9
ediciones
Cambios
→Season 2025/26
==Season 2025/26==
'''2025-12-23 to 2025-12-26 / 3.5 Days / Hiking / SOBO / RR + Option 04 and 04a / Martin Ankel'''
Day 01
Hitchhiked from San Fabian to Los Sauce, after 3 hours of waiting and many false alarms (people only going a few kilometers outside of San Fabian) I struck gold. Joseph and Mattias stopped, they where going to the Saltos Las Minas waterfal and drove me all the way, thereby I could avoid horsefly highway and some unnecessary road walking.
There is a new gate here [ 36.819694, 71.253476] that clearly says private property, no passing allowed. Luckily, I’m a good climber.
Fording at {08} [23.8 / 950] was waist deep (I’m 180 cm), not overly rapid and footing was good. Easy if you know how to ford properly. You can also probably find better places to ford.
The bush bashing at the ~28 km is mostly not bush bashing, largely there is a good trail, and the small section that actually is bush bashing can easily be avoided as there runs a trail on the opposite side of the river, I forded here [36.856910, 71.276356] but you should ford about 100 meters downstream or so, just follow the trail. I then walked the trail on the other side of the river, forded again here [36.858428, 71.279562], again follow the trail, and connected back to the regular route. I recommend rerouting the route for next year based on my GPS recording.
The hot spring (or hot river) at [40.6/2173] was absolutely amazing. Make sure to stop there.
Additionally there is a new bridge built over Rio Nuble a bit upstream at [36.744770, 71.249650] if you do not want to ford, follow the minor road.
Day 02
Walked to Camping Los Peucos, not open yet, but there was a car there, the sprinkler and some lights where on. I called out but no one answered. I did not risk bathing in the hot springs as it clearly said it was prohibited.
I continued walking. From the [-37.06515, -71.40995] marker the route should be redesignated as trail, there are remnants of a road but completely overgrown and clearly not used anymore. Redesignate to [-37.06886, -71.39601] from there I took variant F. Highly recommend var F, nice animal trail to follow and the ford was easy.
From the trailhead {08} [80.2/1248] the trail is starting to become very overgrown all the way up to the pass. Still easy to follow though as there never is any alternatives. I camped at Camp {08} [87.4 / 1514]. It is flat and ok ground to pitch poles in, but very dusty and your tent will become dirty.
Day 03
Connected to Option 4 running east of Lake Laja. Nice options scenic wise, but absolutely swarming with horseflies. I killed hundreds of those godforsaken creatures. Until starting the climb you mostly walk on stone fields close to the shoreline.
Starting the climb there runs an animal track you can follow. Do not be fooled believing that the high elevation will save you from the horseflies, because it won’t.
Having made the climb I walked a bit on the ridge to see the views before turning back to Option 04a as I was out of water. Option 04a is a nice trail, very easy to walk. You will start to see traces of car tracks after a while and at [37.323878, 71.223060] you are in no doubt walking on a minor road (redesignate the track files) which runs clearly until [-37.40963, -71.27578] at which it comes more diffuse.
In the evening I suffered severe full leg cramp in both legs and crawled my way to [37.367707, 71.250348] where I made my worst tent pitch ever, prayed a silent prayer for a still night and went to sleep. Not the best campsite but there is water nearby.
Two Puestos not in the track files [37.329803, 71.222082] and [37.363379, 71.247417] along option 04a.
Day 04
Awoke feeling like shit, I’m in no doubt very sick. I laid in the tent until it became too hot, at which my only option was to continue hiking. Hiked with little pace and grace the rest of Option 04 and continued on GPT09. I eventually started feeling slightly better and continued onto GPT 10, and most likely further but that has not happened yet.
