Hike. Eat. Repeat.

The theme continues: great hiking, returning to civilization for refueling on good food, then more great hiking. A few pictures from the last two weeks as they tell the story better than me mincing words.



Our first backpacking trip outside of Bariloche. This was only a few hours trek from where public transport dropped us off. How can you beat that for a good start?



Coming over the saddle, we find our trail through the valley on the left. We eat pb&j and take in the views for as long as we can.



We set up camp on the right side of the lake. We also couldn't complain about that. Or the fact that camping is free. And there is no park entry fee. Or the great weather. Or anything really.



The walk home. Still spectacular.



Didn't make it back to town as we got sidetracked in the beautiful municipal park. We stealth camped in a bamboo thicket by this lake.



While I don't generally eat meat, I can't pass up the opportunity for the world's best beef. And at only $1.50 for a 10oz steak at the butchers shop, it's probably the cheaper than cheese or chocolate.



Back to camping. Mt. Tranador is 1,000 meters higher than everything else around it, leading to probably the most spectacular campsite and sunset that I've ever witnessed.



Don't adjust your monitor, these colors are accurate.



Adjacent to another campsite. Within an hours walk were "thermal pools", except that nobody bothered to build any pools around the springs. So, Mia may have enjoyed the dip, but the water was only ankle deep. Disappointing, but not surprising. Luckily we had a great hike along the way, lots of good conversations, and we hitched a ride back to town with two college girls and their dog. Hitching rides has so far proved to be the best way to meet cool people :)

Where We Are Happiest

It should come as no surprise that when traveling, Kristin and I head for the hills. We feel at home in the mountains. Thus, we´ve tailered our travel itinerary to give us the best opportunities to trek.

We have found two towns that we really like and they are both in Northern Patagonia. The first town is El Bolsón, where we stayed for three days after camping for a week and hiking over the border. It has a artesian´s market three times a week, is well known for growing berries and organic crops, and is in a beautiful valley. It could only be better if it had a university. I know, it´ll be hard to find another Davis. 


The view to the east. Taken on our first night at the hostel.


One of the many sculptures in the large central park, this one looks like steampunk. The park also houses a lake, the artesian´s fair, lots of concerts, and soft grass for playing guitar and sharing mate.


The second place is less than 200km north of El Bolsón and it is where we are staying now - Bariloche. We have heard about this city ever since we started our travels in Guatemala. Bariloche is in a National Park, has some of South America´s best ski resorts nearby, and is renown for it´s chocolate. While the chocolate isn´t actually the best, it does win points for the availability of good fruits, veggies and meat, plus accessibility to hiking and skiing.

For the last few days, we´ve been taking it easy here. We found a really good natural foods store. Our hostel has absolutely stunning views from every dorm room. Kristin is able to program a bit while I do some research and planning for the next few months of traveling. Overall, it´s probably our favorite place and our favorite non-backcountry time.


The view from our room. The bathroom look out onto the lake and the common room looks to more mountains in the east.


A Russian-themed chocolate shop. Yay!

Crossing Borders, Pt. 2

Follow up to my earlier blog on Cochamó Valley:
Last week Kristin and I hiked from Chile to Argentina. We had enough food for 7+ days and all of our stuff for the next 6 months. The packs were relatively heavy, but still half the size of anybody else's. With the heavy rains, no trail markings, and horribly planned trail, we spent a few days hanging out in the Valley hoping for a break in the weather.


(Somewhere under that mud is my shoe)

The day we left, the Valley was cloudy and only slightly rainy. Still, that was better than the downpours of the prior week. Beyond the mud, we were also slowed by the complete lack of trail markings. At one point, I followed a trail that a prior hiker had hacked through a bamboo forest. It was the most promising trail we had found, but after two hours of forging ahead, we returned to our lunch spot to find the proper trail. At other times, the trail was up a river slot that had walls 2-3 meters deep. I asked Kristin if she thought the river or the trail came first. Her reply? She hoped the trail came first, for her sanity's sake. Who would put a trail up a muddy river slots? By the end of the trip, our clothes and packs and shoes were mere molecules held together by dirt. But we made it.


View from our campsite on a rare clear afternoon.


Same mountain on a more typical day.

Yes, we made it to the border crossing. Which leads me to a follow up of another blog post:
In my last border crossing, I was nearly held hostage for carrying millet, a benign edible seed. In walking accross the border this time, I was hopeful that it wouldn´t be as bad. Going into Argentina never has been.

However, getting out of Chile was really just a continuation of last month´s border fiasco. It seems that in the hours long argument, red tape, and quadruplicate citiation, they forget to take one of the copies of my immigration form. At this latest border crossing, which was a house in the middle of nowhere and 3km from the actual border, my friendly border crossing agent was perplexed as to why I had this extra sheet. He scolded me for having an extra sheet and he didn´t know what to do about it. Now, had I "lost" this sheet in a trashcan, everything would have been OK. But somehow having it was criminal. After using my best broken spanish to argue our case, he eventually let us through. However, he first gave me a 10 minute diatribe on being careful with this very important official paperwork.

After an hour of hiking we made it to the Argentinian border. Upon inspection, the Argentinian border guard inquired as to why my passport wasn´t stamped by the Chilean agent. Wait, what? After all that talk, the agent didn´t actually stamp my passport. Seriously? Mr. Argentina told me I´d have to hike back to get it stamped. I argued more, told him it wasn´t my fault and that it shouldn´t matter to Argentina. It´s obvious I just came from Chile AND I had the proper amount of paperwork. I told him to go call Mr. Chile and verify it. The not-so-happy agent eventually left the office. Five minutes later, without any explanation, he stamped my passport. We were legally in Argentina. I don´t know what will happen when I try to go back to Chile next time. More fun, I suppose. Can´t wait!

Now that we´re in Argentina, we had 50-60km to the nearest town and apparently no shuttle or legal way to get there. So we started hiking. Traffic was very sparse. So limited, in fact, that we seriously discussed stealing cows or horses and riding to town. Eventually a pickup truck stopped. It was 4 twenty-somethings from Buenos Aires. They could squeeze us in and take us to a nearby camp.

During that ride, we became friends. We shared crackers and Yerba Mate and jokes and advice on where to travel. This led them to invite us to ride with them to El Bolsón, which is where we wanted to go anyway. Hours later, we arrived at our destination with four new friends and four places to stay in Buenos Aires.


Using ropes to help us on a steep, exposed, slippery slab during a day hike.


Playing around on Pared Saco (literally Dry Wall) at the end of the day.


Super sketchy stream crossings. At least it cleaned the mud off!


Along the hike we found our dream cabin.


Yes, that is the actual trail.


As we approached the border, we found a few hardy folk who were willing to brave the isolation and frigid winters. They are certainly rewarded with excellent summers. I think that these people were given land in exchange for working the land. This has more to do with Chile wanting to secure this land against Argentina. Sharing a 4000km border, there are bound to be disputes and it is only within the last two decades that the border has become more or less agreed upon.


On a bridge, looking into Argentina. We´re almost there . . .

Cochamó - Thorougly Soaked

Last week we had the brilliant idea to hike from Chile through the Andes to Argentina. Dire warnings about "bad weather" weren't going to stop us. We're in Patagonia after all. In ways, the weather defines the experience. But sometimes, the only way to enjoy the experience is to ignore the weather and to keep on trekking. It is said that only tourists talk of the weather here.

Well, that was before this summer. While Cochamó Valley saw the sun about half of the days last summer, we were in a spell of at least 26 rainy days out of 31, according to local climbers. It has been the rainiest season in history. Who knows how far back local history (read: memory) dates? Regardless, it was bad. On most days the clouds impeded the views of soaring granite cliffs and precipitous waterfalls. However, in the rare moments of spacial clarity, we were stunned with what we saw: a Yosemite virtually unbeknown to North America. There are no roads here. There are three buildings: one is an extremely basic hut used by campers for cooking, one is a caretaker's house, and one is a simple, rustic refugio where you can stay in a bunk for the night. During the summer the valley is temporarily populated by hopeful climbers and a few curious backpackers. Trails are muddy and steep, the routes are heavily vegetated, the weather is foul, and even the hike into the valley is difficult. However, at the end of this arduous trail of climbers love and perseverance is the chance to put up a new route on a big wall. Where else in the world can a climber do that?

I did notice a high proportion of climbers from Boulder Colorado. I also heard a few comments of "it's the Yosemite of South America" or "it's like Yosemite without all the tourists." While this are both true, there is already a Yosemite, and it's in California. I didn't find any other Californians wondering the globe for another Yosemite.

Kristin and I thoroughly enjoyed the hike, even if we didn't fully embrace the rain. At the end of the week, we made it Argentina. Mold was growing on certain textiles, but we were able to keep dry our precious things: books, computer, and sleeping bag. Yes, we were able to hike with 7+ days worth of food plus everything we need for the rest of South America.

Big Walls

Big Trees

Deep Muddy Trails

I'll write more about the Valley (as will Kristin), post more pics, and tell two more tales of border crossings (yes, two more!). But now, you must let me enjoy some hard-earned Argentinean sunshine and chocolate. Ciao!

Los Glaciares

Sure, it´s easy to exagerate when things are good, but I´m careful when I talk about parks. I´m not exagerating when I say that Los Glaciares is the most dramatic park I have ever been too.

Located in southern Patagonia, this park is Argentina´s response to Chile´s Torres del Paine. Los Glaciares protects South America´s Continental Ice Field. It is the largest ice mass outside of Antarctica and Greenland. It is home to a silly number of glaciares and many of them are approachable within a day´s hike from town. However, why would we pay to stay in a hostel when we can camp for free in the park?

Happy Turkey Day

We have returned from the wilds of Los Glaciares National Park in Southern Argentina to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. We hope you are all doing well, enjoying your loved ones, and having fun. We needed to stock up on supplies and are returning to the backcountry for a few more days. I'll post later about Tierra del Fuego, where we camped for a few nights, and Los Glaciares, which is the most stunning park I've ever been too. Until then, keep smiling!

Antarctica? Not This Time

How far are two people willing to go to find the best hot chocolate? Well, for us, we went to the end of the world. We also found a very cool city, big mountains, lots of snow, and an opportunity for further exploration.

K. and I had a month between our arrival and our parents' respective arrivals in Santiago, Chile. We decided to fly down to Southern Patagonia for some pre-season trekking. This area of the world is so far south that it's really only good for hiking during a few months. By coming early, we avoid the "crowds" and the higher prices. Additionally, it's sooooo far south that it'd take 60+ hours by bus from Santiago. While we will use buses for most of our South American adventure, a few choice flights will save us a lot of time and can actually save us money. Win, win, win.

To get to Southern Patagonia, we flew into Punta Arenas, Chile. Then we took a 12 hour bus-ride to Ushuaia, Argentina. This is the most southern city in the world. If you want to be picky, there is a small village slightly further south on an island. However, there is also a bar much further south at a Ukrainian Antarctic research station. Most importantly, there are a lot of great parks in this area of the world and we plan to do a bit of hiking in several of them.

First off, however, was a day of talking to travel agents. There had been two spots left on an 11-day cruise to Antarctica for $3000. That's a ton of money, yes, but they usually go for $6-8k. The next-best "last-minute" price is $4k. Well, we didn't get the super deal of $3k, so we decided forget about Antarctica for now. That's a lot of money that could see us through several months of more travelling. It is something we could do when we are older. And why is coming to Argentina a once-in-a-lifetime experience, like many people advised us? It was easy to get here, it wasn't that expensive, it's safe, it's cheaper than the US, and it's fun. So why wouldn't we come back?

That being said, Ushuaia is a fun town. It is sandwiched between giant snow-covered mountains and the ocean. It reminds me very much of other extreme-cold port towns that I've seen in Alaska, Finland, and Russia: a backbone of shipping, the new look of tourist pursuits, a few crazy outdoorsy types, and a lot of normal people providing services for them all.

The hostels here are a bit more expensive than we've seen elsewhere, but the market is reasonable and people are friendly. Most importantly, we have found a great bakery and the best chocolatier. I'm talking about two crepes (chocolate and dulce de leche), a handful of homemade chocolates, and delightful hot chocolate for a few bucks. Now let's go find ourselves some mountains.

 Ushuaia's port, where fishing ships, Antarctic cruises, and cargo boats hang out.

 A normal view from town. It's only 20 minutes to the mountains. Hmm, wish I had my skis. . .