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==Season 2025/26==
*''' 2025.14.12 to 2025.15.12 / 1 day / Hiking / SOBO / RR + ‘Opt.1D’ + Var.D / Kris and Stiina'''
We combined sections 10, 11 and 12 via some options. Butalelbún to Lonquimay. 5 days in days total. 2 days for the Section 10. <1 day for Section 11 and 2 days for Section 12.
(Continued from Section 10)
In the late afternoon of day two we joined the GPT11 RR via Option 1C (GPT10) just before Ford {11} [15.7/1142] (Estero Coliqueo).
The trail continued a bit bushy and overgrown in places and and of course our nemeses - cows were lurking around and we had to sneak around, through the bushes to avoid them once again.
We camped near Camp {11} [21.2/1349], nice sheltered spot with some cow poop around and a pile of planks from some structure that has been disassembled, good for making seating.
Day 3 - Still cold and miserable, more cold and overcast than the day before and we even had some light drizzle in the morning.
While planning this section I wanted to try the Option 4 (Cumbre Cerro Dedos). From the ridge walk on Argentinian boarder the previous day I could see the Opt. 4 ridge clearly and it seemed possible but I could also see that there was still a lot of snow on the ridge and the summit starting from around 2350m. And since it was definitely not the weather for a high ridge walk we remained on the RR.
The upset cow theme continued the same as the morning before, luckily this time we were not charged at. However a few groups that we had to pass all still seemed very apprehensive of us being there. So once again we just tried our best to keep distance and walked around them CC and BB.
Getting to the Pass {11} [27.5/2176] was no problem other than it was very cold.
The first part going down from the pass was easy and straightforward and we used the snowy gully to glissade down quickly instead of walking over the loose rocky terrain.
Once we got lower down we spotted a very well walked trail across the stream going up into the bushes over here: -38.10139, -71.08903 so we decided to investigate a bit. For about 200m it was an excellent well maintained (you could see branches were cut by a saw) trail that lead out onto a meadow here: -38.10289, -71.08809 we then followed the meadow down and saw signs of a trail at the bottom of it but then it sort of ended. There was a junction of two gullies meeting -38.10499, -71.08771 and it seemed that the way going up eastwards was more traveled so we followed that. The west bank of the gully going down was definitely not possible but that’s the only one we could see, perhaps if we would have gone further down on the east side of it there might have been a way. Perhaps worth investigating if it helps to bypass the “canyon” part that we ourselves didn’t actually see.
At the gully junction we went up eastwards and pretty much contoured around all the bushes until we rejoined on option 1D at around 1750m elevation mark. Some parts of this little adventure were very steep and we definitely didn’t gain anything going this way, if anything we wasted some daylight. But it seemed that there was a potential, perhaps we just chose the wrong way at the gully junction.
So we followed a variation of 1D back to RR which was then just following the streambed until the gpx went out of it and some trail appeared. (I managed to keep my shoes dry on this whole ordeal)
We took the Variant D to look at the termas - Hot Spring ? {11-D} [0.3/1428] and had our lunch there. There were 3 nice looking pools but unfortunately a bit shallow and would require some excavation work. One of them was just about deep enough to sit in but not quite.
We were already a bit tired by that point the cold weather had taken more of our resource than we had anticipated. But during the lunch break the weather seemed to be improving a bit and according to Garmin forecast it finally promised some warm and sunny conditions for the next day. That gave us enough encouragement to keep going over the next pass and high ground of Cerro Dedos. Right after the lunch we joined the GPT12 RR around here -38.13160, -71.08637.
(Continued in Section 12)
Since we didn’t go to Guallalí or Carabineros Ranquil this section was very short for us.
For more stories, photos, videos on the trail and in case you want to ask us anything you can find us on IG: @smallfootprint_bigadventures
*'''2025-08-09: Track file update 2025 and investigation suggestions of Jan Dudeck'''