(The pictures in this entry are not the same as in the French version, so you can go have a look at that one too)
I left Zapala after having breakfasted on the omnipresent media lunas, sort of sweet and soft bread rolls in the shape of croissants but which have nothing to do with croissants. The hotel I've chosen to stay at in Zapala is right across from the bus station. As I will be coming through here 3 times, it's pretty convenient.
The nearly 4 hour bus ride dropped me off in the little resort town of Copahue, known for its thermal springs, mud baths, and rotten-egg smelling sulphur baths that are good treatments for allergies, skin conditions and pulmonary problems. Many people come here on therapeutic expeditions.
I munched on a can of tuna with a piece of bread, too impatient to get started to have a real meal, and set off. My goal was making it to the crater of Volcan Copahue, at 2700m. This town is at 2000m or so already.
The trail left off behind a large hotel, past the statue of a life-sized Virgin Mary statue clothed in a real while shawl, which made her eerily real. The trail goes on toward the volcanoe until you get to a beautiful lookout point of the volcanoe with one of the twin lakes in front of it, a truly spectacular sight!
You then climb back down to circumnavigate the lake to a river that joins it to its twin. This early in the season, the river was a bit deeper and I had to remove my boots to cross it, all the while wishing for the water sandals (that I normally carry for this very purpose! Well, that and also to shower in hostels) that I'd left behind. The rocks were painful!
Once on the other side is when you see plenty of people, as this place is accessible by vehicle, with an improvised parking lot. I started climbing back up and met plenty of people on their way back down (of course, most people would have left in the morning, but I wasn't able to make it any sooner and started at 14h). The first I met had made it to the very summit. There was a father and his two sons, and a lot of guys traveling in twos and threes. They all stopped, as is the norm, to talk about the trail and the weather, which gave me a good idea of what to expect in terms of time and the such. I was going up with all my gear, pretty confident that I would be able to find some place where I could camp out for the night.
I started meeting groups higher up, slower-moving people with guides. The trail is treeless, and you can see people moving from far away. They all watched as I came closer. I could see that this group needed frequent rest stops, and although I was weighed down and going up, I was still moving faster than they (and yet, I do not like to move that fast in the mountain, I like to take my time). They parted to the side as is the custom, letting those going up have priority on the trail, and I felt my face redden more and more as they looked incredulously at a woman, alone, with a big bag. The guide who closed down the march stopped me just to make sure that I had warned the Gendarmeria of my whereabouts, and the time to expect me back, and to know my intended itinerary. He also let me know where to expect the last water stop, a very precious piece of information as it allows one to carry only what needed, knowing to expect more.
Three hours in, I saw no one else. The way went up and up, allowing for fantastic views of the surrounding volcanoes and lakes... and the long way still ahead. One more hour and I made the last water spot, two little streamlets of meltwater. I hid my big bag behind a large stone at this point, it looked like it might feasible to camp, and I tackled the last, steepier bit, with a small bag containing warm clothes, water, food, head light etc.
The volcanic ash made going up difficult. You go back a lot, your feet sinking in. Wherever possible, I crossed the hard-packed snow. Many people seemed to have done this as there were many trails criss-crossing all over the place where there had only been one or two before.
There is enough daylight to get around until about 10pm at this time of the year. I had given myself 7pm as a turn-around time, and was moving as quickly as I could to make the cut-off time. The smell of sulphur warned me that the goal was close, and I was spurred on. I made it at 6:53.
You go up to a saddle, and the view is suddenly, majestically in front of you; the exploded crater of Volcan Copahue, filled with a very recent lake (the last eruption occurred less than 10 years ago, forced the evacuation of the entire surrounding villages, and covering Copahue in up to 5 metres of volcanic ash), surrounded by hanging glaciers. It is wonderful! I climbed the last bit happily, took in a big gulp of air... and was immediately on the ground gasping. That is really rancid! And those gases actually attack the trachea, closing it down, which makes breathing almost impossible. I pressed my face to the rocks and gulped air, my eyes tearing. Ugh! Wish the strong winds had been blowing the other way today! I had to hold my breath to take pictures, and after a few minutes, regretfully, it was time to go.
Going down in volcanic ash is a lot more fun than going up. You can sort of ski it. I would have made it to my bag in less than 20 minutes had I not made a false turn of sorts. I stopped recognizing what was around me (I make it a point, while walking, to stop and turn around to have a mental image of what things look like to be able to find my way back after) and these 3 minutes down cost me 23 minutes to get back up to the last familiar spot. Well, at least I was paying attention! I probably could have made it to the same village that way, but without my bag!
It was where I'd left it. I started down, trying to decide where to stay. There were plenty of flat spots, but rock strewn. I could pitch a tent, but even with a foam pad it would be uncomfortable and could make holes in the tent floor. I ended up thinking that maybe I could just camp where all those cars had been.
I made it there a bit after 9pm, but there was a nasty surprise; all possible spots, upon closer inspection, were covered in broken beer bottles. Suddenly, I got worried. Sleeping in isolated spots in the mountain has never bothered me, but this broken glass reminded me how accessible this place was, and that I didn't like much. I didn't feel good staying there.
I must have thought about it for nearly ten minutes while the daylight dwindled down. Going back up to one of the suitable spots was out the question even if there had been time, I was too tired after more than 7 hours walking. Crossing the river and going back up to the village through the beginning of the trail could also not be done in the daylight left, and I felt my headlight was not enough to keep me from getting lost, it was an easily confusing place. I was in no mood to fuddle with my compass. Which left another option, that of following this rough four-wheel drive road to the main road and going back to the village that way.
What a boring choice! But I followed my instincts, and in 45 minutes was back on the main road. I'd only seen 3 distant cars during that time, and as I approached, I saw the headlights of another. Although I don't usually hitch-hike, I felt safe doing so here, and so with my headlight on ¨flash¨ mode, I signaled to the coming car. That car slowed down, and it turns out it was the province of Neuquen's provincial police! They were completely bewildered to see me coming out of nearly nowhere, and drove me back to Copahue, asking me a thousand questions, being real mother hens in a very comforting way. They took me to the municipal campground which, ironically enough, is right where the trail starts. Ugh! If I'd known I'd end up back here, I would have saved my energy and left most of my stuff down here right from the first!
I thanked Marcelo and Gustavo profusely as they told my ¨story¨to the campground owner. Being a mother hen is an art here it seems, two men from the campground came over to help me set up my tent (and as my tent is so tiny, having 3 people at it really is a bit crowded) and tell me that if there was anything I needed I just had to ask. After a wonderful shower (pretty modern campground!) I slept soundly.
I woke up and had another small walk before catching the bus back. During the 4 hour ride, I chatted with three guys traveling together. Two of them are brothers, and their parents live in Zapala, and the other is the boyfriend of one of them, and I've been invited to dinner, which I really look forward to!
Tomorrow, off to Lonquimay. I may be off for 8 or 9 days or so.
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