Goodbye to the Carretera Austral and a tale of two runs

After pushing hard for the first two weeks of holidays we slowed down a little as we backtracked up the Carretera Austral to Chaiten. We spend a night camping in Park Pumalin followed by a short walk and then enjoyed a well needed two day break in Chaiten before we boarded a car ferry on Wednesday night to take us to the island of Chiloe across the Gulf of Ancud.

Walking in Park Pumalin

Departing Chaiten on the ferry

I kept somewhat busy with two tough runs. Laguna Los Pumas was 12kms (6 out and 6 back) in the north end of Parque Nacional Queulat. The first 3.5km climbed about 800 meters so in reality it was part jog and part power walk on a twisting track full of mud and rough bush steps. It was interesting to see the various changes in vegetation from sea level to almost 1000 meters. Near the top of the trail some of the marshes looked very Scandinavian in character though the general state of the forest and steepness of the hills would make it a mighty tough area for orienteering. The track ended in beautiful solitude at a lonely lake (Lago Los Pumas) high in the mountains. While I ran, Elise and Sam walked a fair chunk of the track, climbing most of the big hill and turning back just where the climb relented!

Lush forest on Laguna Los Pumas walk/run

Endless stairway to heaven

The second run two days later was shorter but just as tough. I climbed the short trail (2.6km/5km return, 600m climb) up the Chaiten volcano which last erupted 10 years ago. Although misty and raining, the visibility was good enough to see down into the crater mud and lake and also to get a good look at the vegetation regrowth which was surprisingly considerable after just 10 years.

A glimpse of Chaiten volcano through the mist

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