The last trek...

Trip Start Feb 10, 2006
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Trip End Feb 01, 2007


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Saturday, January 6, 2007

Stocked up on a ton of pasta, porridge and soup and set off for a final trek in the beautiful Andes.  The bus kindly dropped us off at the administration office at the start of the trek, which left us a little confused as it appeared to be only a restaurant.  But is was indeed the office also and here we met a very happy, portly man whose land overlaps with the national park so he is free to charge a tidy sum for walking on it...and indeed he does! I thought this was fair enough at first as it is his land and he has built a free Refugio and marks all the paths but it became clear later that he is doing little to maintain the paths, signs or pristine beauty of the park so I now feel more than a little annoyed with him.
However it is hard to be vexed when you are trekking in such an incredible spot.  The trail starts in the cow and calf filled pastures at the edge of a lake.  An area you walk through very quickly as it is also filled with ītabanosī - a huge and fearsome horsefly which withstands almost any strength of wind or swatting and will suck your blood through anything less than three layers of clothing. 
Next you head up a steep and  heavily eroded path through beautiful forest and Fresia bushes to arrive at a basic but warm Refugio.  We were lucky with the weather and were able to head up to the top of the volcano the next day.  From below it looks like any other mountain but the top is an huge, snow-filled crater surrounded by beautiful layers of red rock.  The view of all the surrounding mountains and volcanoes was also breathtaking. 
The next two days were heavy with fog and, after hearing about the three trekkers who got lost for about ten days last month, we decided to stay put and wait it out.  The Refugio gradually filled with people - an interesting mix of 16 Israelis, five Germans and a handful of others.  Led to some very interesting and passionate discussions!
We finally left and headed off into the snow and wild, pumice covered landscape that can be so disorientating.  Clear skies made life very easy as most of the bamboo marker canes had blown over.  The days trek ended at some hot pools which everyone jumped into straight away...and came out looking like boiled lobsters.  The sun is fierce and the water really is very hot. 
Al and I headed up towards the imposing black river of lava behind the pools and were rewarded with more stunning views so we stayed another night.  There is a lot to be said for bringing a ton of food! 
It really is the strangest feeling to be camped on the flanks of a volcano, surrounded by lava and pumice stone, watching steam issuing from numerous vents and, when you lie down long enough, you can feel the earth tremble beneath you.  Itīs the first time Iīve felt that the earth is living and breathing deep down in the depths not just up on the surface.  Makes you feel very small and vulnerable indeed.

Took another couple of days to head back down - through the dreaded tabanos.  We camped at the bottom and packed at the crack of dawn to avoid the pests.  Waited for a bus only to be given a lift by a park guard to the border where he reckoned we could catch a bus. Al and crater at top of volcan Puyehue
Al and crater at top of volcan Puyehue
 We passed through all the stamping sections only to discover that the Argentinian border was another 25km away and, no,the buses were not allowed to stop in between for you!  Arghh! And there are more tabanos here!  We hit lucky though and I pounced on an empty bus that was to be dropped off in Bariloche and the driver agreed to give us a lift.  Strike! We gave him something for his trouble and counted our lucky stars - a cheap and very quick drive back to the land of ice-cream.  Off now to enjoy some...
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