Kilometres completed : 2,123
Villa Lago Rivadavia is no place for a zero day, and it's only 97km to a decent sized town, so I press on, starting on road, provincial route 71, there's not much traffic, then route A32, more easy walking. Onto a dirt track alongside Lago Cholila, it's very pretty, then with 28km done, time for some trail. A steep climb, but the trail is good, I pass lots of sawn up deadfalls, this is glorious walking through an area recovering from fire, dead trees bleached white poke through newer growth. Ahead, there are rocky mountainsides, with plenty of snow on the move distant slopes. I ford Arroyo del Turco, it's no problem, but after that the trail deteriorates, there's little sign of use or maintenance. But I struggle on to my planned camp, 37km done, hopefully things will get easier as I climb towards a pass tomorrow.
The line on my map follows Arroyo del Turco upstream, crossing it a few times. On the ground there is no trail. I maybe see a footprint a few times? Hacking through the forest is so slow, instead I walk up the arroyo much of the way, the water is icy cold and fast flowing but at least I make progress. Then a climb, and for a few minutes some respite, boggy grass at the high point. Down again, I briefly walk on snow, then by a stream that rapidly grows bigger in a steep ravine, there's still no path so I walk in the stream for a while, it does at least get less steep. Then an insane near vertical climb, bad enough but at the top there are dense woods, this is so hard. Over and down again, it's getting late, I have ripped one of the hems on my trousers half off, sigh. I nearly make it to the pass, so less than 15km done, this is not good.
After an hour more of struggle I reach the pass, rewarded by an awesome view of Río Turbio - yes, another one - far below, and many snowy mountains behind. I have to descend of course, and of course there's no path, but also no trees, good. The line on my GPS at least helps me avoid cliffs, but still it's very steep, I am very glad to hit a cow track. I manage to go wrong though, I get all the way down, but find myself a couple of hundred metres from the line, OK, best get back to it. Easier said than done, a new horror appears, spiky plants, brambles and something worse, I simply can't push through them as the little barbs embed themselves in my clothes and flesh. Right, this won't break me, I shorten my walking poles, together they make a decent club, which I use to beat a path. Good thing the cheap poles are pretty heavy, but this takes so long. Midday passes, I haven't managed 5km, how long will this take? I have food for maybe three more days, can I keep going without food? Thank heavens, I make it back to the line, there's another a cow track, which soon becomes a real trail, in good condition and gently downhill. I meet actual people! They say Lago Puelo the town is only a day away. Such a relief, I make good time to the lake itself, I'm in a national park now, on a trail alongside the lake, of course it climbs to hundreds of metres above it, so what, it's not too steep and it is a real path! Shame there's nowhere to camp, steep slopes with dense vegetation to either side, I walk until nine before finding a spot, well, it's distance I don't have to do tomorrow.
Obviously from my camp, after five minutes walk I am at the level of the lake, abundant camping here, flat walking too, vehicle tracks through farmland, an arm of the lake stretches east here, I walk around then cross a bridge. From here, well, I just walked 10km along Lago Puelo, in Parque Nacional Lago Puelo, and now I want to continue alongside the lake to reach the town of Lago Puelo. So is there a trail? Well, sort of. It certainly hasn't been maintained for a while, but some time ago somebody came out here with some paint and painted an awful lot of blue and white blazes. It's hard going but I'm not stopping now, and things get easier as I get towards the end of the trail. Amusingly, the town has it's own variant on 'routes that only exist on the map' - I walk several hundred metres before hitting houses where my map has a road. Still, only 3pm, and as I walk into town I find a panadería and buy pan de queso, so good, haven't had these since Brazil. Not far from here to a nice campsite, yay. And just over the road, a bar with craft beer and burgers, what more do I need.
Actually I do need more things, several in fact, but Lago Puelo provides. My ripped, filthy trousers go in a bin, the new pair, from a hardware store, are I think aimed at men who enjoy fishing, works for me. The shoes from Trevelin have performed well, but the toes are coming unstuck just a little - no problem, the same store has shoe glue - el secreto de los zapateros'! Also I buy many more panes de queso - which actually they call chipas around here. I even get a haircut, honestly this place is awesome. Perhaps that explains the way it is both a tourist town, with maybe ten campsites, and many bar-restos, but also it seems a popular place for wealthy Argentines to build a house, there are some impressive mansions and even a mini castle.
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