| start date | activity | country | place | from - to | days | km | km/ day | comment |
21.02.2013 |
walking, rock climbing |
Argentina |
Estancia Federica - border in Rio Mayer |
6 |
217 |
36 |
list the way - 3 days/100 km extra | |
27.02.2013 |
walking |
Chile |
Rio Mayer - Chochrane |
6 |
187 |
31 |
didn't go to Villa O'Higgins | |
05.03.2013 |
recovery |
Chile |
Chochrane |
1 |
0 |
0 |
||
Total
| 13 |
404 |
31 |
|||||
I can't move in any direction. Everywhere are shrubs, bushes, branches. One step - suddenly snap - I'm going down, there is no ground. Two steps further - cliff. I fell off for the fifth time, I have to be careful. Good I haven't broke anything yet. So far the balance is bleeding arms and legs, torn backpack and one kilometer per hour. Will I make it? Even if I pass the thick forest, how I manage the next 50km (as the crow flies)?
The decision to get back was painful. It was my failure. So I went south - resigned, hungry and wet. After 100 km I got back to the same place. Three days ago I encountered here the gaucho who told me the "easier" and shorter way to the Chilean border. Unfortunately, without a map or a detailed description, I was afraid to continue.
I went back to my original plan - walk around the mountains. It turned out that it was not that simple - two great canyons to be crossed. Backpack with two weeks food provisions weighed a lot. In order to reduce it I carried the heavier small items in my pockets, cut unused belts, tags, thrown out unnecessary bags and packaging - in a word, I got crazy.
Rainy day created mud from the ground, which loved my boots - they weighed a tonne. After all, it was good - I was moving to the north again, I was able to get around the vertical cliffs , and for the next five days I came across only two pastoral houses - I love this wilderness. The only scary stories I was fed by shepherds were about puma attacks. However, their stories revealed that usually the sheep fall their victims, not humans. Nevertheless, once I have seen from distinct distance the tailed gray four-legged animal, I began to speak loudly to scare off the potential attacker. The animal ran away, but I guess it was just a fox.
In the end I've reached the 4WD track which led me towards the border. Unfortunately, these were the only official buildings, couldn't buy the food there. A moment later I entered into a mountains again. This time I was well prepared - in Chile the topographic maps (1:50,000) are available, and on GPS I had marked waypoints that I spotted on Google Earth before the trip. Compass, map, GPS - I knew where I was, and it pschycologicaly helped.
Even so, I was still about 150 kilometers of wild terrain to overcome. I was well beyond my comfort zone. I was scared. Are the passes possible to climb, not too deep rivers, cliffs, dense forest (not that!), do I have enough food, or the fog will not prevent in proper navigation? In a word, it was the fear of another failure.
It turned out that sometimes shepherds are riding this way on their horses. So what, if I'm losing track champion. My second name was Lose-path Man. I mean there are hundreds of paths, butwhich one is my route, and which ones are the animal tracks, ending suddenly in wetlands or in the bushes? Choosing the right one was the art. The level of my concentration was extremely high - a scan of the map, compass, GPS, terrain - over and over. From time to time I had to try bush bashing, detouring around cliffs and lakes. However, I had the privilege to stay in a beautiful and quiet place.
The routine was also crossing the rivers. The smaller ones jumping on stones or supporting with my hiking poles, larger ones in sandals, or even bigger rivers without the pants. On the last day I had to deal with nearly 10 rivers - the largest one should be crossed in the mornings, because in the afternoons the heat melts glaciers which raise the level of the river.
What the hell, I have penetrated the deeper waters - I thought - it was a mistake to disregard the river.
I'm entering, one step, two, three ... something doesn't work well, the furious current is turning me, pulling down - I'm losing my balance, not standing still. I lost one sandal, now with one foot massaging the sharp stones. I can not take a step, because standing on one leg, even for a split of second, could result in the bath - in which I could not lose the backpack. I stood in the icy water up to my waist, and the sweat was pouring from my head. Eventually I left the oppression, but I got a lesson that I do not forget.
This time I lost my flip in the river, formerly a bandana and a water bottle while bush bashing, the Patagonian wind ripped my rear pocket and sacked out the cash, and previously I lamented when I lost a GPS. Nature is collecting its toll.
The only hikers I met gave me a mash potato
- "But it's just tasteless" - I was warned.
However, they didn't know that I have with me the best spice in the world, with which every meal is delicious - this spice is called "hunger".
It accompanied me for several days, I could not drive away from it. It was because the lost package and the way - 6-day reserve was gone. Every night in the tent I fought with myself to sleep, not eating tomorrow's portions.
Fortunately one day was a bit different - I met "Carabineros", which is cross of the police, army and border guards. We were fishing and the salmon was great. However, it didn't satisfy my appetite for a long time, because the hunger was coming back after each meal. The lowest point of my existence I reached when I started searching for food leftovers in my garbage bag. Once I found Nutella plastic jar - already cleaned up, but inside the thread were hiding the remains of chocolate. Shame telling how I managed to get it.
Suddenly, a flash of blue was starring in my eyes. In the current food crisis I immediately ordered a blueberries break. First, I collected them one by one, then with handfuls, then jars. I did break more often and longer. If there was an animal near by eating only blueberries, it has already died of starvation. This dose of calories allowed me to enjoy life a bit more.
When I approached the town, I thought I'm moving from nature paradise to civilization paradise. However, these two places can be havens simply because they are next to each other and just transition from one to another makes them desirable. Especially after a long stay in one of them.
Finally, after 16 days, I saw the first child, the first shop. For the piece of paper I got what I wanted - meat, fruits and sweets. I was in paradise again.
And there, far away in the mountains, I left 6 kg of myself.
| Country | Days | Food | (how many) paid accom. | Permits Entry fees |
Guide hire | Equipment purchase, hire |
Equipment or other freight fees | *Transport | Other | Total |
| Argentina, Chile | 13 | $243 | (2) $29 | $0 | $0 | $21 | $0 | $0 | $37 | $330 |
other - burn DVD, internet, camping party