To the End of the Road

Ushuaia at the bottom tip of South America might call itself "Fin del Mundo" but where we've been for the last few days has felt even more the like the "End of the World". 
The Carretera Austral runs 1257km down Chile between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean. The far end at the small town of Villa O'Higgins is 600km north of the bottom of Chile but after that the road runs into unpassable mountains, glaciers and fjords. If you want to go south to the towns of Peurto Natales and Punta Arenas you have to go through Argentina. Of course it is the remoteness as well as its stunning scenery that make it so attractive.
After our mammoth 3 days of trekking in El Chalten, we had a day relaxing, doing jobs and hanging out with www.twogypsiesandaprincess.com before hitting the Ruta 40 north again. The scenery was very dry and desolate with very few people. The famed epic road-trip route is now nearly all tarred. We had heard that the border crossing at Paso Roballos was very beautiful, so we headed off the asphalt and onto a tiny gravel track that wiggled its way through first semi-desert and then green pastures backed by snowy peaks. We didn't see the need to pull far off the road that night, as only one vehicle passed us the whole time. At the border post only one of the amiable Argentinian guards had bothered to put on his uniform, the others just ambled through to process our passports from the kitchen next door. Unfortunately their Chilean counterpart a few kilometres on had let the effect of his isolation go the opposite way. As he had less than a handful of people to process every day he was absolutely sure he was going to do it properly. He didn't have a clipboard but he should have!  He was insistent that he needed to have the children's birth certificates, even though both their parents were present. Eventually we found them in a stack of documents we haven't needed so far on this trip. He confiscated the usual vegetables and fruit, we've learnt to have a sacrificial pile of a potato and a couple of manky carrots to hand to keep Chilean customs happy, while stashing away the herbs, ginger and spices which are harder to replace. He then gave Steve a quick lecture about food hygiene and insisted he put the butter in the fridge, admirable apart from the daytime high around here is about 12°C. 
 
 
    You wouldn't believe this track went to an international border post: Park Patagonia just the other side of the pass is owned by Kris Tompkins, the former CEO of Patagonia clothing. She and her husband have bought huge swathes of Patagonia and have rehabilitated the land of former run down sheep estancias. Removing fences and non-endemic plants, allowing it to return to its natural state. The park is an important wildlife corridor between two other national parks. They have donated two other national parks further north back to the Chilean people and have another far bigger one donated as an NGO. It is so impressive what they have done here to return this unique and beautiful environment back to its original state and then opened it up for everyone to enjoy.  The scenery was stunning with snow capped peaks, tumbling rivers and lots of guanacos. We found a pretty camping spot tucked down out of the wind in a little glen. Exiting the park we hit the Carreterra Austral and turned south to get to the bottom of the road. The road certainly lived up to its reputation as we passed through Lenga forests, high mountains and turquoise lakes. If Bilbo Baggins had stepped out of the woods, he wouldn't have looked out of place. We had heard about the problem with the lack of transport, in fact any sort of vehicles, in this region so we picked up some hitch-hikers just outside Cochrane. The student couple from Santiago were very happy to get a lift as they had been waiting for two days already.   
Caleta Tortel is a small fishing, wood-cutting village built entirely on boardwalks at the edge of a huge fjord. The road in stops in a communal car park and after that its all on foot on the boardwalks above the sea on the steep slopes. The rain was lashing down and the clouds were low, so we didn't get to experience the full beauty of the place. But we did get to snuggle down in one of the wooden huts for a salmon dinner. It was quite a strange experience wandering around the deserted village, all the sensible locals were inside out of the rain, and getting lost along the maze of boardwalks.
The next morning we still weren't decided if we were going to go all the way to Villa O'Higgins at the end of the road. The rain had been lashing down all night and we were worried about the state of the gravel roads, we needn't have worried as although they were single track they had been well made. Waterfalls were everywhere, tumbling down the mountains to swollen rivers and lakes. We arrived at the ferry at Puerto Yungay just as the ferry was about to depart, so we took it as a sign and decided to continue on. We crossed the free 45 minute fjord crossing with 7 long distance cyclists and no one else. We have seen lots of these hardly souls over the last few days, we are so impressed with their tenacity and cheerfulness even in the pouring rain. 
It was three more hours to Villa O'Higgins, a tiny town of just 500. It really did feel like the ends of the earth. We still had 8 more kilometres to the true end a ferry on another fjord, so off we set. Perhaps not the wisest move in such a big truck as the largest thing the ferry takes is bicycles but we made its safely there and back along the track between the bottom of the cliff and the fjord below. 
Back in "town" for school we were approached by a couple of European travellers asking desperately for a lift. They had got stuck not just because of extreme lack of transport but also because they had walked and taken the ferry in from El Chalten in Argentina and there was no bank in Villa O'Higgins. We'd actually been told to look out for one of them Jeff by Marissa and Michael (gypsies and a princess) in El Chalten, as they knew him and had dropped him at the ferry at the other end. We said we were happy to take them north but we were going to stop just 10kms away for the night next to a lake, before we headed on. They were a sweet, young pair and we managed to squeeze everyone in out of the persistent rain for salmon, chat and wine before Hanna slept in the cab and Jeff in his tent.  The dripping woods in the swirling mists made for an atmospheric drive over a few passes. We crossed back over the fjord on the ferry and made our way back past the town of Cochrane as the sun came out at last. We had been there just 3 days before but it felt far longer. We felt the round trip of 450km was definitely worth it, as the scenery was gorgeous and sense of remoteness was complete. A few kilometres north the sun came out at last and we found a pretty spot next to the unbelievably turquoise Rio Baker.  

Glaciers and Hiking

We were all relieved to have the tyres on the truck. It had been a very frustrating experience. Brett, my brother in law, had been magnificent and we were very grateful for Victor's help in Punta Arenas. But the delivery company (with the exception of the guys in Punta Arenas who were fantastic) was dreadful. Needless delays and misinformation meant the service was dreadful and compounded the frustration. So as soon as the new tyres had been fitted we were on our way out of Punta Arenas and on our way back to Argentina. We had intended crossing back over into Argentina the following day but we arrived at the very quiet border at about 6pm and with no where to camp decided to head across. It was a really easy crossing and in less than 45 minutes we were back in Argentina and heading back up Ruta 40. Soon afterwards we pulled off to the side of the road to camp for the night. It had been relatively calm when we went to bed but at around 1 am the notorious Patagonian wind really started to blow so I crawled out of bed and manoeuvred the truck further behind a mound to get some more shelter from the wind. The next day we drove into the small pretty tourist town of El Calafate. We decided to celebrate having finally got the tyres with a lovely Argentinan Parilla dinner which consisted of 2 types of steak, sausage and some lovely Patagonian lamb all washed down with a bottle of red. On returning to the campsite we saw some familiar vehicles had pulled in. Michael and Merissa were there with their 4 year old daughter, Ciara together with Kai and Karina. We had briefly met them before in both Ushuaia and Puerto Natales and Ciara, Lucy and Alisha had got on great. They quickly disappeared off to our truck to play while we grabbed another bottle of wine and caught up with the others in Kai's truck. The next morning we were all heading out to the famous Perito Merino glacier. The weather was pretty good so we were hoping for some great views and it did not disappoint. The glacier is fantastic and you get pretty close to it on the boardwalk trails. Ciara, Alisha and Lucy were happy to be all together and went running around. We had seen a lot of glaciers in Antarctica. In fact they were everywhere so we were concerned we might be disappointed with this one. We need not have worried as the glacier was very different. As it was on its own with the lake and green hills around it, it looked very different to the ones in Antarctica and was certainly spectacular. imageimageimageimage The glacier was not just a visual experience but also an audible one. While we were there it creaked and groaned. It is one of the fastest moving glaciers in the world and advances at the speed of about 2 metres per day. As we were walking around we heard lots of rumbles of thunder which were pieces of glacier braking off. We saw one sizeable bit fall off and into the lake which caused a big wave to ripple out. On the side of the lake were much bigger bits that had broken away and it must be really impressive to see these break off. imageimage That evening we all headed to the side of a lake to camp up for the night. For the first time in ages it was actually warm enough to eat dinner outside. As the girls were getting on so well we decided to stay an extra day. The decision was made easier by the beautiful sunrise we had that morning that gave great views over the lake to the surrounding mountains. imageimageimageimage However the good weather would not last all day. As is usual in Patagonia we pretty much had all four seasons during the day and some of them more than once. With the girls playing well together, Mike and I decided to try our luck at fishing. The first session in the morning was unsuccessful so we were sent back in the afternoon to try to get some fish for dinner. We were rewarded with two lovely fish, a rainbow and a brook trout and they tasted great cooked on the fire that evening.image image That night it absolutely threw it down with rain so we were away first thing the next day. After stocking up with things in El Calafate we headed back up the Ruta 40 to El Chalten a small town right next to the Fitzroy mountains. This is the hiking capital of Argentina and we were hoping to do some good walks. However when we arrived the weather was miserable and the rain had turned to snow on the mountains. We had hoped to drive a little way out of El Chalten and after arriving did a short drive to some waterfalls. However we could not go any further up the road as the bridges crossing the river all had a 6 ton limit. We had arrived on a Sunday and wanted to do 3 hikes. The weather forecast was for good weather for Tuesday and Wednesday so we decided we would stay 4 full days and do the 3 hikes as well as have a rest day. We camped up that evening at one of the trailhead car parks. We had been discussing doing a 2 day hike and camping overnight but as it rained that night and the wind blew and the temperature dropped to about 5 degrees we thought what's the point. We would just do day hikes and return back to the comfort of the truck each evening. We could still get to see what we wanted this way and staying in a tent just for the sake of it did not make any sense. The next day, Monday the weather had improved so we decided to head out to do one of the hikes. This one was a 22km hike to a mirador at Loma del Pliegue Tumbado and back that also went up 1000m to get to the mirador. As we climbed we got some views but the highest mountains remained covered in cloud. On nearing the mirador we hit the snow line and for the last Km or so we were hiking through the snow. The view from the mirador was to misty mountains as well as down to a glacier entering a lake. The wind though was getting up and we knew the forecast was for strong winds later in the day so we didn't stay long. As we headed down we noticed that the snow was melting and the snow line had advanced up the mountain quite a lot. It got very windy on the way down but the girls did a great job completing the hike in 7 hours to complete a new longest hike for both Alisha and Lucy. imageimageimageimageimage Tuesday was meant to be the day with the best weather. But when we woke up the wind was still blowing hard. However the clouds were clearing so we decided to do the 22km hike to Laguna Torre and back. Along the way we got great views along the valley however the Fitzroy mountains remained cloaked in cloud only occasionally giving us a glimpse of their glacier covered jagged peaks. As we neared the look out point the wind was blowing a gale so we took refuge just below to eat lunch. The kids stayed at the lunch spot while Gilly and I took it in turns to go up to the viewpoint to look down on the lake. The wind was blowing so hard it was a struggle to just stand up. imageimageimageimage The next morning when we awoke the wind had dropped and the sky's were clear. Was this the day we would get views of the Fitzroy mountains? As the sun rose it lit up the mountain tops turning them a pinkish hue. We set off early to do the trek to Laguna Tres. We were never going to do the whole trek as the last few kms were very steep and exposed to the wind but we hoped to reach the 2 miradors, a round trip of 19kms. As we were heading up the valley we met 2 fellow travellers we had met before. They had been up early to the first mirador and said the mountains were still covered in cloud. Undeterred we continued upwards and as we reached the mirador we were in luck, the clouds had virtually cleared and we were rewarded with a magnificent view. imageimage The views continued as we walked. In some ways it was fitting that the mountain had hidden its majesty until the final day. It felt as if we had had to earn it by doing some serious walking. imageimageimage We returned to the truck tired but happy. After more than 60kms hiking in the last 3 days the adult's knees were aching. Interestingly the children, although tired, showed no ill effects from the previous days hiking.

Torres del Paine

Still on our "Antarctica high", we took the only road east at the bottom of Terra de Fuego to Estancia Halberton. Founded by an ex-Anglican missionary in the 1840's, it was the first non-indigenous settlement on the island. His descendants still live in the old farm house and most of the land is preserved as a parkland. It was very remote, especially in winter, and very beautiful. We had a tour around the old farm buildings and an impromptu anatomy lesson with the whale skeletons in the museum. That night on the Estancia's land we camped up overlooking the Beagle Channel, the trucks southernmost camping spot. Yes, that is a Whale jawbone entrance gate, they get lots of skeletons washed up on the beach. imageimage We crossed back into Chile the following afternoon, and after a night camped next to the Terra de Fuego ferry, we headed west to Porto Natales. I can imagine Porto Natales being a sleepy fishing port 10 months of the year but for the January and February the population explodes with goretex clad hikers heading for Torres Del Paine National Park. We got a proper taste of the famed Patagonian wind while parking on the sea front and getting stocked up for a week in the park. Even parked up with our back facing the sea, the buffeting gusts shook the truck. It felt like we were back at sea on the Drake Passage. imageimage Of course being back in Chile we bought some of our favourite "lips" bread. image Parque Nacional Torres del Paines, is famous for its three iconic towers, surrounding it though is an equally impressive part of the Andes and some gorgeous wild scenery and lakes. Herds of wild Guanaco (from the llama family) and rheas (South America's flightless birds) roam the short, shrubby slopes. The lakes themselves would warrant a park, even without the peaks. The first night we parked beside Laguna Azul (Blue Lake) which was a stunning aquamarine, we stopped for lunch beside the alkaline Laguna Blanca (White Lake) and each lake we passed was a different jewel like colour. imageimage Although you can see the famous towers from lots of places in the park, the best view is overlooking the turquoise blue lake at the bottom of the towers. The lake is a 9.5km walk from the nearest road. We'd walked up through the Lenga woods and scree slopes 8 years ago with Steve carrying Alisha on his back and knew it was full of stunning views. Our question was could the girls both manage the 19km walk there and back? They were game and we knew that getting to the top wouldn't be the problem, it was getting all the way back to the truck. The furthest they had walked before was 14km and that wasn't up a mountain, we had altitude on our side though as this part of the Andes isn't very high. Fortified with a big bowl of porridge we set off, as the most popular walk in the park it wasn't a solitary tramp but the vistas were first class. The girls managed so well and hiked to the top with aplomb. The other hikers couldn't believe that Lucy (6) had made it all the way to the top in time for lunch. The way back down was equally smooth until the last few kilometres. We've found both girls will usually hike for miles if they can talk about a topic of their choice, usually something about a pet they will own when (if???) we move back to England, or they are told a story. Alisha was a star and kept her sister entertained with stories when I ran out of new tales. At kilometre 16, there was a little flagging going on when Steve pulled out his secret weapon: a massive bar of chocolate. Thus fortified, we managed to make our way back to the truck, tired but happy, just 9 hours after we'd left it that morning. We couldn't believe it when we weren't able to have the early night we felt we deserved because the little monkeys were still playing around long after they'd gone to bed. If that didn't tire them out properly, what would? imageimageimageimageimage We awoke the next morning still in the car park of the hotel at the start of the trail, to an amazing azure blue sky. Completely clear sunny days aren't very common here, it is more of the "four seasons in a day" sort of place: some rain, wind, burning sun and perhaps some snow before the days end. The day was glorious with such blue, blue skies and hardly any wind. We were almost tempted to go up to the towers again, just for the photos. We made the most of it though, pausing to gawp at the views as we drove through the park. Ready for another leg stretch we took a couple of hours to hike to mirador above another turquoise lake with the Cuernos del Paines mountain range behind. We could hear the glaciers high up, nestled between the peaks groaning and cracking. We saw several condors nearby circling, on the look out for dinner. imageimageimageimageimageimageimageimageimage That night, tipped off by some other overlanders we met, we parked up at the top of Lago Toros. The view was stupendous, it was hard to get the more mundane tasks, like cooking tea and getting the girls to bed, done because my eyes were constantly drawn to the windows. At the moment, because of the changeable weather, the day usually ends with us all huddled inside reading or whatever, while the girls fail to go to sleep. However for once the day stayed as it had started, clear and wind free, so I could sit outside and enjoy the perfectly reflected mountains in the lake in front till it was time to go to bed. imageimage The morning brought the more normal grey clouds, drizzle and a lot of wind. Not put off we embarked on a very windy walk to view Glacier Grey behind Largo Grey was, well as you'd expect rather grey. Even the bright blue icebergs looked grey but it was fun battling the ridiculously strong winds along the way. Is it possible to turn a small child into a kite? Quite possibly. image That evening the clouds blew away and the gorgeous evening sun came out, Steve and I took turns to brave the hurricane to walk back down to the lake and enjoy the fantastic views. That night, parked in the trailhead car park, the truck rocked and rolled all night in the gale force winds. imageimageimageimage For our last walk in the park we decided to take a 12km jaunt up an escarpment and then through some gently sloping hills. It was a good leg stretch but didn't give us the jaw dropping views we've been so spoiled with this week. We left park after a great week really impressed with how far and how well both girls hiked. image