Puerto Montt, Chile Part 2

Lago Todos los Santos, Saltos del Petrohue and Puerto Varas

(All Saints Lake, Petrohue Falls and a Town)

Heading to All Saints Lake we made a quick stop for our first look
 at the Petrohue River. 

The river was pretty.  Its water was crystal clear.  Kayaks can navigate a portion of it and it looked possible here.  The sand was a darker color but not the black sand I was expecting in a volcanic area.  During our short stop, numerous flies descended upon us.  They were quite annoying but did not bite (Sandi begs to differ).  I had read about the flies, that they were attracted to dark colors.  Although the weather was getting warmer, we chose to continue wearing our long sleeved shirt layer to keep the flies away from landing on skin.

As we continued on the road to All Saints Lake, we passed the parking area for Vincente Rosales Perez National Park where we would hike to the river and falls.  It was packed with private vehicles and buses with everyone out to enjoy the fine day.  However, we had another stop to make first.

The road turned from nicely paved to a rough gravel grade and soon it was reduced to one-lane with the other half under construction for improvements.  We waited our turn in the one-way traffic and, once we were underway again, it was very slow going.  Plumes of dust from the vehicles in front of us blocked any view we would have.  It was an unpleasant drive and I felt sorry for the people walking along the road returning to their parked vehicles.  I was, in fact, considering not getting out of our car if the dusty conditions did not improve at the lake.

Traffic thinned by the time we arrived at the Lake as did the dust.  I guess most vehicles headed to the passenger ferry dock where a boat ride could be taken to see the lake. We parked in an almost empty lakeside lot and walked to the waters edge where we got a 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains.  The sand was blacker here but the slightly overcast skies did not showcase the "Emerald Lake" nickname of All Saints Lake.

A different view of the Osorno Volcano with the black sand beach in the foreground.

All Saints Lake watched over by Puntiagudo-Condon Cenizos
 which rises to 10,500 feet.

Not a particularly exciting photo above, however there is a story behind it.  The road ends here at the lake.  As I mentioned before, traffic thinned out just before our arrival.  Most of the vehicles were going to the ferry dock where a tourist can take a scenic ride on the lake or rent kayaks.  Another boat ferries people across the lake to the town of Peulla on the far side.  Chileans live there and visitors can find lodging and hiking from Peulla also.  But if residents want to transfer household goods, building materials etc. they must use the cargo ferry dock pictured above in the lower left.  That ferry was not at the dock during our stop but residents had stacked lengths of wooden planks on the beach waiting for its arrival.  There are other roads, lakes and towns on the far side that can be reached by narrow mountain roads but no roads go to Peulla.  While traveling through Patagonia, we would learn that many settlements and towns in Southern Chile can only be reached by water.

Gunnera Tinctoria

We spotted these large leaf plants pictured above all along the road and area.  Andres was very knowledgable about the plants and trees and told us names and uses.  The name of this plant is Gunnera Tinctoria but the Chileans call it Nalca or Pangue.  I found it in my field guide and learned it can grow up to 6.5 feet in height and 2-5 feet across.

The photo above is a sample of the European influenced architecture throughout the area and a country inn as well.

Back on the road with surprisingly little traffic, we headed to the Vincente Rosales Perez National Park for more hiking.  Although our stop at the lake was nice but not spectacular, the time spent allowed the parking lot at the river to clear out.  Andres snagged a parking spot right by the entrance and all the buses were gone.  What a lucky break to arrive when we did.  It's good to have a guide that understands the flow of tourism traffic too.
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A rustic building at the park entrance held gift shops as well as food service.  Following the path further, we came across the restrooms with a different toilet protocol.  If you did not notice the large roll of toilet paper hanging on the wall at the bathroom's entrance and gather some for yourself, you were...well out of luck in the stall.  (Yeah, it's a girl thing...I know.)

Vincente Rosales Perez National Park is located within the Floristic Zone of the Valdivian Rainforest.  It has abundant precipitation year round ranging from 60 inches in the Central Valley to 157 inches in the foothills and mountain areas.  The forest is composed of evergreen broadleaf trees and shrubs that have waxy, dark green, laurel-like leaves.  Ferns, bamboos, epiphytes and vines are thick in the understory.  After the mostly barren volcanic landscape of our earlier hike, the densely forested lower flanks of the mountains were a welcome change of scenery.  Although Osorno last erupted in 1869, long swaths of treeless ground was still evident between the thickly growing forest.

The trails were well marked and, as we continued on foot, we reached deeper into the foliage teeming with the typical species of the area.   As we advanced, the endless thundering of water reached our ears - the constant roar of the water at the Petrohue River and Falls.  We passed curious geological formations of unquestionable volcanic origin as the Petrohue River raced against the force of gravity creating a marvelous sequence of chutes, cataracts and waterfalls.  It was quite a spectacular sight to behold.

Osorno Volcano in the foreground and Puntiagudo in the background.

Crystal-like water clarity in a quieter stretch of river.

Oh Thunder Road!

The Saltos del Petrohue (Petrohue Waterfalls) are a short distance downstream from their source in Lago Todos los Santos (All Saints Lake) and are located in the upper reach of the Petrohue River.  They are considered chute-type falls and supported by basaltic lava stemming from the Osorno Volcano that sits between All Saints Lake and Llanquihue Lake.  The average water flow of the river and falls can be much larger during the rainy season when the surface level of All Saints Lake rises by up to 3 meters.  The water is usually clear with a green hue.   However, when lahars (a moving fluid mass composed of volcanic debris and water) descend from the volcano area, water at the falls can be loaded with sand and silt.  Transport of these abrasive materials explains the polished aspect of the rocks.  Both the grit of these materials as well as the force of the fast moving water contributes to the continuously changing sculpture of the volcanic rock.

Can gauge the scale of this chute from the people perched along the fencing
in the upper right above or on the platform below.

We could only imagine the powerful rushing of water if the level of All Saints Lake had been rainfall risen and water flowed through all the eroded chutes and cataracts.  Even in the dry crevices one could see evidence of constant and continuous water action.  An ever changing landscape to be sure.

Always time for a happy hiker group photo.

And below a final parting shot of the Osorno Volcano.  After hiking up around Osorno, we found it better viewed in all its majesty from a distance.  Osorno in Mapuche means Lover of the Snow and it is still snow covered in Summer indeed.

And another view below of Puntiagudo rising to more then 10,500 feet.

What an awesome day from volcano peak to forested foothills to waterfalls!  There were three trails to walk in this gorgeous park but we feared traffic might delay our return to port.  Reluctantly we headed back on the road.

Our drive back along Llanquihue Lake was pleasant in countryside scenery as well as conversation.  Andres was well versed in bird as well as the plants and trees.  He helped to identify and confirm our avian sightings of the Chimango Caracara, Cinereous Harrier and a Southern Lapwing.  He was a country boy, having lived in the area on a farm all his life, and definitely in tune with nature.

Living in Puerto Rico, I am familiar with Spanish surnames.  Gonzalez was familiar enough but I had never before heard the name Oyarzun so I asked about his heritage.  He said his maternal lineage of Gonzalez could be traced to Spain.  However, he was not certain of the paternal origin.  He said Oyarzun was very similar to the name of a known sea-faring family.  As a lover of sea adventure, my imagination took over.  Could our guide be descended from the early sailors and explorers?   I am learning that the people of this beautiful country do not identify with their Spanish or European heritage and consider themselves and their traditions to be Chilean.

Samples of European influenced architecture as we drove through the countryside.

Hard to see in the above photo but the house has gingerbread gables.

As we drove through the cultivated and farmed lowlands, homes and businesses were few and far between.  When asked about the livelihood of the peoples living in this Lake District and how important was tourism, I received the following response:

#1 is Salmon farming - the hatchlings spend 4 days in freshwater and then are transferred to saltwater for one year before harvesting.  Their three markets are China, Brazil and the United States.

#2 is Agriculture - Beef, potatoes, blueberries, cherries and strawberries.  I can attest to the excellence of the fruit since the Viking Jupiter provisioned locally and the berries at breakfast were huge and awesome - strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries.  They also produce milk and dairy products for all of Chile.

#3 is Forestry.

#4 is Mussel farming

#5 is the Service Industry and Tourism

There is much flat agricultural land available between the mountain ranges.

Apparently hay is baled in the same fashion around the world.

One of the many moods of Calbuco

Dairy cows

There was not much traffic and we approached Puerto Varas quicker then anticipated.  We still had some time before returning to the ship, so I asked if we could have a look around the town.  The group opted for a short visit and Andres pulled alongside a lakeside park near the main square.  Instead of a drive through town tour, it was nice to be dropped off at a picturesque park near the main square where we were able to stroll at our leisure.

Osorno Volcano with peak obscured by clouds.

From the park we had a full view of Llanquihue Lake with the distant volcanos.  The lake is 1,200 square miles in area and 450 meters deep.

Charming hilltop hotel

Moored local boats.

A lovely windblown looking sculpture.

It was a short walk to the town square which was surrounded by shops and eateries where visitors and locals were relaxing.  We were treated to a concert by musicians playing instruments typical of the Antiplano region:  Zampona - a pipe like wind instrument of varying length and number of pipes, Quena - traditional flute of the Andes, and the Charrango - a small Andean stringed instrument of the lute family.

Plaza de Armas in Puerto Varas

Enjoy a portion of the concert by clicking on the below photo.

See the different size Zampona's in the background waiting to give voice.

This spectacular Lake District with its many lakes, volcanoes, national parks, hiking, and boating pursuits is a stop for cruise ships but there is no huge port where several boats could dock at once.  Great for us to be sure.  It is also an area to which one can drive without much difficulty so it is very popular for Chilean as well as International tourism.

Traveling by road further South of Puerto Montt, however, is a real challenge.  The Carretera Austral, the name given to Chile's Route 7, runs South from Puerto Montt for about 1,240 kilometers to Villa O'Higgens passing through rural Patagonia.  The highway is a combination of two-lane road and waterways over which one must travel by car ferry.  In order to gain the southernmost reaches of South America, one must pass into Argentina for a drive of another 1,738 kilometers to Ushuaia, Argentina which is considered the southernmost city in South America.

I am getting ahead of myself here because our next stop two days hence was Punta Arenas, Chile a distance of 1,668 km (1,037 miles) if we were driving.  Our sail on the Viking Jupiter would take two days traveling 1,024 nautical miles (1,180 miles).  I am sure driving to the tip of South America would be quite an adventure through awesome scenery.  But I will take the comfort and luxury of our ship where we can eat, drink, relax and see the ever changing shoreline sights while we travel entirely by water for two worry free days.

After our stop in Puerto Varas, it was a quick drive to the tender pier where we caught one of the last shuttles to the mother ship.  Showers and not much rest later, we met in the Explorer's Lounge for drinks and panoramic views through floor to ceiling windows at the top of the ship.  Sea birds were abundant and we could still see two of the volcanoes - Calbuco and Hornopiren.  How lucky we were to have such good weather.

Calbuco is on the left with Hornopiren on the right.  Those little white dots on the shoreline are Puerto Montt

After a long day we planned to dine casual at the World Cafe located on an upper deck where we would have big windows to catch the scenery.  We were traveling between the Chile mainland to the East and Isla Grande de Chiloe to the West hoping to have good views of the shorelines until sunset at around 9:30 PM.  True to Andres prediction, lowering clouds arrived obscuring the mountain peaks and greatly reducing visibility.  Good bye volcanoes and lake district.  Thank you Andres.

Any future travelers reading this blogspot who wish to engage Andres as their guide, he can be contacted as follows:

PatagoniaSouthernlandExpeditions.com
His own website
OR
He is also a Tours By Locals Guide
guide_6176-44@toursbylocals.com

Just thought I would end with an artsy shot of Osorno from Llanquihue Lake