CAÑADÓN CHACABUCO on mom's birthday. A 10.3 mile hike, some of it on a path, some "off-piste" and we were able to hike directly from the hotel, no van ride required! The weather was overcast and rainy for most of the hike. The weather gods kindly let up during lunch so we were able to eat under some trees and stay dry.
Our first stop was Swan Lake where we listened to the quiet for a bit. We saw majestic Black Neck swans and coots. Even a pink Chilean Flamingo. As we walked around the circuit we saw breathtaking clouds and some rainbows, even a double rainbow. The rain started about 30 minutes before lunch and we were able to get under some shelter. As mentioned above the rain lessened and we had a lovely lunch of sandwiches and soup on a soft bed of pine needles.
After lunch we continued on to a valley with herds of guanaco. In the distance we heard and saw cows, which are verbotten in the Park. We also saw some people walking our return route. It turns out that not all guanaco go in the same place - after awhile we were dancing around lots of cow and guanaco guano. Soon we noticed there was no trail and it seemed like Manuel, our guide, was searching for the right place to ford a dry stream bed. All of a sudden the slat wooden bridge seemed to come out of nowhere. Down to the bridge and up the other side towards higher ground where we could see an impressive bridge in the distance.
By the time we got to this area the sun was out and the rain only a memory. It was very windy and the path returned. The bridge was amazing - a mesh floor which spanned across a river in a deep chasm. Something out of Indiana Jones.
We walked back via the path and had a beautiful view of herds of guanaco, some of them were chasing each other. We also saw a lot of evidence of dead guanacos, so a lot of puma activity, but no pumas. We even went where the puma sometimes slept, but nothing there - no one home. Then we rounded back to the hotel. Great that there was no van ride.
Full moon tonight which didn't really set. Too much light and too many clouds for any real start gazing.
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