Written November 25, 2015
By Peter Whitman (Carthage College)
Photos by Adam Spencer
After returning from our first fjords trip, our group spent a frantic four days unpacking, doing laundry, writing our final research papers, and repacking for our next adventure. Once we completed our papers, we packed our personal gear, sorted food, and set out for the small town of Villa O’Higgins. The 291-kilometer journey from our basecamp in Cochrane to Villa O’Higgins consisted of 6 hours of driving, a 45-minute ferryboat ride, and relentless beauty. As a Minnesota native, late November is usually a time characterized by cold and snow, but as we made our way south, the abundance of blooming flowers lining the road continuously reminded me of summer’s impending arrival.
Only a stone’s throw away from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, Villa O’Higgins is the final stop on the Carrera Austral, the famously scenic Chilean road and the perfect place to access Lake O’Higgins and its adjacent glaciers. Once we arrived in town, we set up camp at a local hostel, and immediately made ourselves feel at home by napping outside with only the sun’s warmth for a blanket.
Roused by the prospect of spectacular views, Matt Macintosh, Robin Lewis, and I decided to go for a “quick” hike before dinner. The hike took us to a lookout that allowed us to catch our first glimpses of Lago O’Higgins and the icefield peaking out from behind the bordering mountains. Although at times throughout the hike I thought I might keel over from the arduous ascent, the views, as promised, were truly awe-inspiring.
We began the next day with a four-hour boat ride on Lago O’Higgins. The boat ride took us from Villa O’Higgins to Candallaria Mansilla, a checkpoint from which the Chilean government monitors the international border. Fortunately for us, this checkpoint allows access to a vast trail system, mountains ranges, glaciers, as well as stellar camping opportunities.
Our primary objective for the rest of the trip was to review and analyze the surrounding trail system. In 2003, this system was designated by the Chilean government as one of eighteen “heritage trails” within Chile. This designation, in my estimation, is a reflection of the trail’s unrivaled beauty.
The day after we arrived in Candallaria Mancilla, we began our trek. As we hiked the 7 km from our campsite to the trailhead, we were confronted by a view of the iconic Cerro Fitz Roy. The view of this summit, in all its glory, knocked us off our feet as we emerged from a forest and gazed upon its unobstructed majesty. At first, our elation was displayed by whooping and hollering, but as the magic of the mountain took hold, we were rendered speechless.
The group pauses to enjoy a surprise view of the iconic Fitz Roy mountain.
Once we were able to tear ourselves away from Fitz Roy, we continued on our way. The rest of the day took us through Southern Beach forests, past rivers, and over a mountain pass. Everywhere were turned we saw the next most beautiful view we had ever seen.
Peter Whitman leads the RRCS group up and over a pass from Candelaria Mansilla to Lago Chico, with Lago O’Higgins in the background.
We camped perched on the edge of the mountain pass. The campsite provided views of Lago O’Higgins, Lago Chico, and Glacier Chico in the distance.
The sun sets over the Southern Ice Field, leaving Lake Chico and Lago O’Higgins in the shadow of a ridgeline we would cross the following week.
We descended from the mountain pass early the next morning. The descent brought us to Campo Carmela, which was located on a glacial moraine that divided Lago Chico from Lago O’Higgins. The campo was run by a local man named Misieal, and acted as our home periodically throughout the next 9 days.
Students hike through lenga forest down towards Lago Chico (left, brown-milky lake), which is separated from Lago O’Higgins by the moraine strip of land called La Carmela (center), where we camped at a farm operated by our generous host.
From Misael’s campo, the trail headed south towards Glacier Chico. We spent the next 2 days hiking through a landscape recently manipulated by glacial activity. Although the hiking was never “easy”, whenever fatigue or hunger set in, a quick look at Glacier Chico or the surrounding mountains was enough to re-energize any one of us.
Another gorgeous sunset over the Southern Ice Field motivated our hike along Lago Chico.
All photos by Adam Spencer.
Top photo: We passed Chilean Firebush in bloom all along our drive down to Villa O’Higgins.