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Rivers should only be crossed with shoes and hiking poles for added stability. If hiking together cross the river in pairs with arms firmly joint together. If the ford is wide enough you may cross the river not perpendicular to the flow direction but inclined in the flow direction. Some even recommend to carry and use a rope for difficult river crossings.
===Isolation===
Some parts of the Greater Patagonian Trail cross rather isolated areas. In some areas you can walk for days without seeing another human being. Therefore be prepared to help yourself in case of an accident. Always carry a sufficient first aid set.
If you are unable to continue it might take weeks or more for someone else to pass and mobile phone coverage is very limited along the trail. Therefore a satellite based emergency communication devise may contribute to your survival. SPOT offers a light weight emergency beacon that when pushing an emergency button submits a distress signal via satellite with your GPS position to a rescue centre. For further information see the recommended [[#Satellite Tracker|Satellite Tracker]].
===Weather===
While hiking we were told about several incidents along the trail where local inhabitants and outside tourists got lost, disappeared without trace or froze to death in bad weather. Don’t add another story!
===IsolationSun===Some parts Don’t undermine the sun, in particular when crossing large snow fields or large camps of the Greater Patagonian Trail cross rather isolated areasbright volcanic ash. In some areas you can walk for days without seeing another human being. Therefore be prepared A proper head cover, sun cream and sun glasses are essential to help yourself in case of an accidentprevent sun-burns and snow-blindness. Always Don’t just carry a sufficient first aid setthis stuff but use it preventively.
===Volcanic Eruptions===
===Domesticated Animals===
'''Dogs''': Most settlers and herdsmen have several dogs to protect their home and their animal. They often show an aggressive behaviour when approaching a home or a puesto but calm down when the owner shows up and talks with you. Therefore keep distance to the dogs as long as the owner is not in sight. Many settler and herdsmen discipline theirs dogs by throwing stones after them. Therefore bending down, collecting stones and get ready to throw often keeps dogs in distance.
'''Cattle''': Cattle are normally rather peaceful but bulls and cows with calves may become aggressive and attack if they feel threatened. Therefore keep distance and do not try to pet them.
===Insects===
Horse-Flyes or Tabanos will form an annoying aerial escort on some parts of the trail. They are abundant in December and January in humid parts of the River- and Lake District. These rather noisy flyers get attracted by dark moving objects in bright sunlight. So avoid dark cloth and do not try to chase them off with rapid movements, otherwise your will attract the attention of more of them. They inflict painful bites but do not leave an itching stitch.
[[Archivo:Cenchrus(1).jpg|thumb|250px|right|Cenchrus plant. Image: Jan Dudeck]]
[[Archivo:Cenchrus(2).jpg|thumb|250px|right|Cenchrus plant. Image: Jan Dudeck]]
===Spine and Bur-Bearing Plants===
Along the entire trail you will encounter again and again anoying [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cenchrus Cenchrus] plants with spine-covered seeds, that use bypassing animals to spread their seeds (and now also hikers). Common names include buffelgrass, sandburs and sand spur. When the seeds of these leg-high plants ripen then the very sharp spines harden and the seed easily detaches from the stem.
The ripe seeds stick to most fabrics and can penetrate deep into the skin therefore be very careful when removing these thorny tiny balls from your cloth with your fingers. You can minimize "your collection" by wearing trousers made of a hard dense fabric. I had several times a not visible broken off spin in a fingertip that resulted in a small wound that did not heal for days until I removed the spine by cutting into the skin and removing the remaining spine tip manually.
Other less bothersome but still anoying plants have bur-bearing seeds that stick to soft cloth like fleece but do not penetrate into the skin.
===Deseases===
* Drink only secure water and disinfect or boil it if necessary.
* Do not eat wild fruits that may attract mice as well.
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