Patagonia, December 25, 2022 – January 4, 2023
By Mary Ellen Haupert From the time that Louise decided she wanted to work in Patagonia, Chile, I began plotting our own trip to visit her. We began our epic trip to Patagonia on Christmas Day 2022. We drove to Chicago and stayed the night in the crown plaza hotel so that we could leave our car in the airport parking lot for free. There was nothing open at the hotel but one restaurant, The Fly Zone, where we ate something greasy and then retired to our room to watch the remainder of a ridiculously stupid movie, The Mean Girls. It wasn’t Christmas appropriate, but it was all that was on the television in the hotel. The next day we flew to Atlanta > Santiago > Balmaceda, Chile where we met Madeline and Chaz. Madeline and I had received an email from Tania (Patagonia Frontiers coordinator), with the name of our driver, Juan Veas; Madeline contacted him and he agreed to pick us up and take us to our Airbnb outside of Coyhaique. The place was in the scenic countryside and had a handmade wood-stoked hot tub! The owner was extremely enthusiastic and had logs lit so that we could soak both before and after dinner. Madeline lent me one of her swimsuits, which allowed me to enjoy the incredible view with my daughter and her partner, Chaz. Our driver Juan lives in Coyhaique, so had some excellent recommendations on where we should have dinner. We were thankful when he pulled up outside of Casa Cipres to see if there was room, and then asked the proprietors to set a table for the four of us. The restaurant had a lovely back patio, exceptional entrées, tasty hors d’oeuvres, and excellent Chilean wine. After dinner, we thought we’d explore the town center. It was completely dead except for a lot of stray dogs roaming in packs. A homeless man threw a chair at one of the dogs, instigating some barking and fighting between human and beasts. Not wanting to be part of the dog fight, we kept walking until Juan eventually picked us up; he was kind enough to show us a few other places where we snapped pictures and had some laughs. We were glad that the hot tub was still quite warm and lovely when we got back. Juan picked us up in the morning and made sure that we had several stops along the way to experience the beauty of Patagonia. Chaz sat in the front seat (because he could converse in Spanish with Juan) and got to see several photos of Juan’s climbing achievements! He showed us the Cerro Castillo peak, drove us through a hairpin road (camino diablo a Villa cerro Castillo), and made sure that we had enough coffee and potty breaks. We stopped at Puerto Tranquillo where we viewed the islands, mountains, and white caps on Lago General Carreras. Juan really wanted to show us the best of Chile and tried to make arrangements for us to see the Marble Caves on Lagos General Carreras, but the water was too rough to access them. I mistakenly made a video saying we were waiting until the waves died down before we could cross to see Louise. Little did I know that we had hours left in our travel to Patagonia Frontiers. Lupin flowers caught our eyes in the ditches along the roadside and near rivers all over southern Chile. We stopped at Parque El Sombrero to wander in fields of Lupin. We took pictures by the river, picked calafate berries, and watched Madeline do handstands. The trek to Patagonia Frontiers started to get long when the paved road turned to gravel. It was bumpy for what felt like hours and I couldn’t believe that we didn’t get a flat tire or even go off the road. The scenery and all of the lakes made up for it. General Carreras Lake is massive with many islands bordered by towering mountains. We saw rivers, waterfalls, and a diminishing population the farther south we traveled. After seven hours we reached Puerto Bertand, where John was scheduled to pick us up. John and Don Luis were kind enough to bring Louise along for the ride and it was great seeing her looking so healthy and strong. The boat trip lasted a little over an hour, probably because the waves were whitecapped, making the crossing a bit of a splash. The lakes in Patagonia are pure and unpolluted; the colors are exotic. Lago Bertrand’s bright blue gave way to greenish Lago Plomo almost instantly. The mountains on each the border the lakes have glaciers, which carry sediment coloring the lakes deep and bright blues, sea green, or a brackish-whitish green. Did I mention that there are no docks on these lakes? Welcome to wilderness Patagonia! As we neared the ranch, we could see the crew lining up on the dock. Louise said it was customary to make way for the dock when they heard a boat coming. Sometimes they heard a boat and there were no visitors. That didn’t matter; they still had to be hospitable. We were glad to meet Michael (Blade) Bonaducci, Ryan Crawford, Cora, Ari, Nadia, and Hayes. Louise took us to the guest cabin where she had hung Madeline‘s handmade birthday gift from the door knob. I could tell the girls were thrilled to be together; this sweet gift was evidence of that. The guest cabin was very nice. They had a little bit of whiskey for us, two glasses, some bubbly water, towels, and plenty of warm blankets. There are three separate rooms in the guest cabin and we occupied two rooms, while Louise slept in her tent. (It wasn’t immediately clear to me why she couldn’t stay in the third room.) There is no running water on the ranch; an outhouse and a washing station (w/bucket with a spigot hanging from a tree) served us well. The long drop, which the outhouse is called, has two picture windows so that you can view the horses grazing in the pasture while taking a dump. Louise showed us the Palazzo, which is the kitchen and eating quarters for the crew. The guests eat in the new-new barn’s loft situated above their wood-milling station and storage area. It’s a comfortable space with a table, chairs, serving area, and a comfortable living space furnished with some of John Hough’s handmade furniture. We used it for games and conversation. Louise also gave us a tour of their greenhouse, the crew’s long drop, and the pasture where they pitched their tents. Their living conditions (for a full six months) are intense, evidenced by tents that are slowly falling apart due to wind and sun, “but nothing that a little duct tape can’t fix.” We had a bit of time to kill before supper, so we went back to the guest cabin to open some of the gifts that I brought for Louise, Madeline, and Chaz. They laughed at the silly buttons and socks that I brought, as well as the dorky handmade pajamas that they changed into before supper (and wore any time we had down time at the ranch). Louise planned all of the meals, as well as assigning cooks and serving crews, and our first meal at the ranch didn’t disappoint. We joked about the role of designated water/drink carrier. I would be lying if I said that I thought some of the rules were a little over the top, but the more I heard of John Hough and the near-death experiences that he survived, the more I understood his need for control, discipline, and order. The first hike began at the entrance of Lago Plomo, on land that belongs to one of John‘s neighbors. He asked permission for us to hike the ridge from the beach access all the way back to his ranch. When Louise described the hike on the boat ride the day before, I didn’t imagine it to be challenging, but I wasn’t prepared for the overgrown brush, wild and thorny rosebushes, and uphill/downhill slopes. The hike was challenging on many levels and stretched our physical capabilities. Ryan Crawford was an excellent guide and pointed out places where there was loose gravel or alternate routes that might be easier for Mike and me. We didn’t see anyone else on the trail, which was surprising at first. I wasn’t prepared for the rugged wilderness that we experienced, but appreciated its raw beauty from high vistas that overlooked the lakes, valleys, and glacial-capped peaks. While we were losing our breath climbing some of the slopes, we had our breath taken away by nature. Mike broke out his water shoes (which were a hit) on our first river crossing, which Ryan said was substantial. Ryan, Michael, and Louise were hardcore and walked through the rivers in their hiking boots; I was glad that Chaz changed into sandals first so the rest of us didn’t look like wimps. (This was sort of a relief for the remainder of our adventure in Patagonia.) At the end of the hike, we were received by John and the other crew members. John doubted that we would finish and I didn’t realize what we had accomplished until after it was all done. Having John there to shake our hands and give us congratulatory beers was testament to the difficulty of the trail. Following another delicious meal and games, For Sale and 10, we went to bed and prepared for the next few days of hiking. That first day we trekked along the river bed into a valley that is owned by Patagonia Frontiers. The valley was cut by the Soler River, which has several glacial tributaries into the main channel. The Soler River is lighter green in color, flowing with potable water. We didn’t have to worry about filtering because Ryan, Louise, and Michael reassured us that it was safe to drink. The trekking was flat in the river valley, extremely muddy, and requiring several stream crossings. Our final cross of Cacho River toward the Cacho Ranch Camp was met by Don Mancho sitting by the fire and tending the horses. Don Mancho has lived in the valley all of his life and owned much of the property that surrounds Lago Plomo; he developed a friendly relationship years ago with John – to whom he sold most of his property. Don Mancho continues to live in a small cabin on the property and manages all of the horses. Louise said that he is the most knowledgeable person in the valley, especially regarding horses and general geography. The crew was expected to cook for us, set up our tents, and keep us safe and happy. I especially appreciated Ryan and Michael on this trek; they were funny, and joked continuously with Louise. It was great to see her so happy in this wild Chilean environment. Back to Cacho Ranch Camp. The tents were set up in a lower patch of grass, while the main part of the camp sits on a hill that overlooks the Cacho River and surrounding mountains. The main building is a storage unit with wood, food items, and other necessities. The fire pit has a giant boulder which shields the fire from the wind. There is a corral down by the river for the horses, and there’s a “short drop” for visitors to use whenever Nature calls. It was an experience to sit and have a view while taking care of your bodily needs; I had to laugh when I turned around one day to see the two horses staring at me from behind! We had lots of jokes at Cacho Ranch Camp. Ryan and Michael quickly learned that we were a joking family who were more interested in enjoying one another than telling tall tales about ourselves. They started making up stories, including a rule of John’s that controls toilet paper use. Louise said that she was only allowed four little squares for each bathroom visit, but Michael said that he had permission to use six. They had me believing it until the story developed the necessity for wearing diapers. We had many laughs. At the end of the meal Michael introduced us to a project. He had cut small conical pieces of wood that he wanted us to hollow out for shot “glasses.” In order to hollow out the cylindrical pieces of wood, he asked that we grab an amber from the fire and burn through the center of the wood. This kept us entertained for most of the evening. Some of our cups cracked but they were still usable the following New Year’s Eve. Before getting into New Year’s Eve, there needs to be an explanation of the trek on the second day. Our goal was to follow the river for a view of the glacial fields, and the hiking predicted to be messier than the first. There was a considerable amount of marshy land that we encountered, as well as scrubby trees. The glacier was recognized by locating the receding tree line from the valley. As we got closer to the glacier, the river seemed stronger as it rushed past banks of stunted bush and rocks. Ryan said that he has crossed the river to get to the glacial fields, and also explained that there has been quite a bit of research in that particular area. We could see different colors of glacial crevices, as places where the glacier had cracked and broke free from the mass. As much as we wanted to get close enough to touch, it would have been too risky for us to cross the river because of its depth and the force of the current. Instead, we sat on top of the moraine snapping photos of the valley and the glacier beyond. The walk back was punctuated by some singing; Madeline and Chaz contributed songs they learned in their Zambia village; I added a few folk songs of my own. In the distance we could see a herd of wild horses. When the stand of horses spotted us, they performed a show by galloping across the green pasture at top speed, and then circled back only to stop and look at us before continuing their afternoon grazing. Cora said to look out for a baby which had been born recently. Our New Year’s Eve started with rock skipping along the Cacho River, and continued with a meal near the campfire. Madeline made a cake using a Dutch oven that she found in the cookhouse, using a bread baking technique that she perfected when they were in the Peace Corps. She was annoyed because the hot fire burned the bottom of the cake; she and Louise were able to cut off the top and roll it up into a tasty treat for all of us. So sweet! We sang some songs and played song captain while tasting Michael’s whiskey from our carved out wooden shot glasses. I turned in before the sun went down, which was about 10:30 PM. I had a hard time getting to sleep in the tent; the pads were a little thin for the old folks. I enjoyed listening to the young people laughing and telling stories, and finally their cheers ringing in the New Year. On New Year’s Day, we had a few more river crossings before reaching camp the ranch the next day. The group was steadily getting closer via easy conversation on the trail, the singing, and our attempts to dodge mud, cow manure, and other obstacles in our path. It didn’t dampen our spirits; we seemed all genuinely grateful for the rare experience that we were having together. My birthday on the next day was as perfect as it could be. Madeline got up early and met Louise at the Palazzo where they made a cake and decorated it with hiking figurines that looked like each one in our group. They went out to pick crow berries from the property and use them to make a little stream in the frosting. It was delightful to see the cake and try to guess which caricatures matched our personalities. We had a slower day with a hike up one of the Louise’s favorite mountains and some time on the dock. They planned an outdoor campfire meal on John’s property as a special treat; it was the third time that I celebrated my birthday on a different continent and this was one to remember fondly. Louise spent two weeks making pottery utensils out of wood from the ranch; Ryan helped her design them. I look forward to putting them to use! I had a hard time saying goodbye to Louise. We learned how much she can withstand, and left with admiration for her strength, determination, and fortitude. There is no doubt in my mind that she has grown both physically and spiritually stronger for living this austere lifestyle. We parted with teary eyes fixed on the Patagonia Frontiers’ dock, until we could no longer see Louise. Don Luis had no trouble getting us to Bertrand, because the lake was smooth and void of the wind and waves that we experienced on the way to the ranch. Juan was there to meet us and the trip back went fairly quickly. Madeline booked an Airbnb in Coyhaique, this time within walking distance of the town center. We had dinner at an outdoor venue that featured a disgustingly oversized meat tower, which Mike and Chaz devoured. Juan took us to Balmaceda Airport where we caught our plane to Santiago. We had a long layover, so used the opportunity to explore the city. A cab driver dropped us off in the Italian neighborhood of Santiago. We walked a long stretch of restaurants, shops, and several malls that contained tourist souvenirs. I couldn’t resist a pair of bright, red patent leather shoes that I may Don at the next chamber music concert. Dinner that night was at Silvester’s, a restaurant off the beaten track, but posted a different menu each day. Our waiter had a bit of an accent, and we were foolish enough to think it was from Australia. When asked, he said he was an actor who experimented with accents. The food was great! Our remaining time was a walk-through a neighborhood near San Cristobal. The time flew by, and before we could catch our breath, we were shedding tears as we said goodbye to Madeline and Chaz. It is an understatement to say that this was a most fabulous adventure.
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AuthorMary Ellen Haupert is a wife, mother, pianist, teacher, and Catholic church musician. Archives
August 2023
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