by Allison Mullen, University of Vermont

January 30-February 7

Team Condor

For three weeks, Team Condor lived on a campo rented by a Patagón named Marcelo. To get there we drove eight hours south from Cochrane, left the cars at a port in Villa O’Higgins where the road ends, then took an eight-hour boat ride across the lake. From the top deck of the boat, we saw stunning vistas of Glacier O’Higgins and Glacier Chico: frosty tongues lying between the teeth of the mountains they sculpted. The property consisted of a small cabin perched on a peninsula on the western side of Lago O’Higgins in the Río Turbio Valley. Behind the cabin was an outhouse, to the left was a shed where Marcelo kept skins of sheep and cows, and in every direction was remote Patagonia, characterized by strikingly blue bodies of water and old growth forests blanketed in moss.

The Condors looking out at Glacier O’Higgins aboard the Quetru, the subsidized boat that provides weekly(ish) transportation, mail, social gathering and sheep transfer for the people who live on Lago O’Higgins. Photo by Adam Spencer

Caitlin stoked about being in the Río Turbio Valley! Marcelo and Nati’s house in the background. Photo by Allison Mullen

Our tent village with Lago O’Higgins in the background. Photo by Allison Mullen

It felt surreal to be so isolated that the only communication was by radio. Spending time at Marcelo’s was like time travelling to an era where survival meant stoking a woodstove all day and slaughtering livestock for dinner. The trip was full of “firsts.” For the vegetarians it was the first time tasting meat in at least five years; we went on a handful of people’s first weeklong backpacking trip; and the whole crew (minus Paul) had definitely never seen a sheep castration before.

Some more “firsts” for Team Condor

– Watched sheep get slaughtered, skinned, and roasted (this is called an asado)

Whiskey! Photo by Adam Spencer

– Ate our weight in lamb (repeatedly)

– Helped build an outhouse with planks cut from trees by a half-gaucho half-superhuman named Misael

– Learned the common and scientific names of 50+ species

– Walked on a glacier

– Drank whiskey on the rocks with ice from said glacier

– Saw seven Huemules (endangered deer)

– Made and consumed dozens of sopaipillas (deep-fried bread)

– Learned to spin yarn from sheep’s wool

– Skinny-dipped in a glacial lake

Misael and Marcelo prepare a lamb for our welcome asado. Marcelo had been away from home for 20 days, came across the lake with us and 3 lambs, and had prepared one of them from bleating on the boat to juicy in our hand within three hours. Photo by Allison Mullen 

Marcelo (left) and Misael (right) sawing planks from a coigüe tree. Photo by Allison Mullen

Hannah W. turning wool to yarn. Photo by Allison Mullen

We spent most of our time in the first few days helping build a double outhouse at a site a few kilometers away where Marcelo and Nati hope to move soon. Marcelo and Misael gathered wood from the surrounding forest and used a chainsaw to cut perfect, nearly identical planks from coigüe trees. Their methods were impressive and they made most of their construction decisions based on experience rather than specific calculations. A phrase one might use to describe their technique is ‘never measure, cut, cut, cut.’ We stopped when they ran out of fuel for the saw (the market is eight hours away, on a once-a-week boat).

Marcelo reins up Pajarito, heading for more wood. Photo by Adam Spencer

Marcelo and his horse Pajarito bringing wood to the outhouse site. Photo by Allison Mullen

“Measure never… cut, cut, cut!” Misael chainsaws a post whilst balancing on two beams a couple meters off the ground. Photo by Allison Mullen

The crew sets up the cross-beams while Maya gets at the rocks. Photo by Allison Mullen

A large driver of the construction of this outhouse has to do with ecotourism. Much of Round River’s conservation work attempts to find the overlap between the interests of community members and the pursuing of conservation efforts; this was a point of focus while working with Marcelo and Misael. Many of the Patagonians living on the land surrounding Lago O’Higgins have generations of history there. They understand the area and have developed certain land-use practices based on their knowledge. Although most Patagonians have deep love and respect for this place, some of their practices inevitably harm the surrounding environment.

Our main conservation concern associated with the Patagón lifestyle is the slash and burn land-clearing practices associated with raising livestock. Cows and sheep depend entirely on grasses and low-lying shrubs have little chance of survival in a mostly forested landscape. Because of this, a common practice is burning chunks of forest to create a place for livestock to graze. Unsurprisingly, theses unnatural fires have negative effects on the ecosystem. Marcelo has acknowledged these issues and told us that he doesn’t want to burn the forest.

Marcelo’s forest. Photo by Adam Spencer

Natividad tells Maggie the names of the mountains surrounding the Rio Turbio Valley. Photo by Adam Spencer

What he’d rather do is develop an ecotourism program based out of his campo (hence the double outhouse over a 3’ by 6’ hole). Bringing tourists to the area would provide income to pay for animal feed and pens eliminating the need to burn the land for free-range grazing. Another perk of tourism would be creating a connection between this area and the outside world. People protect things they care about and as near-pristine areas like Rio Turbio become increasingly rare, they need all the protection they can get.

On top of everything else, Nati and Marcelo love having guests and are some of the best hosts we’d ever had. They opened their house to us, fed us fresh food, taught us unique skills, guided us on trails, and made us tea when we got sick. Planning is still in its initial stages, but as the semester moves forward the Condor crew is hoping to draft a mission statement and help Nati and Marcelo make their dream a reality.

Marcelo preparing lunch for us while Hannah P. eagerly waits. Photo by Allison Mullen

The Condors with Nati and one of the amazing meals she prepared for us. Photo by Allison Mullen