By Sam Cahaly of Colby College
Our first backpacking trip took place in the Tamango sector of the Patagonian National Park, a 3-day ordeal that would overall include about 22 km of hiking with a day of rest in the middle. The trip was designed to be an opportunity where we could test our gear and practice working as a team while in the backcountry. While I can’t say much for the success of the gear, I think our group grew much closer over the course of these short three days. We set out from our van at around 9:00 in the morning, and quickly realized it was going to be a scorcher. The trail steadily went uphill, rising further and further above the ñirre scrub. Gabe, our instructor who led the group, would point out species he recognized, like Calafate, Chilean Fire Bush, and White-Crested Elaenias. Because we were surrounded mostly just by scrub, we were treated to some amazing birds-eye views of the town of Cochrane, as well as much of the Tamango sector.
We all were chugging our water and stopping to reapply sunscreen often, but yet still seemed to receive sunburns, as the solar radiation is strong in Patagonia. After about 3 km of uphill, the trail flattened out, and we found ourselves following a ridge through the mountains. We caught some amazing views of Lago Cochrane from our high elevation, which is where we would be spending the next two nights. We found some shade and ate sandwiches for lunch, before continuing onward. I personally was finding my backpack incredibly uncomfortable, but after some adjusting, was feeling much better as we neared our destination.
The final kilometer of the hike involved a steep descent to the shores of the lake, and this was when we went slowest. We were careful not to slip on the sand, or step on uneven rocks that could sent us tumbling down. With our legs aching, we found a nice spot just beside the lake, and set up our tents. To lighten our packs, we shared tents, and I found myself sharing with Garret. After spending some time lying on the rocky beach next to the lake, we attempted to cook some dinner. We quickly ran into some mechanical issues with the stoves and found one of the gas canisters was leaking. After a bit of a delay, we cooked a really yummy sausage and pasta meal with vegetable sauce. We all went to bed tired but happy that night.
The next morning, we had oatmeal for breakfast, before starting classes. María Paz taught us a lesson on how to use our compasses, before we practiced with a small orienteering exercise. I unfortunately managed to step on a yellow jackets nest and received three stings as punishment, but it didn’t manage to ruin the day. After sandwiches again for lunch, Gabe taught us how to use our binoculars, and we saw a whole flock of Austral parakeets. After that, we all took a break to do some reading by the lake.
We then had a class discussion about one of our readings, led by Vicky, which centered on the different perspectives people have on environmental events. As a treat, our instructors cooked dinner, which consisted of lentils, rice, and sausages. Not that we aren’t capable cooks, but I think we all agreed they were the masters of backcountry cooking. After dinner, Garret taught us a number of logic puzzles we had to solve, including one where we had to move two sticks to make the figure of a dog “turn the other way” (this one was quite maddening).
After another good night’s sleep, we ate another oatmeal breakfast before packing up camp. After our packs were on and we had done our group warm up, we set off on the 10km trek that would take us back to the van. This route was a bit flatter than two days before, and we mostly followed the lake the whole way, which meant we had scenic views almost the whole way.
It wasn’t quite so hot this day as well, so we found ourselves moving a bit faster than expected. We ate lunch beside the lake, and some jumped in to cool off, but then we continued onwards. We saw a number of new bird species, such as the Black-Throated Huet-Huet and the Thorn-Tailed Rayadito. At around 3:30 in the afternoon, we reached the van, marking the end to the trip. Feeling tired but accomplished, the instructors bought us ice cream as a treat for our hard work. Having now completed one trek, I think I speak for the group when I say we are definitely looking forward to the next one!