Carretera Austral

  We made it!!!
So about 2 weeks ago we decided to hike to Chile and check out the road north, the "Carretera Austral".

Many, many buses, 7 cities, and a whole bunch of hundreds of kilometers later and were here, in Futuleufu...

The trip started in El Chalten. We then got out to Lago del desierto, about 40 km in a day and a half. 6 hours of hiking up and down the steep sides of this lake (were carrying 50 plus pounds gear the whole time) and we arrive at the north shore and pass out in our campsite. Next morning, and we have 19 kilometers to look forward to. Oatmeal, meet some awesome Austrians named Stefan and Lizzie, then start walking... alot. Eventually we reach the Argentine/ Chile border! Half way, so we listen to a few podcasts and mash on. Right before nightfall we stumble into the Chilean customs office and get stamped, then wander over to a campsite to have dinner with our Austrian Friends.
Raspberries everywhere! So Raspberry oatmeal. Eventually a ferry comes to take us across Lago Ohiggins, and its a total ripoff. Monopolies make adventuring less cool, but we get there around 11 at night and what do you know! Theres one bus that s overpriced! and the driver takes us to his personal hostel... yup, $20 to camp on his front lawn. But its too late... and at least theres oatmeal.
Next day we need to get moving, and big surprise! More Rip Offs. We get charged out of the last of our money (there are no ATMs for miles) and in exchange get the craziest bus ride of our lives. Our austrain friends bag flies off the roof at full speed (full of camp gas, no joke) but we get to Caleta Tortel. Its the bottom of the map to the right.
Its incredible, like an adventureland for real, all wood walkways across a beautiful fjordy bay, but we got no cash, so spend the last of it on a bus north were theres an ATM. Almost miss that bus... but get to Cochrane soaked and tired. Oatmeal time.
No one knows what to do now, so we get some PIZZA!!! WHile out we meet some 2 people that work for a conservation group called Round River. They were down looking at the new Patagonia Park owned by the guy that started North Face. They are soawesome! Ones Barbara, who is a conservation biologist, and the other is Rick who does GIS geography techno stuff. They are heading the same direction as us so we travel north with them. Since they{re on a "work" trip, they let us stay at this awesome cabana they rent in Rio Tranquilo. We get to see the marble caves there, make an italian feast, then head out the next morning for Coyhaique.
Coyhaique is big and expensive, and now were late for our el bolson farm, so we say bye to Rick and Barbara and hop a bus north to La Junta. We get there late, leave earlier, and get up to a little transfer city completely devoid of humans willing to talk to us. Lots of chickens though! The bus to Fufuleufu is already full, so we stand in the aisle for the 80km drive. I havent mentioned none of these roads are paved!!!
So, tomorrow afternoon we go to Esquel then El Bolson.
Unfortunately, i cant explain in words the immense beauty we were constantly in while moving around down here. Think a constant transition between temperate rainforest valleys, Coastal rainforest valleys, and beautiful farmed valleys, all surrounded by 3- 12000 foot mountains. All of it. Its really a shame we didnt have a few months to wander around the area... i dont think you could ever see all of it. But, i now know. and honestly after that whirlwind i think were both ready to do something solid like work on a farm.
¡Diviertete!
Dylan