Another completely exhausting but beautiful trek
Trip Start
Oct 15, 2008
1
16
55
Trip End
Jun 01, 2009
El Bolson,
Argentina
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
El Bolson reminds us of some of the towns in the South Island, NZ - really spread out, wide streets, wood houses, bit of a frontier-feel. We´re in a wonderfully relaxing hostel, about 4km out of town - hidden away in a pine forest, very peaceful. This is the top part of Central Patagonia where it starts getting drier - not so many lakes and glacial rivers, but still lots of forests & snow-capped mountains. We´re here recovering at the moment from our last trek around Cerro Hielo Azul - mountains to the north-east of here.
A beautiful trek linking 2 river valleys - the Rio Azul and the Rio del Teno
Lupins at the start of the trek
. We camped close to the beginning of the trail on the first night, near a rickety suspension bridge. Andy (Tarzan) went off fishing and came back with a couple of trout (for Jane) which we fried for supper - delicious! The first day of the trek was an endless climb but through ancient forests to 1,300m, just below the snow line. There was a very picturesque refugio nestled in a bowl below a glacier and we camped in the nearby woods. An eventful night as a few of the rotten trees creaked and fell, one right beside someone else´s tent - a lucky escape! From now on, we´ll be extra careful where we pitch our tent!The next day was another shorter 90 degree climb and then one long steep dusty descent with gorgeous views but little shade from a very hot sun. This was the first trek where we´ve been pestered by tabanos - truely revolting, massive, prehistoric-looking horseflies which can bite unless Andy manages to kill them first! We were glad to make the shade of the forest lower down and then followed the aptly named Rio Azul - actually it´s turquoise and Andy got v excited by the number of trout! Over another bridge, made from solid logs this time, across a deep canyon and we finally arrived at the next refugio - Cajon del Azul. Another picturesque hut with a lovely campsite by the side and hot showers!
Last day we followed the river out of the valley, through the cypress and beech forests
The first of a few dodgy suspension bridges
. Tarzan had another go at catching food but no luck this time. We crossed a few more dodgy looking suspension bridges with missing planks. This last part of the trek took longer than we anticipated (thought it would be a gentle slope down!) and when you finally get to a road, it´s always a steep uphill - so cruel! We caught a bus, a bone-shaking 2hr ride back to town - it´s only about 12km but it´s unpaved road most of the way.Need to recuperate now before the 30hr bus trip, along more unpaved road, down to El Chalten where we´re planning to trek around Mount FitzRoy.
Comments
Ian & Sue to Andy & Esther
This area of Argentina seems to be a cross between Austria and Burnham Beeches in the early summer : your photos are very good, it looks a beautiful place.
Hope Andy,s fears about your accommodation budget are now easing as you seem to be camping more often!.
Sue hopes that Esther has managed to eke out her small supply of shampoo etc,can you buy them out there?.All safe & well here. ( apart from looming economic depression,interest rates down to 2% etc)
xxx
Ian,Sue
xx