The beauty of Patagonia is immune to the passage of time but it is often seen through different lenses. The three of us come to these frozen expanses with different perspectives. For Ryan, everything is novel and mysterious, for this is his first trip to Patagonia. For Kari, revisiting this area after spending the beginning of the year here restores her sense of place. For Fernando, a Chilean native, it may be that he hasn’t explored these roads in years and the new-found beauty of spring, where everything, including us, is blooming fruitfully, and overwhelms with a vital and primeval energy.
Along the Carretera Austral
Last week, we crossed the Southern expanses towards the Chacabuco valley via the Carretera Austral (Southern Highway) with the objective of preparing everything for the arrival of our students and attend to each and every last detail that would allow us to enjoy our valley home for the next three months. Also, our intention was to soak in the ecosystems around us, and manifest our ideas and hopes for this program with inspiration from the forests, grasslands, peaks, and rivers.
Snowscape through Reserva Cerro Castillo
Among this route’s many treasures is Reserva Nacional Cerro Castillo. We stopped here to breathe in the fresh air and we found ourselves silenced by the magnificence of the peaks that appeared indifferent to the admiration expressed by passing, mortal travelers. The deep masses of snow along the carretera reminded us that winter was not long gone and the snowy peaks could attest to this as well.
The road continued through a profoundly green forest where steep precipices on each side of the road made the truck look like a mere cloud passing through mallines (Patagonian wetlands), lakes and rivers. We crossed the desolate panorama left behind by Volcan Hudson when it last erupted in 1991. Dead trees scattered throughout the lava flow reminded us of the harsh dynamic in this very young country; geologically, Chile has only recently waken up from it glacial lethargy.
We stopped in Puerto Tranquilo to fuel the trucks up with gasoline and our stomachs with empanadas. Here, on the banks of Lago General Carrera (Chile’s largest lake and South America’s 2nd largest lake), we encountered the smiling faces and warm personalities of Don Miguel Angel and Dona Marisol, two locals who happily engaged us in conversation and showed a keen interest in sharing their culture with us. After enjoying our delicious lunch, we continued our trek to the south.
The Baker River
The sun sank slowly behind Lenga trees and set the turquoise-green hues of the Rio Baker aflame. No words can describe the beauty and majesty of this river, whose very fate lies in our hands. Sadly, there are plans to dam this National treasure and soon the banks may be flooded and valleys filled with high voltage power lines.
With the last slivers of light we arrived to Valle Chacabuco and were greeted by a herd of guanacos that crossed in front of a star-filled sky. We prepared our campsite and turned into the warmth of our sleeping bags where we rested up for a busy day preparing for the student’s arrival. In such short time our small group has become as connected as the landscapes that surround us, and a distinct part of its immensity. We are excited to share the privilege of mingling with such a place and we hope that you will follow our journey in the Southern Hemisphere…!
By Kari Signor, Ryan Dibala, and Fernando Letelier (Patagonia Program Instructors)