LnRiLWdyaWQsLnRiLWdyaWQ+LmJsb2NrLWVkaXRvci1pbm5lci1ibG9ja3M+LmJsb2NrLWVkaXRvci1ibG9jay1saXN0X19sYXlvdXR7ZGlzcGxheTpncmlkO2dyaWQtcm93LWdhcDoyNXB4O2dyaWQtY29sdW1uLWdhcDoyNXB4fS50Yi1ncmlkLWl0ZW17YmFja2dyb3VuZDojZDM4YTAzO3BhZGRpbmc6MzBweH0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW57ZmxleC13cmFwOndyYXB9LnRiLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uPip7d2lkdGg6MTAwJX0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4udGItZ3JpZC1hbGlnbi10b3B7d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtkaXNwbGF5OmZsZXg7YWxpZ24tY29udGVudDpmbGV4LXN0YXJ0fS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLWNlbnRlcnt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmNlbnRlcn0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4udGItZ3JpZC1hbGlnbi1ib3R0b217d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtkaXNwbGF5OmZsZXg7YWxpZ24tY29udGVudDpmbGV4LWVuZH0udGItZ3JpZCwudGItZ3JpZD4uYmxvY2stZWRpdG9yLWlubmVyLWJsb2Nrcz4uYmxvY2stZWRpdG9yLWJsb2NrLWxpc3RfX2xheW91dHtkaXNwbGF5OmdyaWQ7Z3JpZC1yb3ctZ2FwOjI1cHg7Z3JpZC1jb2x1bW4tZ2FwOjI1cHh9LnRiLWdyaWQtaXRlbXtiYWNrZ3JvdW5kOiNkMzhhMDM7cGFkZGluZzozMHB4fS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbntmbGV4LXdyYXA6d3JhcH0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4+Knt3aWR0aDoxMDAlfS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLXRvcHt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmZsZXgtc3RhcnR9LnRiLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uLnRiLWdyaWQtYWxpZ24tY2VudGVye3dpZHRoOjEwMCU7ZGlzcGxheTpmbGV4O2FsaWduLWNvbnRlbnQ6Y2VudGVyfS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLWJvdHRvbXt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmZsZXgtZW5kfUBtZWRpYSBvbmx5IHNjcmVlbiBhbmQgKG1heC13aWR0aDogNzgxcHgpIHsgLnRiLWdyaWQsLnRiLWdyaWQ+LmJsb2NrLWVkaXRvci1pbm5lci1ibG9ja3M+LmJsb2NrLWVkaXRvci1ibG9jay1saXN0X19sYXlvdXR7ZGlzcGxheTpncmlkO2dyaWQtcm93LWdhcDoyNXB4O2dyaWQtY29sdW1uLWdhcDoyNXB4fS50Yi1ncmlkLWl0ZW17YmFja2dyb3VuZDojZDM4YTAzO3BhZGRpbmc6MzBweH0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW57ZmxleC13cmFwOndyYXB9LnRiLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uPip7d2lkdGg6MTAwJX0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4udGItZ3JpZC1hbGlnbi10b3B7d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtkaXNwbGF5OmZsZXg7YWxpZ24tY29udGVudDpmbGV4LXN0YXJ0fS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLWNlbnRlcnt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmNlbnRlcn0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4udGItZ3JpZC1hbGlnbi1ib3R0b217d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtkaXNwbGF5OmZsZXg7YWxpZ24tY29udGVudDpmbGV4LWVuZH0udGItZ3JpZCwudGItZ3JpZD4uYmxvY2stZWRpdG9yLWlubmVyLWJsb2Nrcz4uYmxvY2stZWRpdG9yLWJsb2NrLWxpc3RfX2xheW91dHtkaXNwbGF5OmdyaWQ7Z3JpZC1yb3ctZ2FwOjI1cHg7Z3JpZC1jb2x1bW4tZ2FwOjI1cHh9LnRiLWdyaWQtaXRlbXtiYWNrZ3JvdW5kOiNkMzhhMDM7cGFkZGluZzozMHB4fS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbntmbGV4LXdyYXA6d3JhcH0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4+Knt3aWR0aDoxMDAlfS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLXRvcHt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmZsZXgtc3RhcnR9LnRiLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uLnRiLWdyaWQtYWxpZ24tY2VudGVye3dpZHRoOjEwMCU7ZGlzcGxheTpmbGV4O2FsaWduLWNvbnRlbnQ6Y2VudGVyfS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLWJvdHRvbXt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmZsZXgtZW5kfSB9IEBtZWRpYSBvbmx5IHNjcmVlbiBhbmQgKG1heC13aWR0aDogNTk5cHgpIHsgLnRiLWdyaWQsLnRiLWdyaWQ+LmJsb2NrLWVkaXRvci1pbm5lci1ibG9ja3M+LmJsb2NrLWVkaXRvci1ibG9jay1saXN0X19sYXlvdXR7ZGlzcGxheTpncmlkO2dyaWQtcm93LWdhcDoyNXB4O2dyaWQtY29sdW1uLWdhcDoyNXB4fS50Yi1ncmlkLWl0ZW17YmFja2dyb3VuZDojZDM4YTAzO3BhZGRpbmc6MzBweH0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW57ZmxleC13cmFwOndyYXB9LnRiLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uPip7d2lkdGg6MTAwJX0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4udGItZ3JpZC1hbGlnbi10b3B7d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtkaXNwbGF5OmZsZXg7YWxpZ24tY29udGVudDpmbGV4LXN0YXJ0fS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLWNlbnRlcnt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmNlbnRlcn0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4udGItZ3JpZC1hbGlnbi1ib3R0b217d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtkaXNwbGF5OmZsZXg7YWxpZ24tY29udGVudDpmbGV4LWVuZH0udGItZ3JpZCwudGItZ3JpZD4uYmxvY2stZWRpdG9yLWlubmVyLWJsb2Nrcz4uYmxvY2stZWRpdG9yLWJsb2NrLWxpc3RfX2xheW91dHtkaXNwbGF5OmdyaWQ7Z3JpZC1yb3ctZ2FwOjI1cHg7Z3JpZC1jb2x1bW4tZ2FwOjI1cHh9LnRiLWdyaWQtaXRlbXtiYWNrZ3JvdW5kOiNkMzhhMDM7cGFkZGluZzozMHB4fS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbntmbGV4LXdyYXA6d3JhcH0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4+Knt3aWR0aDoxMDAlfS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLXRvcHt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmZsZXgtc3RhcnR9LnRiLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uLnRiLWdyaWQtYWxpZ24tY2VudGVye3dpZHRoOjEwMCU7ZGlzcGxheTpmbGV4O2FsaWduLWNvbnRlbnQ6Y2VudGVyfS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLWJvdHRvbXt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmZsZXgtZW5kfSB9IA==
Región Aysén
December 23, 2021 - January 4, 2022
Cerro Castillo in central Patagonia… just as spectacular as Torres del Paine.
Cerro Castillo
And on to the lodge in Valle Chacabuco
Cañadon Chacabuco
Total Distance: 17.25km
Duration: —
1640337240 1640360460Elevation: 249.92m – 513.40m
Total ascent: 614.40m
Total descent: 627.33m
Full of guanacos
Part of the first day’s walking looking back over the lodge
This part of Patagonia sits between the Patagonia steppe of Argentina and the remnants of the Patagonian ice sheets
It is much flatter than around Santiago, but still some impressive mountains.
A lot more water here than in Santiago, but it still only gets about 200mm of rain per year.
The windswept look… there is a lot of wind.
Looking up to the northern ice field, one of the two remnant ice fields from what was a huge ice sheet.
Some engineering… cos why not.
Rio Chacabuco, which feeds into Rio Baker, the largest river in Chile.
Some of the valleys are quite expansive, definitely not what we are used to around Santiago.
The scale of the valleys and mountains makes it a weird mix between southern Patagonia and Yellowstone.
The obligatory condor.
Not every guanaco makes it..,
Late at night and very dark, but the primary reason that not every guanaco makes it.
Lago Chico
Total Distance: 102.10km
Duration: —
1640405760 1640459160Elevation: 330.99m – 846.91m
Total ascent: 1788.08m
Total descent: 1806.58m
So cute, so tasty.
A carancho, which Kate believes may have inspired the muppets.
An impressive piece of spotting from the car by Kate… a huemul, an endangered native deer, only 1500 left.
Shorter and stockier than red deer. This one stood still for us for ages.
Day two of walking (Christmas day)… looking out over Lago Cochrane
The second largest mountain in Patagonia… Cerro San Lorenzo
Our view for Christmas lunch… about half way along this lake is the border with Argentina.
Lago chico. Our walk went around the lake.
Guanacos on the lookout.
Always watching
Getting watched by a kestrel
Heading back after a nice walk and a Christmas lunch with a view.
Some of the beautiful valleys in the park.
Our transport for the day
Juvenile carancho hanging around the lodge
Dinner time
A bit blurry (night time) but this is the restaurant at the lodge.
The main accommodation
Los Coigües
Total Distance: 64.28km
Duration: —
1640512920 1640545740Elevation: 127.44m – 355.07m
Total ascent: 1498.37m
Total descent: 1358.14m
Another day – heading to the next walk by boat, driven by Don Francisco…
A grebe on its floating nest
The boat went along Lago Cochrane, extremely clear and extremely deep (500m+)
Lago Cochrane
Chao Don Francisco
One of several species of woodpecker in Chile – this is the Chilean Flicker or Pitío. Male is top with yellow eye, female bottom with a blue eye.
Native Fuscia
Another woodpecker – the Magallanic woodpecker. The male has a bright red head.
Lago Cochrane
Super clear water
Left foot standing on 150 million years, right foot 450 million!
Female guanaco at the front less than impressed by her two male “companions”,
Things get pretty heated between the males. The female is watching on through the dust.
Las Antiguas
Total Distance: 167.57km
Duration: —
1640595600 1640624940Elevation: 131.79m – 1315.89m
Total ascent: 3829.21m
Total descent: 3893.45m
Undoubtedly the inspiration for Angry Birds… a rayadito
Beautiful Nothofagus forest (related to our Antarctic Beech trees)
The highest mountain in Patagonia – Cerro San Vicente
Hiking up a very windy hill to see some fossils
Fossils… these are originally from the Atlantic Ocean… but in Chile…
So many fossils. Almost every rock. Around 18-20 million years old.
Some sort of sand dollar
This is the most western known collection of fossils from the Atlantic, although there is some evidence of more one mountain away, slightly further west.
Old and new.
A bit like diving on a reef.
In amongst the fossils.
The top of the mountain full of fossils.
Almost still looks like an oyster reef.
Swallows huddling together in the wind.
After a 6 hour drive north, we are back in Villa Cerro Castillo for a few days.
Looking out over Lago Central to Cerro Castillo from our balcony.
Puerto Ibañez
Total Distance: 94.74km
Duration: —
1640781600 1640795460Elevation: 222.83m – 698.82m
Total ascent: 1727.03m
Total descent: 1722.03m
Driving around the area… nice little valleys and rivers.
A waterfall created after a major volcanic eruption (Volcán Hudson) in 1991.
The town of Puerto Ibáñez.
Our cabaña (the larger one on the left) for a few days.
The glacier on Cerro Castillo. It is a very popular hike but a bit beyond us at the moment!
A cienereous harrier
Lago Tamango
Total Distance: 12.27km
Duration: —
1640857920 1640881560Elevation: 505.21m – 645.20m
Total ascent: 1019.40m
Total descent: 997.39m
After a “choose your own adventure” walk through random farmland, we found some nice quite little spots. This lake had a very curious fox who checked us out for a while.
Panoramic vista of Cerro Castillo from our cabin
Glaciar Exploradores
Total Distance: 111.86km
Duration: —
1640955060 1640975580Elevation: 122.50m – 382.53m
Total ascent: 1421.45m
Total descent: 1483.88m
Driving up a valley towards the northern edge of the northern ice sheet…. lots of water pouring off the mountains.
A glacier hanging off the edge of the northern ice sheet.
Glacier Exploradores.
Super hard to photograph and not many around.
Yes, again… this is from our balcony in Puerto Rio Tranquillo.
This time there were two of them flying in formation though… male is the front one.
Puerto Rio Tranquillo… It seems so calm, almost tropical… it wasn’t. Super super windy but very “Patagonian”.
View over Lago General Carrera
Capillas de Marmol
Total Distance: 19.22km
Duration: —
1641116760 1641122220Elevation: 201.60m – 221.22m
Total ascent: 68.06m
Total descent: 87.68m
Short boat trip the the Marble Caves
The boat “entered” some of the caves for a closer look
A tight fit
Pattern of erosion on all sides
Some caves are quite expansive and not sure how they stay up
A wave of marble
Amazing colours and shapes
Just a little bit left holding it all up
A drive thru cave
Small island with a looky hole
Gravity defying
Puerto Aysén y Puerto Chacabuco
Total Distance: 214.03km
Duration: —
1641209220 1641232200Elevation: -11.07m – 434.06m
Total ascent: 2061.29m
Total descent: 1979.40m
I think this is a fjord
Wet weather farm walks with farm dogs
Some sheep and alpaca friends at our last Airbnb.
A nice little country house close to Coyhaique with views across the valley.
Rio Simpson – a fly fishing hotspot (apparently).
Dos Lagunas
Total Distance: 2.50km
Duration: —
1641299520 1641303600Elevation: 601.73m – 884.08m
Total ascent: 89.68m
Total descent: 372.03m
A small park with lovely lake views
And forests
More forest
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