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==Season 2023/24==
*2024 Mar 24th to Mar 31st / 8 Days / SOBO / Hiking / RR, Var C, E, H, G, Opt 1 and 1A, Opt 2 and 2A / Michael and Kaisa
We did sections 14 and 15 together.
TL:DR: a nice section; the summit of Sollipulli is not to be missed!
Day 1 March 24th
We left Icalma at 08:30. It was a foggy morning and the air was still, very nice hiking weather and beautiful light. It had rained the day before so the road walk was thankfully not dusty. It was a Sunday morning and very few cars passed.
We left the highway to keep on RR. It is a dirt road for quite some time. We found a lot of piñones just lying on the ground. There was an unmarked ford at (-38.84187, -71.36345). After that the overgrown section began. It was somewhat challenging for us, not bush bashing per se, but definitely bush pushing. A lot of it was waist high and really slowed us down. Our plan had been to get to the laguna on Var C, but it became obvious that even if we did make it, it would be dark before we got there. Looking at the GPS I noticed what looked like a small laguna at (-38.86766, -71.38010). There was no OSM track for it, but when we got closer, we found a dirt road going to it. There was no sign and no fences. It was a lovely spot. There were a few araucarias dropping piñones, and the laguna was clear and glassy smooth. It was, however, definitely someone's campground. There are flat spots for tents, picnic tables, a shipping container turned into a bathroom (padlocked shut when we were there), and there were signs of more development planned. Point being, if you plan to camp here in future seasons, be aware that, at least during “la temporada”, there may be other people there, and it probably costs money.
Day 2 March 25th
We made it a short day. Our packs were extra heavy due to all the piñones we were harvesting. We kept trying to stop, but there is just something about their color and shape that makes them irresistible to pick up. The path from the campground to the laguna on 14-C is a dirt road the whole way. We had to check the GPS a few times as there are a few other roads that break off of it, but the route is easy walking. The laguna is very pretty and the campsite there is nice. It's fairly flat with plenty of space for multiple tents, under some trees, so mixed shade and sun, and easy water access. There was also a fire ring there. We had our first fire of the season and cooked a few batches of piñones. Some people on horseback came by looking for their cows. They said they are beginning the process of collecting the animals and moving them down to the invernadas for the winter. They mentioned that the laguna on 14-C is called Laguna Santa Olga.
Day 3 March 26th
Stayed at Laguna Santa Olga for a rest day.
Day 4 March 27th
We walked by (Camp 14 [17.9/1538]) on the way back to the road. We could hear a stream trickling in the opposite side of the road from it.
The forest along the way was beautiful. It was a great time of year to be there as well, sunny but not hot and the light was always nice. We collected another 2 kg of piñones. There were so many everywhere, we definitely could have bought less food and been okay.
We took Var E to bypass the road construction even though there was no one there by the time we arrived. It was mostly because we were looking for camping and knew there wouldn't be any good spots there. But if someone arrived there after work hours, the gate going SOBO was just closed with wire, and on the other end it was possible to just walk around the fence.
We then followed Var H on to Var G towards Var F. We camped at Camping Carilafquen (-38.91004, -71.49813) along Var F. We paid 10.000 for the tent space. There was no one else there. The campground was pleasant. It had plenty of space on the grass for tents, picnic tables, and bathrooms with showers, cold water only, no electricity. It was a good option for us because it was only 1.6 km from the CONAF office. If wanting to camp there, just up the road from the property there is a house. A couple who manages the campground lives there. They were very nice, they even gave us sopaipillas.
Day 5 March 28th
We arrived at the CONAF office around 09:00. There was no ranger on the office. We started moving things into a small backpack anticipating leaving our bags. By the time we were ready to hike, still no one had shown up. Fortunately a small tour group arrived and parked right next to the CONAF office. They said we could put out bags in their vehicle and they would leave them for us if they got back first.
The walk up through the forest was beautiful and peaceful. There were a lot of huge, old trees that were very impressive. The trail was well maintained and easy to follow. Higher up it switched to a more lunar landscape with multiple volcanoes and cordilleras of mountains appearing the higher up we got. Towards the top it got a little steep which was slower going. It took us 5 hours to the summit with photo breaks and a snack break. We spent about an hour at the summit with no one else there. The weather was impeccable, full sun and hardly a breeze. The only sound was the river below.
It took us about 3 hours to get back to the bottom.
We ended up camping across the path from the CONAF office next to the picnic tables. There was a facet outside the office and bathrooms.
Day 6 March 29
When the CONAF guard arrived in the morning, he came over to talk with us. He said it was fine that we camped for the night, but just asked us to take the tent down, and then we could take as much time as we needed. It seems that camping there is unofficially acceptable as long as you're there after closing and wrapped up before people start to show up in the morning.
We started to walk along RR. We had been walking less than 30 minutes when a truck stopped and offered us a ride. They were going to Paso Llaima and to collect piñones. We rode in the back with their two dogs getting to watch the beautiful misty forest go by around us.
From Paso Llaima we continued on RR, then took Opt 2 to Laguna Huequefilo. The trail up is easy to follow and well maintained. The sign at the front says no camping and no fires, but there was no CONAF office and no guardadaparques. When we got to the lake there were several groups camping and having fires. There are a huge number of araucarias there and it is a very popular spot with locals to go to collect them.
Going down Opt 2A to the SE end of the lake, there is a fairly large sand beach and a creek feeding into the lake that was a good place to get water from. A local family from Ragolil that was camping there suggested a good spot around (-39.05250, -71.43000) that was fairly wind protected but still close to the beach. But if it's not windy, that end of the lake has plenty of space for camping. The lake and the setting is beautiful and for us it was well worth the detour.
Day 7 March 30th
We stayed at Laguna Huequefilo for a rest day.
Day 8 March 31st
We left Laguna Huequefilo and headed back to finish 14 and start 15. We gathered more piñones along the way. At (-39.05455, -71.46918), around km 52.26 there was a sign for a minimarket. The woman who runs is, Viviana, is very nice. She and her family moved there a couple of years ago from Santiago. We suggested she carry gas for camping and she said she would try to get some to sell in the future. She had canned fish, pasta, rice, 200 g tomato sauce packets, bullion cubes, mermeladas, butter and margarine, and a variety of cookies and candy. Prices were reasonable. We bought some things and got back to the road. We almost immediately caught a hitch to the beginning of GPT15 Opt 1.
*2024-Mar-18 to 2024-Mar-19 / 1 day / SOBO / RR 01 01a/ Matthias de Austria
