Sierra Valdivieso Circuit
We did most parts of the Sierra Valdivieso circuit a week ago. Also we did another part a year ago (along the Paso Beban to Bahia Torito). This is a real off the beaten track - trekking and we didnīt meet anybody while trekking. The scenery is great and we enjoyed it very much. The weather can be very unpredictable and you have to be prepared for strong winds and some rain. The start and the beginning of the trek is very close to the town of Ushuaia, about 15 kms from the city center but it is through absolute wilderness most of the time. In the LP guide “Trekking in the Patagonian Andes” there is a very good description of this trekking but I would definatly skip the Paso Mariposa and do the circuit along the Lake Fagnano (Lago Kami). It makes not much sense to do the first part till the Refugio Bonete. It is better to do the crossing of Paso Beban on the first day and camp in the valley of Rio Torito after the pass. The refugio is a good option if the weather is too bad to attempt the pass. Paso Beban is less difficult to cross than it seems from the distance. From Paso Beban Oeste it is very clear how to follow the valley and usually easy to find the trail which is not marked. Most of the time you have to find the trail on the left hand side well above the river except for the first part of the descence from the pass. Going up the mountain and crossing the Paso Mariposa can be pretty difficult due to the routefinding and especially with bad weather. No marked trails or a real trail at all. A GPS should be a must for this section or you must be a really very experienced trekker. To continue to Lago Fagnano, the valley turns right and just shortly before the river turns right you can find a trail climbing up a bit. From there you can follow a trail and you just have to head north to the Lake between 2 lagoons staying higher away from the river. You see this very clearly from one point at the route. From the last lagoon, you can find a fourtrac track which brings you to the crossing of the river and from there it is just about 20 minutes to Bahia Torito. Bahia Torito has a small hosteria, some cabins and a restaurant. You can camp there or you just make your way till Bahia de los Renos along the Lake or from the crossing of the river in direction east for about 4 kms more. Usually easy to find a trail. You can also leave by boat from Bahia Torito and connect back to Ushuaia with a transport from Bahia Palacios, 25 kms further west or Tolhuin. The trip by boat is expensive. As Bahia Torito, Bahia de los Renos is a lovely place and very good campsites can be found there. Great to spend a day relaxing and fishing (you need a permit but nobody will control you there).
Making your way to Paso 5 Lagunas from Bahia de los Renos is pretty difficult due to the dense forests. Not much in distance, it is hard work to find your way. A trail sometimes appears but as soon as you think you can follow something, it disappears again and there is only thick forest and rocks. Be patient and take your time. No trail exists in that part but the direction canīt be missed. Going down from this low pass at about 600 meters to Valle Carabajal is easy, a good trail can be found. The first part of the Carabajal valley is tricky and complicated. Beavers are still working hard there but soon it is very easy to follow trails. In my opinion it is much better to cross earlier to the southern side of the Rio Olivia than told in the LP guide (2/3 hours before Laguna Arco Iris ) as it is easier to walk in the forest and there are cattle trails to follow.
Good and detailed maps to use with GPS can be found at www.gps.com.ar. You have to register and download the "mapa topografico" and you also need the Mapsource program of Garmin to be able to use this maps. Even without a GPS, these maps are very useful but there are also a lot of mistakes on rivers and lakes at least in the section of these treks. The topografical lines are very useful and exact.
