Lake District (Trekking Adventure)

I had one last day in Puerto Varas before I had to take a long overnight bus to Santiago for my flight the next day.  I had an option to go kayaking in the morning, but I opted to go on a self-guide trek near Volcan Osorno.  And right on cue, it was a beautiful sunny last day.

So, I took a 2 1/2 hour bus ride to Peterohue in the afternoon (where I had previously taken the ferry to Peulla).  I only had a couple or so hours to trek before I had to catch the last bus at 730 back to the Puerto Varas.  I had misjudged the bus schedule a bit as I had thought they would run all the way up to 9 or 10.  So, at that point, I had wished I would have started my trek a few hours earlier.  But I was going to hustle through my trek, and as it turned out, it became somewhat of an adventure.

My trek started at the shore of Lagos Todos los Santos . . .

. . . the trail then veered away from the lake towards Volcan Osorno . . .

. . . I continued to follow the trail, which would eventually cut back towards the lake . . .

I had to traverse a log across a ravine, which is further down than it looks like on the picture (it was about 20 feet), so I wouldn't have died if I fell off it, but I would have wished I was dead.

. . . by my estimation, I would be able to get back just in time to catch the last bus at 730.  At this point, that was in an hour or so.  I followed what I thought was the trail, where it went into a thick forest . . .

. . . but it was very deceiving.  There was actually some semblance of a trail the few couple hundred yards in, but then it just disappeared. I checked my google maps, and it was about a half-mile to the shore of the lake where I could pick the actual trail back up.  If I backtracked I would for certain miss the last bus, so I decided to trudge on through the forest.  I was climbing over all manner of fallen trees and other obstacles, and forging my way through branches and vines, as they grabbed at my backpack and feet.  I was able to break free from most of the brush, but every hundred yards, the vines would win that battle and I would fall flat on my face.  I still bear the scars.  At that point, I knew that I would not be able to make the bus if I continued through the forest, which just became thicker and thicker.  Also, if for some reason I met my death there, nobody would ever find me.  So I decided that I needed to backtrack out of the forest, and find the actual trail, ad then would have to run back to the Peterohue in order to make the bus. 

In attempting to find the correct trail, I stumbled upon a dry river bed that I surmised led back to the lake.  This was going to be shortcut and saving grace, but I had to climb down about a sheer 15 foot embankment that I been cut by the river.  I used the same vines that I caused so much havoc before to shimmy my way down the embankment.  The terrain was very rough, so I had to watch each step I made, but I knew that this was the fastest way back.

Once I caught sight of the lake, I breathed a sigh of relief . . .

  

. . .but my job was not done.  Based on my calculations, I would not make it back in time even if at fast walking pace, so I would have to jog at least half the time, which is no easy task for me as I get winded just running a hundred feet.  I stopped every few minutes to take some photographs of the nice blue lake, and even drank from it . . .

 . . . I saw this cool textured drift wood . . .

I eventually made it back to the beach of Peterohue . . .

I had seven minutes until the bus left, and I still had to return my tag to the Ranger Station, so I hastened my trip by jogging just a little bit more.  As I got to the parking lot at 730 sharp, I saw the bus, and it was full of people.  I jumped on and squeezed myself in, and we literally took off a second later.  I had barely made it, and even though I had to stand the entire two and half hours back to Puerto Varas, I was just happy to be on the bus.

I took one last photo (again) of Volcan Osorno.

We hit a bit of traffic on the way back, so I decided to get off the bus with about a mile ago, and walk to Puerto Varas . . .