Cochamó, Chile - Polarsteps

Traveldays🚍🛳️ + the Cochamó Valley🏞️ (aka Chilean Yosemite⛰️) With mixed feelings of leaving the wild, scarcely inhabited Carretera Austral, we are going to our new destination: Cochamo! Fortunately, we can still enjoy the area during the drive to Hornopirén. Standing on deck during the two ferry rides, we spot many sea lions and tons of cormorants. Because we want to take the lower - less used route- we let us drop off in this beautiful situated village in one of the many fjords.⚓ The next day we continue and find out that we have to take the other -less scenic- road (in the same direction of yesterday's bus). We cross the not very likeable city of Puerto Mont (also dubbed Muerto Mont) for a stopover and reach Cochamó in the afternoon. After Frank had an important phone call with the Netherlands (a job??!), we leave the village for a small camping-trip in Valle de Cochamo, a hike of 17 kilometers away from the village. It's a beautiful day, but we barely see any daylight in the dense forest. No wonder they tell you to start early and take headlights with you. It's a super muddy path since it was used to transport cattle over Argentina's border. At some sectors we feel like being in first world war trenches! (See first picture) After this challenging route, we were exhausted when we finally arrived at the valley's campsite, surrounded by high granite walls, a heaven for climbers. We camped for two nights. However, we would've love to stay longer. Sadly, the weather forecast drove us back to a more sheltered place. Asking the camping guy where to go, he said we should definitely do the Cerro Trinidad. It's just 5 hours (later found out that he meant 5 hours one way). Well, the total hike took us 8 hours. The fun part was in the beginning, where our most beloved river crossing took place. After that, it was up-hill for 1400m. Higher up, we hugged some great + grand Alerces trees, they can grow up to 60 meter. Due to logging, they almost disappeared on more easy to reach terrain. After Liselot slipped and slided down for several meters she almost gave up. But the promise to see the impressive Tronador (see Christmas post around Bariloche) again, kept us moving forward. Some soaring condors gave us a nice welcome show when we finally arrived at the top! Back at the campsite we enjoyed the warmth and luxury of the fire pit. 🔥 And the next day we made the muddy hike back to the bus stop, just on time for the next rain showers that would make the path even more of a challenge! The night we spend in the most beautiful, atmospheric hostel we've been in so far: Mapatagonia in Puerto Varas. It's a German styled house, built in last century and everything is made of wood. 😍

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Chile