Puerto Varas

Go back to Cochamo.

Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas.

With the exception of a 3 hour mechanical issues delay in Dallas – watching mechanics poke and prod inside the wide open engine of a 777 that we’re about to board on a pitch black tarmac armed with tiny headlamps (is it really fixed?) – we made it safely to Puerto Varas in south-central Chile. We strolled the lake-side town for a better part of the afternoon – touristy and forgettable. In the morning, a pre-arranged cab picked us up for a 2 hour ride to the Cochamo trailhead where Fabian and his horses met us for the 13 kilometer hike to Cochamo Valley. As we chatted, it turned out that Fabian is a climber who’s not only ticked most of the routes in Cochamo, but has also climbed around the US and which most shockingly included the Lower Gorge in Smith. The hike was more or less flat, heavily forested and on some highly eroded trails. Unburdened by packs, we made the Valley in under three hours. Minds fucking blown! You spend 12 kilometers hiking through a monotonous, muddy and dark greenery and then a meadow opens up and you’re confronted with soaring, 1000 meters tall, white granite walls and formations.

Photos

Puerto Varas

Osorno Volcano as seen from the town of Puerto Varas on our first day in Chile. Llanquihue Lake is in the foreground (Jan. 2015).


Puerto Varas

The touristy town of Puerto Varas (Jan. 2015).


Puerto Varas

Checking out the town (Jan. 2015).


Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas.


Cochamo

Village of Cochamo on the drive to the trailhead (Jan. 2015).


Cochamo

The estuary outside of the village at low tide (Jan. 2015).


Valle Cochamo

Fueling up for the ~13km hike into the valley (Jan. 2015).


Valle Cochamo

Beehives behind the Valle Cochamo trailhead hut (Jan. 2015).


Valle Cochamo

How 52kgs of our gear would get to the base camp (Jan. 2015).


Valle Cochamo

Shirley at the start of the hike-in (Jan. 2015).


Valle Cochamo

The trail to Valle Cochamo (Jan. 2015).


Valle Cochamo

The trail is mostly flat and easy if a bit muddy (Jan. 2015).


Valle Cochamo

Fabian and one of his horses…the one ladened with our gear (Jan. 2015).


Valle Cochamo

After ~12 km of hiking through a dense forest and a muddy trail…


Valle Cochamo

The valley opens up and your mind is blown!


Valle Cochamo

Arriving at our destination – camp La Junta (Jan. 2015).


Valle Cochamo

Our home for the next 12 days (at least when we were on the valley floor).

Go to Valle Cochamo.
Go back to Cochamo.