Horseback riding to El Salton and the San Carlos Pass
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 6.42 mi
- Elevation gain
- 974 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Easy
- Elevation loss
- 909 ft
- Max elevation
- 630 ft
- TrailRank
- 36
- Min elevation
- 187 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Coordinates
- 1143
- Uploaded
- July 5, 2014
- Recorded
- July 2014
near El Saltón, Aisén (Chile)
Viewed 1555 times, downloaded 13 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
After a short orientation to your horses and the route, you begin the ride following a trail used by the inhabitants of the sector. The route travels through coigüe and ñirre forests and open meadows, bordering the Baker River and creeks. In the distance, you are surrounded by the snow-covered mountains and glaciers of the Northern Patagonia Ice Fields. The area is habitat for several native and migratory birds, including buff-necked Ibis and southern lapwing.
Reservations: There are several tour operators who offer camping in their farms and this rural ride, including:
o La Araucaria Rural Turismo, The Ñadis Sector: Take the detour at the Barrancoso River Bridge for three km, until you reach the camping area; Radio HF frequencies: 3.789 & 4.580; (09) 81812887; turismo@cochranepatagonia.cl.
o Refugio y Camping Río Ñadis (Ñadis River Refuge & Camping); The Ñadis Sector: Take the detour at the Barrancoso River Bridge for nine km, until you reach the refuge; Radio HF frequencies: 3.789 & 4.580; (09) 81851625; lillischindele@yahoo.de.
Waypoints
Photo
0 ft
The San Carlos Pass
If you look just beyond the falls, you will notice that there is a pass cut into the cliff on the other side. This is the San Carlos Pass, cut into the rock to facilitate a connection between the areas in the interior of Baker – O’Higgins Area and the fjords that connected with the Pacific. Construction of the pass began in 1901 but the pass was virtually abandoned a few years later because of the danger and difficulty it presented. In 1921 it was revived and used by the Posada, Hobbs & Cia Livestock Company, administered by Lucas Bridges, in order to move livestock from the interior to the fjords. The San Carlos Pass was declared National Historic Monument because of the important role it played in the colonization of this area. During your visit, you will have the opportunity to hike up to the Pass, where you will be rewarded with an impressive panorama of the river. It’s a great vantage point for observing the condors that frequent this sector. From here, you have the option of walking for ten minutes more to an overlook with spectacular views of the next stretch of the river as it winds in the direction of the sea.
Waypoint
0 ft
The Salton Sector
After riding approximately two hours you will start to hear a strong sound. It is the thunder of the Baker as it crashes over the rocks in the Salton Sector. Here, you’ll leave your horses and walk down a short trail leading to a great overlook of the Salton Falls, where you can take pictures and enjoy watching the unpredictable movements of the river’s waters. Imagine how impressive it was for the German geographer Hans Steffen, when he found this place while exploring the Baker in 1898!
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