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#quetrupillan #lanin atras / in the background. first time leading the group to the #summit #skitouring primera vez #liderando al grupo haciendo #cumbre #esquí de #travesia

#quetrupillan #lanin #liderando #summit #skitouring #esquí #travesia #cumbre

Pucón: An Adrenaline Junkie's Playground

So it’s been a while, but I wanted to write about my first trip South. About two months ago I traveled to Pucón in “Sur Chico” or “little south” of Chile. A mere 10 hour bus ride away. Pucón was a nice snapshot of the opportunities that lie ahead even farther south in northern and southern Patagonia. Pucón is a gateway to a myriad of outdoor activities, even for those who are less apt to engage in physical, strenuous activities.

We arrived in Pucón relatively early on Friday morning after an overnight bus. After settling into our adorable, wooden-framed hostel we walked around town and grabbed a yummy brunch at a famous spot- Trawen. My first impressions of Pucon was that it seemed like a small European town transplanted in the South of Chile. The architecture, the style, the vibes and the surrounding area is very reminiscent of a small German town at the base of the Alps.

Friday we kept it “simple” and chose one activity…Hydrospeeding. This adrenaline-filled activity was super fun! It’s kind of hard to explain but basically it’s white water rafting but with the lower half of your body in the water. You hold on to a sort-of flotation device and use flippers to propel forward. We had to wear 2 wetsuits due to the incredibly frigid river water. The activity itself was short but exhilarating. That night we grabbed a bite to eat at a tasty pizza joint and retired early, as we had an early rise the following morning.

Saturday we headed out early to Parque Nacional Huerquehue, situated on Lago Caburga, about an hour by bus from Pucón. There was a 2 day hike but we opted for the 1 day hike, Sendero Tres Lagos, which went to Lago Chico, Lago Verde and Lago Toro with incredible views of Volcano Villarrica. It was an easy going trail, with some steep sections. It was really only difficult because some sections were covered completely in snow, so there was some slippage that resulted in me on my ass.

The views were breathtaking. It felt as if I was walking through an enchanted forest. It had a cool, semi-misty cloud forest feel, with clear blue skies above, incredibly vibrant green vegetation and some of the freshest air I’ve breathed since arriving in Chile. It was literally a breath of fresh air being in Parque Huerquehue. Every turn gave me a new perspective on the surrounding area, from the Flora y Fauna to the views of the volcanoes and lakes to the cascadas (waterfalls). I felt like I was in another country, completely different from anything I have experienced thus far in Chile. En el fondo, fue increíble...

We lunched at the end of the trail by Lago Verde and then headed back to make it in time for the final bus back to Pucón. The whole trail, roundtrip, was 16 kilometers. By the end of the day I was tired, but not exhausted. Looking back it was a great warmup for the next day. That night we went to a delicious dinner at La Maga Parrilla. I ordered entraña, I think it is most comparable to a type of skirt steak but much more flavorful and tender. It was delectable, especially when paired with a glass of Carménère. It was the perfect way to end a great day.

Sunday, we, again, had a very early rise. We headed out with a tour group to climb Volcano Quetrupillán. Originally we wanted to climb Villarrica, but since the last eruption on March 3, 2015 we were unable to. After an almost 2 hour van ride with our group of about 20 people, we geared up and started the summit. The first 2 hours of the trail mostly went through forests, in an effort to access the base. We were given snow pants and una piola (ice pick) to use when summiting. The snow guards were really useful for trekking through the dense snow. Some parts I would sink down in the snow to my knee, other parts were so compacted you could easily glide on top.

After reaching the base, we took a 30 minute break because the next 4 hours would be spent slowly climbing the 2,360 meter volcano to the top. What I really enjoyed about the summit was that, as a group, we kept a slow steady pace. Sure, I could’ve gone a little quicker, but the most important thing was keeping a steady pace. It really made a difference when we got to the top... I didn’t feel completely wiped out. Every so often when summiting I would look behind me and WOW. I’ve never seen miles of just pristine, snow-covered mountains like I did there.

I thought Parque Huerquehue was spectacular but the views from Volcan Quetrupillán were supreme. I felt a stillness being up so high and looking down on to what seemed like untouched ground. It was comforting and discomforting at the same time. When we were about 30 minutes from the top, I began to use my ice pick...as we zigzagged our way up the volcano the wind became stronger and stronger. When I was perpendicular with the mountain, crossing over then up, I felt a little slippage and had to use the ice pick. But after the slow 4 hour summit, we made it to the top.

Quetrupillán is the first volcano I have ever hiked and it was a phenomenal experience. The group and guides I was with was awesome, nothing but buena onda. After about 45 minutes exploring the top of the volcano and taking in the awe-inspiring views of both the Chilean and Argentinian side, we made our descent....this is where the fun really started. We were all given, basically, round plastic discs and one by one we sat down and used our ice picks as steering mechanisms to sled down the volcano. It was literally the best was to descend a volcano...on your ass.

I didn’t want the sledding to stop, I felt like I was 7 again, in the back yard with my brothers. It was such a throwback. So obviously the descent was quicker than the ascent. Once at the base we had about a 2 hour hike back to the vans. We declothed, dried off and loaded up the van for the ride back to Pucon. To date, this was the most challenging activity I have participated in in Chile and it was worth every penny and every ounce of energy. It was rewarding in more ways than one.

Originally we had plans to leave Monday morning but we really wanted to go to the Termas Geometricas. So, we changed our tickets to Monday night and in the morning, along with 3 people we met on the Volcano trek, we rented a car and drove about an hour and a half to these new hot springs. It was pricey but worth it. We soaked our achy bodies in the thermal hot springs. It was the largest hot springs I had ever been to, with more than 15 pools ranging from cool to super, super hot. We spent more than 3 hours lounging about and then headed back in time to drop off our car and catch the night bus back to Santiago.

My experience in Pucón was superb. From the adventurous activities, the challenges taken on and achieved, to the people and the vibes that emanated throughout the town, it was the perfect long weekend. The views are inexplicable, something you can’t capture with a camera, only the naked eye can really appreciate the vast beauty of this town and its’ surrounding areas.

¡Totalmente, valió la pena!