About This Route
Cerro Castillo National Reserve in Chile's Aysén offers a 52-kilometer traverse over 4 days, with camps at Neotropical, El Cañadon, Castillo, and Laguna Patricia. Turquoise lagoons, golden grasslands, and fortress-like peaks rival Torres but with fewer crowds. CONAF permits required for this remote gem.
Safety Considerations
Exposed traverses above 1,800m risk lightning; start pre-dawn. Mudslides scar trails post-rain; bypass via switchbacks. Coyotes eye food; hang bags 4m high. Winds funnel through Iberá Valley; guy out Hilleberg Soulo aggressively. Boil or UV-treat cloudy water. Horse traffic stirs dust; mask up.
Essential Gear
Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo tent. Delorme inReach Explorer, Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite pad.
Emergency Tips
Mudslide block: climb high ground parallel. Injury: hitch to Cochrane gauchos for clinic.
Scenario: Family weathered graupel storm at El Cañadon by digging snow trench; emerged to clear views. Buy permits in Coyhaique; shuttle from Villa Cerro Castillo.
Wild berries abound; ID calafate safely. Links to TM Circuit for epics.