“We haven’t really had much summer this year”, says my host in the hostal in Puyuhuapi when we compare the weather here with the Netherlands. “It’s been very rainy.” And of course it rains during my stay as well. But it suits the setting. I’m here to head into the temperate rainforest after all. What’s a rain forest without rain?
Despite the weather forecast I bought a ticket to the Queulat national park. It’s for the very last day that the best known hike is open this season. The day after it will be closed for maintenance. I wonder why they close it so early, but winter conditions make it impossible to do much outside of the summer season. It’s raining a fair amount when I get dropped off at the park and there is hardly anyone around. I cross a big swing bridge and start the ascent to the glacier viewing point, hoping there will be a view.
The path is wet and muddy. Some supplies lie on the sides, ready for the maintenance works. There are some signs with words like ‘staircase’ and I wonder if they will build things there. It seems odd to mention these things on a hike, but then again, the trail tells you how far you’ve walked every 50 meters! I do quickly realise why they’ve got maintenance scheduled. The trail is a bit rough because of the rain. With the many people walking there each day, it quickly turns into mud that can’t really dry. During the day I see people do many strange things to avoid getting mud on their shoes. At some point I’m behind a squealing teenager who’s wearing white sneakers. I try to hop over rocks and tree trunks where I can, but quickly stop worrying. There’s no escaping the mud and water today.
After just over an hour the weather slowly changes. The rain stops and the sun peaks through the clouds occassionally. Without my hood on I see much more of the forest. It’s spectacular. It’s so green and lush. There are ferns and local rhubarb-like plants, as well as colorful fuchsias. I hear birds, but I don’t see them. At some point I hear water rushing. It turns out the path has turned into a river, with a waterfall entering the trail above me. I’m very amused by this and continue walking from stone to stone. It’s such a pretty sight! Then, “wow”, I exclaim. I just didn’t expect it. The hanging glacier is stunning ftom the lookout. But it’s not just that. It’s hanging high above the valley and the glacial lake, with many waterfalls surrounding it. Right under the glacier is a powerful waterfall that crashes on the rocks and sprays mist all around it. Then the clouds let a ray of sunshine through. It lights up a tiny bit of forest and slowly reveals more of it, like a moving spotlight. Something else catches my attention. A colibri is fluttering about, sucking nectar from a flower.
The park offers some smaller trails to see the hanging glaciar and you can even get on a boat through the lake. My best view of the day is on the longer hike though. As I come down, there are a lot more people. I need to wait in line to cross the swing bridge, which only allows 4 people at a time. It should have a fast line for people who don’t need to take selfies. In a smaller trail I’m stuck behind a terribly slow group. And on a medium length trail I just get very muddy. The clouds have moved in and there is no view. I’m glad when I can get back in the van to town at 3pm. It’s earlier than normal, because of the rain. But also, I’ve done all the trails. I’m ready for a hot shower and the comfort of my hostal.
