After many hours of planes, airports and anxiously waiting, we arrived on January 17 in Coyhaique, which is absolutely breathtaking. The mountains and cliffs that surround the area are humbling, covered in pine and lenga, an indigenous tree that is found all over Patagonia. Snow-capped mountains could be seen in the distance in any given panorama.  The chatter of new friends quieted down as we turned along many switchbacks, driving higher and higher, about 1,800 feet above town and into the Reserva Nacional Coyhaique. We set up camp and started our new lifestyle with a walk around the Lago Verde watching fish jump nearly every five seconds.

The next day, we went for a hike along a mountain trail in the reserve, which was amazing. We found lenga trees wrapped in Spanish moss, wondrous waterfalls covered in vibrant green moss and plenty of surprising flower species. The peak, nearly 6,000 feet up, felt like walking on the moon.  Later that night, we were able to catch an amazing sunset of all sorts of oranges, purples and crimsons, over the mountains with Coyhaique lit up brightly below. We soon discovered that one of our vehicles needed a repair, and this gave us a few extra days to explore Coyhaique. We cherished the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the Chilean culture and even had the opportunity of a guest lecture by Daniella Castro from Consejo de Defensa de la Patagonia, Chilena. This organization is working towards Patagonia Sin Represas, a movement to try to prevent major dams from being built in the area’s pristine rivers for extra energy that could otherwise be made with other forms of renewables.

During the week we enjoyed several adventures in and out of town.  First, we found ourselves venturing out of Coyhaique, and driving to the Cerro Castillo park along the Simpson River.  Amazingly, we spotted two huemel deer, a critically endangered endemic species, which park managers estimate to be at only twenty individuals in the region. As we continued to drive along the road and pull off on a hidden plain, we were surrounded by glacier-carved mountains in the low clouds with a beautiful, massive waterfall in the distance.  After a picnic lunch, we hiked along the stream up to the waterfall, being careful where we stepped on the loose rock.  We reached our destination with a quiet appreciation and took the tine for some well warranted photo-ops. A few days later we ventured to Puerto Chacabuco through the Reserva National Rio Simpson, passing through much more jungle-like vegetated land.  We saw a pristine waterfall, spotting birds such as the black-faced ibis, swallowtails, and a large group of black vultures. At the port, we had another picnic lunch with surrounding picturesque mountains and inlet seawater beneath, another quiet appreciation.  We finished the day with a refreshing swim in the Simpson River on to enjoy a great home-cooked meal.

As to be expected with immersion into a new landscape and culture, we are learning to adapt to the ways and are quickly settling into the slower local pace.  Sometimes unexpected circumstances have quickly transformed into fortuitous encounters with adventure.  After coming from cold winters in the Northern hemisphere to seventeen hour days of sunlight and the clearest stars ever seen, we are ready to venture out into the Chacabuco Valley and breathe some of the cleanest air in the world…!