||
| Attraction | 2 (of 5) | - | River (RI) | - | - | ||
| Difficulty | 2 (of 5) | - | Lake (LK) | - | - | ||
| Direction | Both ↓↑ | - | Fjord (FJ) | - | - | ||
| Comment | - | ||||||
| Character | Forest, Settlers, Road Walking, Partly Overrun | ||||||
| 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 between November and April.
Benefits of Hiking and Packrafting
Recommended Travel Direction
Hiking either northbound or southbound is feasible and recommended.
Section Length and Travel Duration
The 69km of the section can be hiked in around 2.5 days.
Suitable Section Combinations
Section Attractiveness
The national park is home to many alerce trees, believed to be the second oldest living tree species in the world, living for over 3,600 years. It also features many scenic lakes, notably Lago Futalaufquen, which is bordered by impressive mountains.
Section Difficulty
This section is generally straightforward and easy, especially as much of it is now on roads. There a few trail segments that are overgrown in places, but these are officially closed and probably in a process of improvement.
Resupply
Resupply Town
Shopping: Food
There are a few food shops in both Villa Rivadavia at the northern end of the section and Villa Futalaufquen at the southern end.
Shopping: Fuel
Shopping: Equipment
Services: Restaurants
Services: Laundry
Services: ATM and Money Exchange
Accommodation: Hostals and Hotels
Accommodation: Cabañas
Accommodation: Camping
Transport: Ground Transport
Occasional buses can be caught from both Villa Rivadavia and Villa Futaluafquen.
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
A combination of overgrown/closed trails and the discontinuation of a ferry service from Punta Mattos (Km47) to Lago Krugger means that much of this section must now be walked on park roads – part paved, part gravel. Previously, it was possible to take a ferry to Lago Krugger and walk on a trail from there along the west shore of Lago Futalaufquen to the section’s end at Villa Futalaufquen. Although that trail has been restored after a period of closure, without a connecting boat service section hikers must walk the final southbound 20-25km on road. While it appears that the park is working to clear and re-open some of the overgrown trail segments of the blue and white marked Huella Andina that GPT24H follows, it is unlikely the ferry service will resume since an alternative boat service now runs to Lago Krueger from Puerto Limonao.
Some of the officially-closed trail segments are not impassably overgrown, but occasional bush-bashing may be required.
Regular Packrafting Route
The reopened trail from Lago Krugger to Villa Futalaufquen is accessible to, and a nice option for, packrafters.
