With Fathorse the bike hybernating for a bit a house by the Carrera Austral I had the freedom to do anything! I went about wondering if i can get a ride to somewhere I can do a hike. A bus driver picked me up to Puerto Tranquillo and refused to charge me anything.

I had a dream, I’d get to town eat a good meal and sleep somewhere warm. Only one of these came true, I bought dinner supplies and too tired to look for other options took $40 room, can’t cook inside, can’t cook in the diner and the room was not heated. I made my meal inside the room anyway. For $15 in Argentina you would get a full cabin with full on tropical experience & gas heat.

I stocked up great food, 6-7 days or so. There was a bus to Chile Chico and I opted for that even if its 2x for foreginers. Waited around until 3pm, ordering a coffee.
”esta pasado?” (this normally means is it like real coffee")
”si”
and i get handed a cup of instant nescafe. Great. No complaints I just say to myself, the $3 is for the wifi.

leaving the hostel I thank them. They hand me a card and I take it not to offend them.

(this would be the last time you will hear me mock chilean food & coffee, haha! There are good meals to be found and good coffee for those who seek them)

The bus ride around lago carrera is amazing, sunny day. Oh I wish I had my bike. Chile Chico, nice hostel, place to cook good atmosphere. No luck trying to figure carpool with french tourists toward the national park. Might have to walk the entire 60km-ish access road.

I think I got everything i need. on we go.

kind of regretting not trying a possible mountain route as visible on OSM (a trail) but too many worries of winds & possible snow

A couple from Coyhaique picks me up and drops me near the lunar valley.

I bring up water, thinking I can camp somewhere nice but turns out only possible camp is in a cave which is kind of an archeological site so I shamefully hike back down with all my gear. Should have just hid my stuff somewhere and not walk it up and down 500m hill.

but the high route! wow i need to do that sometime

the lunar valley

I sleep by the road and start walking, luckily early risers pick me up and I get a ride to the park entrance. Hesitantly soaking in some sun and wondering if they will let me continue with the hike

and they do. Permit and all. Maybe it was my thorn pants, rough look or my oddly loaded backpack that made the ranger think i knew what i was doing. The rivers, he said will not be a problem at this time of the year.

walking is easy. I head for one of the best camping setups, roof (aka no frost) and wind protection! Thank you Douglas Thompkins!

great time walking around and admiring the vertical rock, the lake and the peace that comes knowing that you have this all to yourself

Cold, windy morning going upstream on gravel bar with decently sized but “jumpable” stream splitting and running. No wet shoes but I managed to land badly after a jump (think knee bending the wrong way) and decided that I shouldnt be jumping anymore. I sat curled up for 10 minutes before I began walking again.

over a little snowed in pass, great view of the route ahead.

water flowing underneath a thin crust of ice, great for video! not so great for photo

beautiful birds singing and playing, maybe a courtship dance. Flying here with the wind involves bursts combined with torpedo moments

more and more ice and rocks in view. A great valley. I find a refugio but wonder about Hanta Virus. Not camping inside, even if rangers said its okay, too dusty for my liking.

these are short days anyway. I am really not used to hiking and on the first day the lunar valley with all my gear & water was a mistake.

Cold night - thats good for snow conditions. Looking up the valley and more walking along the gravel banks. Only one crossing with flip flops but shoes dried well yesterday.

leaving the riverbed started great with good trail and pleasant grade soon it was all under a bit of snow. Knee deep at times, trail impossible to follow so I took easiest route while making sure I dont stray too far away from trail (via gps). Glad I didnt have the bike with me. Going slow and careful as you can sink a little or a lot. Nobody has been here except some big cat.

I find great campsite, decent wind cover, stream, laundry, dry sleeping bag, even possible to have some visitors? why not!

easy hike, great weather. I am confused. It hasnt rained or snowed on this hike.

I meet some hikers on the way out.

“if you dont find anyone, you got a ride”

I chill by the road for 4 hours, not a single car.
I join the gringo taxi all the way back to Coyhaique. Really cool to be speaking english, it’s been a while.

wondering what is next but that is obvious. I am well over 1000$ into supplies and prep for packrafting the fjords.

I meet up with Tobias, author of many wikiexplora routes including the way to the moon in EP31 (la travesia de los volcanoes) he has also been to Otsmo de Ofqui.

Tobias also knew two people who had done this route…

during their video, waist deep in degetation, wet and rainy, they say: “this is only for masochists”

who in their right mind reads this:
http://www.josemijares.com/en/america-sur/patagonia-en-packraft/
and can’t stop dreaming about going there.

things have been too easy lately, it’s time to take to the seas.