Cerro Castillo glacier hike
We got a very late and lazy start out of Coyhaique Saturday, finding it difficult to leave the vibrant downtown and civilization in general. The wind was howling in the afternoon, but a tailwind for us so we enjoyed the quick 35km to El Blanco.
We found a very nice campground with tent shelters to protect from the wind. It also had a common kitchen area and hot showers. We shared the site with a group of young Americans and Canadians doing a 6-month NOLS program in Patagonia (National Outdoor Leadership School). We had a good conversation with them as our daughter Margot did 3 months in backcountry Alaska with NOLS for her high school graduation. It is an intense rugged experience, self-sustained and completely off-grid, carrying everything to survive on your back. We later saw their bus in a resupply town.
The next day we make our way to Cerro Castillo after a long day of climbing and sputtering rain, reaching the highest point of the tour at 1250m. With a screaming downhill at the end on the tandem, Anne snags the 6th overall Women’s position on Strava for the segment (crazy given the sharp turns + our bike weight…)
Cerro Castillo is a launching point for incredible hikes and we have been told the most scenic of our trip. We find a hospedage in town and plan a zero day here for a hike the next day.
Zero day is a bit of a misnomer as our hike will involve 15km and almost 1300m of vertical gain.
Sweep on the high mountain lake and glacier
On the way back down
We all hitch a ride back to town and that evening Anne and I totally spent. We are a little relieved that our younger friends are as well, that it’s not solely a function of our advanced age. Despite all the riding we have done, everyone’s legs are crazy sore for several days afterwards.
Which doesn’t bode well because they next day we say goodbye to paved roads for good and commence the infamous ripio of the Carretera Austral!