El Chalten to Villa O’Higgins

Welcome to the Patagonia Games: real life, adventure video gaming. 

Level 1: El Chalten to Lago Desierto.  

36 km of “gravel” road, though the first 12 are more like a rock quarry.  Beware of ferocious headwinds, potholes, loose gravel, limited patience reserves, and rocks the size of your fists... if you’re Andre the Giant. 

Keep your wits about you and keep going, cause if you turn back it’s 400km of headwinds to get “the Long way around” and on to the next game. 

Level 2: 6km hiking pass 

Deemed “4 hours of hell” by a recent solo cycling blogger - this level will demand all of your upper arm strength and team working abilities.  Get ready for river crossings, mud to your knees, tree roots, narrow trails, and fairy tale forests filled with lichen and moss. 

Don’t forget your bike — otherwise it’s just another scenic hike!

Level 3: 15km of gravel road to the Chilean Border. 

If you made it past level 2, this will seem like a walk (ahem, bike) in the park.  Cruisy slopes, pastoral and mountain views, you got this!  But don’t get too comfy!  All those mini ups and downs and dodging loose rocks are there to prepare you for the “5km descent of doom!”  Loose rocks!  Soft sand and gravel!  Dramatic cliff sides!  If you weren’t a mountain biker before, you will be by the end of this level. 

Don’t forget to use your one-leg-out emergency brake as needed when it’s so steep your back tire is skidding sideways.  

You’ll know you’ve passed when you cruise through the Chilean border with another stamp in your passport and a “bienvenidos!” from the guard. 

Level 4:  ferry dock at south end of Lago O’Higgins.  

A whole different dimension of challenge.  You’ll encounter hiking, biking, and hitch hiking travelers all vying for a seat on the only boat going to Villa O’Higgins.  With the actual ferry broken down, you don’t know how many days you’ll need to wait before you get on board due to high winds and limited seating.  So ration your food carefully and protect yourself from the elements cause once you make it past this level, you can advance to Game Two of the Patagonia Games: real life, adventure video gaming... The Carretera Austral. 

***HIDDEN LEVEL***

Congratulations.  You only had to wait a day and a half for the ferry.  You rationed your pasta, powdered soup, and biscuits well.  You used your broken Spanish to secure your place on the boat (because though yesterday the border guard came and announced seats on the boat according to each persons time of entrance into Chile, today it’s a free for all with no order at all). 

After a 10 hour delay due to high winds, the boat is now leaving at 730pm.  Forget the pass (level 2) being deemed “4 hours of hell,” Welcome to the most ridiculous ferry crossing you’ve ever been on.  With 14 other players finding the hidden level, brace yourself for a fresh water lake turned oceanic wild.  With the boat nose diving through 6-8 foot swell and water cresting over the top of the boat, you’ll need to practice all of your centering and release-of-utter-control techniques.  Hold on, you’ve still got three hours to go!

Bonus points awarded for remembering to breathe and joining in with the other players (the ones who aren’t frozen in terror) who are singing along with the boat stereo lady Gaga or “hey soul sister...” at the top of their lungs while the boat repeatedly slams against the water.  

If you make it past this level, gather your gear and your recently bathed bikes and head off into the rainy night and find yourself a place to camp. 

Welcome to the Carraterra Austral.