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Route: Huemul Circuit (Argentina)

Location
Argentina
Distance
68.6 km
Description

A classic 66km loop from El Chalten:

El Chaltén (Centro de visitantes, Guardaparque Ceferino Fonzo, Parque Nacional Los Glaciares)
Campamento Laguna Toro
Laguna Toro
Rio Túnel (first zipline)
Glaciar Rio Túnel Inferior
Paso del Viento
Refugio Paso Del Viento
Paso Huemul
Bahia de los Tempanos
Bahía Túnel
Rio Túnel (second zipline)
Estancia La Quinta
El Chaltén (Centro de visitantes, Guardaparque Ceferino Fonzo, Parque Nacional Los Glaciares)

GPS Track
Huemul_Circuit_in_Ultra_mode_all_in_1_day.gpx11.16 MB

FKTs

Comments

Migue
Fri, 12/11/2020 - 09:05am

Congrats to Hans, Renée and Simone, I am living in El Chaltén and have been researching on this FKT and found new attemps as described in this Patagonian specialized publication (Patagonia Vertical): https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=3579594588723789&id=563620956987849.

1. Male (probably unsupported) Guilherme Pahl (BR) 12:30hs, without GPS, de y al camping El Refugio, 1/2020. With GPS 13:31:35: https://www.strava.com/activities/2142341757

2. Female (probably unsupported) Camila Nicolau (BR) 13:24:48, with GPS, de y al camping El Refugio, 1/2020. https://www.strava.com/activities/3019118065

They both finish in a camping in town, I think the official start/finish must be the Centro de Visitantes.

Aditionally, as you can see in the discussion below, I propose a more natural finish, in the last kilometers instead of heading to the road, follow a trail that goes up to the Mirador de los Cóndores and down to the Centro de visitantes. Here is a link to a picture, red line proposed finish, blue line actual finish. And to the gpx.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jqa0aKN47_gJes0ti0U7ooPDI36NkoKj/view?usp=sharing (Picture 77kb)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1obEpcqzhybnCWuVXJTxDnJUK3_ytL37y/view?usp=sharing (.GPX 967kb)

Thanks!

Miguel.

 

 

 

 

Hi Miguel - I attempted this route on Tuesday December 13th 2022. I didn't explicitly go for the FKT but was aware of your effort and downloaded your GPX track for navigation. First of all, nice job posting a blazing fast time on a hard route. I ran 9:33 from the visitor center which I believe is the second fastest know time behind you. I wanted to highlight a few things to others that may attempt this: 

1. The navigation from Laguna Toro to Paso De Viento is increasingly difficult, slow and dangerous with the receding of the glacier. There is substantial rockfall danger here and others may wish to bring a helmet. I felt unsafe and rocks were falling all around me. 

2. The downhill to the lake after Paso Huemul is incredibly steep and loose, moreso than any other trail I've ever been on. It is also increasingly erorded to the point whre I was sliding down on my butt for a lot of it. Poles are recommended here and again potentially a helmet for rockfall danger.

3. I believe the highlighted modification to the route above from Estancia La Quinta to the visitor center is now fenced off with barbed wire. I spent 5+ minutes trying to find the trail and even considered jumping the fence to stay true to your route but was unable to find a passage through the fence. As a result of this plus the general confusion after Bahía Tunel with the many routes back to El Chalten I propose maybe we end the route at the Bahía Tunel road? There are pros and cons, this makes it shorter which I don't like but also avoids the road running and room for interpretation at the end of the route (looks like nearly everyone has run this section differently). 

In any case, this is a great route and had a lot of fun. Congrats again on the FKT. 

My Strava for proof: https://www.strava.com/activities/8244787061/overview