November 10, 2025
Bahia Rosales to Esquel
Whatever I did with the bivouac, I slept soundly. Waking early but waiting until the sun is well up over the mountaintop, about 08.00, where I was still in shade and it remained cold, so I moved my whole camp to the next table which was warm in the sunshine. Then panic strikes as I couldn't for the life of me find the lighter to light the stove and boil water for mate. I searched every bag, but it wasn't anywhere. I tried recalling where I last had it and remember placing all my condiments in my cup and setting the cup next to the stove when I finish writing yesterday evening before heading down to the lake. But I wouldn't have left the lighter out. Suddenly it came to me. I remember why I didn't leave it out having read a Leo Woodland journal once where he's on a campsite and he mentions the two girls who left their lighter out and it rained overnight. They had to borrow a light for their stove in the morning as their lighter was soaked and no longer worked. So then I remember putting the lighter inside the dry-bag with my notebook. The one place I hadn't looked and it was there, so I could proceed with breakfast.
I got moving at 10, back out the long track to the road which is tarmac as I approach the southern entrance to the park, where on the hillsides all around can be seen the blackened trees of wildfires in recent years, caused predoninatedly by human carelessness. Onward the landscape is rugget bare mountains and treeless valley with a boggy pasture on the left that becomes a small lake on the far side and a little further there is a left turn for Esquel, while straight on is to Trevelin. I opt for going left as Esquel is much bigger with more services. Furthermore, the road to Esquel is more dramatic wirh a steep hairpinned descent little more than a kilometre in; then crosses an old ironbridge at the bottom, over a fast flowing river, followed by a climb and its about 10 kilometres to join Route 259 at a tee-junction, where left is to Esquel.
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Soon after joining the 259.there is a cycle path which I join. There are lots of mountain bikers heading out of town, many riding fast on the road, while others ride two-abreast at a socialible pace on the gravel shoulder.
I have lunch and then check into a hostel where I'm dismayed to find the wifi isn't working: a bit annoying as I've 3 days of journal to update. Perhaps it will be back on later.
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