FidEgan's FastPacks - Episode 10 - Tierra del Fuego - running at el Fin del Mundo

John and Kathleen are currently on a world trip where we plan to pursue our passion of trail running through the various landscapes and environments of the world. As we pass through each country we want to post our top pick for a trail run (or hike) that we did. This does not mean that this is the best trail to run in that country. It just means that it was our favorite that we did. We are both using Ultraspire Epic Fastpacks to carry our gear, hence the name of the column.

Where: Glaciar Vinciguerra, outside town of Ushuaia, Island of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Facilities/Trailhead: No facilities. The trailhead is about 10km outside of Ushuaia at Turbera Valle Andorra. A taxi is the easiest way to get there for about 130 Argentine pesos (~$9). We hitchhiked to get back but this may take walking down the dirt road for a bit. 

Fees: Free besides transportation costs to get there.

Terrain/Trials: This ended up being a combination of a run and a hike. There are very flat and rolling sections good for running and very steep sections that we had to hike.  The trail is marked by orange and blue markers.

Trail markers on trees                           

 

Distance: 13km

Description: We had run in the Tierra del Fuego National Park the day before and enjoyed these trails a lot more. The park is a bit of a scam between the high prices the minivans charge to get there and the park entrance fee. The trails in the mountains north of town are more scenic and free so we would recommend going there. 

This trail starts at the end of the road at Turbera Valle Andorra which is a peat cutting operation. The gate says in Spanish “No entrance” but it is referring to cars. It is permitted to walk across their property, just make sure to close the gate behind you. Follow the road a couple of hundred meters and then go left when a trail/secondary road breaks off. If you reach the buildings you went too far. 

Peat cutting farm in front, glacier in back

 

The first 2 km is along a pretty flat section as you pass through areas of cut bog with a gentle river flowing to your right. The trail is marked by yellow stakes and is obvious as you cut across the fields. This was a great section to run through. This eventually led to a bridge that crossed the river where the climbing began. 

Riverside running                                  

 

There are numerous muddy sections where log boardwalks have been built. Better for twisting an ankle on then running.

Log boardwalk after crossing bridge    

This led up to the first steep hill which was a series of switchbacks that led up to a trail intersection. For an added bonus the right trail goes up to Laguna Encantada which would add another hour or more to the experience. Going to the left continues on to Laguna de la where the trail alternates between runnable traverses across the hillside and steep uphill sections. 

Uphill section                                     

Eventually it leads up to where the Rio de Leche is flowing out of the lake. There is a flat area where beavers have built two dams and a large lodge. 

Beaver flats with snow rainbow       

From this flat section of terrain it then becomes steep glacial moraine up the last section to get to the lake. 

Last climb to the lake                     

Despite being late summer here (the equivalent of August) it was snowing sideways with a bitter wind, while at the same time it was sunny, and behind us a rainbow could be seen lower in the valley. Be prepared for every weather imaginable when hiking/running in Patagonia. 

We had to hold each other to stay warm

 

It was a quick trip back down the hill. The guide books say that the hike should take 5 to 6 hours round trip but with running the parts we could the trip took us just over 3 hours with a quick lunch break. We were also told that from the same trailhead there is a 31 km trail that crosses Paso de la Oveja that would make a great trail run but at the same time they said that camping at the lake near the Pass was really worth it so it might make a good backpack/fastpack also.

The South American Un-plan

6 months at home.  Africa was the beginning of the summer but it seems like years ago.  One of the standout experiences of our trip was living and working in Malawi.  Making friends and being part of a community but a community that was nothing like anything we had ever been a part of.  Then we came home.

     For John the transition back to “normal” life in the states was quicker and easier then it was for Kathleen.  John enjoyed the ease of life in the United States.  Grocery stores overflowing with not just any type of food or vegetable that we would want but multiple choices.  Instead of 3 types of breakfast cereal there would be 3 different types of one kind.  We had not driven in years and suddenly we had cars and the ability to drive around and out of town whenever we wanted.  Electricity was available 24 hours a day.  Clean drinkable water was available out of a tap.  It may have been because of the ease of all of these things that Kathleen had a harder transition back.  Realizing that most of the world does not have the abundance and luxury that America and Europe have bothered her more.  Even harder to understand was how this abundance is just taken for granted here.  Yes, there is hunger and homelessness but in Malawi most of the children we saw had stunted growth from malnutrition.  Protein is not a usual part of their diet.  The main source of nutrition is corn porridge (similar to grits) with a little bit of vegetables mixed in.  Meat is too expensive for most of the people.  Clean water means walking to a town pump to fill jugs.  The difference between “poor” Americans and “normal” sub-Saharan Africans is still a big jump.  This transition back to an American/Western lifestyle took Kathleen longer to adjust back to.

     Then we were back for 6 months.  During that time John worked as an Emergency Veterinarian as much as possible to save up for the next chapter of World Tour.  Kathleen started working as a gear representative for a hydration pack company called Ultraspire where she is also one of their sponsored athletes.  She started reconnecting with friends and trail running a lot.  After a summer and fall of incredible runs and adventures Kathleen felt like she was finally getting back into solid running shape with a group of friends that wanted to run on a regular basis.  6 months was enough time for her to just be getting back into a comfortable routine.  John on the other hand was back in his work routine and missing the days of being a nomad.  Some months he was working more than full time.  During the summer it was fun being back but once the grey, dark, and wet returned to Seattle he was ready to leave.  

     Whatever head space we are in at some level does not matter because we are about to launch into the South America leg of our World Tour.  We fly to Santiago, Chile on 9 January and will be in South America for 6 months.  As usual, we have a rough idea of what we want to do but no definitive plans. Besides the plane ticket there is no set itinerary.  The plan is to initially go and make an attempt on Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Western and Southern Hemispheres.  John summited this mountain in 2001 and Kathleen wants to make an attempt.  We then plan on going to El Chalten to do trail running, trekking, and climbing in the area around Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre.  All these mountains are in Argentina where the peso just collapsed 40% in the last few days making everything on sale if you have American dollars.  We plan on being at the foot of Fitz Roy on 14 February to have a memorial service for our friend Chad Kellogg who tragically died descending that mountain two years ago.  Then it is off to Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America.  We plan on swinging around into Chile (probably early March at this point) to explore Torres del Paine and do some more trekking.  Eventually we will make our way north through the Chilean Archipelago to the Atacama Desert (the driest place on Earth) and then to the salt flats of Bolivia.  Continuing on to Peru we plan to see Machu Pichu (this will be a repeat for Kathleen), hike in the Cordillera Blanca Mountains, and hopefully do some volunteer veterinary work.  Then to Ecuador to climb Chimborozo.  The summit of this mountain is the closest to the sun a person can get while attached to the planet.  The Earth bulges at the equator so this mountain sticks out into space more than any other spot including Mount Everest.  Lastly, we plan on being in Columbia to meet our friend Amanda McNabb and do some bike touring.  We will be back by July 1 as John's hospital had an opening that needed filled.  6 months to explore another corner of the world together which should be just enough time for us to just have readjusted to being on the road again.  Then we will have to readjust back to the US again. 

     We have been fortunate to have been supported on our World Tour by a few sponsors and that continues.  GU Energy Labs gave us a huge amount of gels and chomps that we continue to use on our adventures.  Ultraspire gave us new Epic Fastpacks to use as our day packs and even hired Kathleen as an employee this summer.  Seven Hills Running Shop has continued to help us out over the summer since we tend to burn through running shoes pretty quickly.  Lastly we are psyched to announce that Vasque footwear contacted us this summer and asked if we could be Adventure Travel Ambassadors for them.  Since we already used their products it was a natural fit so now we have new boots and running shoes from them.

     Stay tuned to the blog and Facebook for the continued travels of the FidEgans and Knucklehead Adventure Tours.

FidEgan's FastPacks - Episode 6 - Tour du Mont Blanc

John and I are currently on a world trip where we plan to persue our passion of trail running through the various landscapes and environments of the world. As we pass through different countries we want to post our top pick for a trail run that we did. This does not mean that this is the best trail to run in that country. It just means that it was our favorite that we did. We are both using Ultraspire Fastpacks to carry our gear, hence the name of the column.  

Where: The Tour du Mont Blanc – a hiking trail that circumnavigates the Mont Blanc massif mountain passing through the French, Italian and Swiss Alps.

Facilities/Trailhead: There are multiple places that you can use as trailheads. The most common places are Chamonix, Les Houches, Les Contamines in France, Courmayeur in Italy, or Champex and Martigny in Switzerland. There are other possibilities also. We started in Les Contamines where we left our car at a trailhead parking lot. We were told by the Tourism Office that car breakins were not a problem but we made sure that nothing was visible inside the car. We left our larger backpacks and valuables at one of the guesthouses in Les Houches where they would be more secure.

There is camping along the route but we chose to use the wonderful Refugios and Guesthouses or Gites. These provide overnight accomodation and can include dinner (usually a 3 course meal (appetizer, main meal, and dessert) and breakfast (standard European coffee/tea, bread, butter, jam, honey and sometimes included cereal or fruit). We chose to stay in the cheaper dormitories (dortoir) but there are private rooms available. This is a popular trail so the private rooms in the huts are usually booked ahead. Even the dorms were pretty full at some huts since we did this in August. Reservations are recommended, especially for larger groups.There were showers at every hut. Sometimes they charged extra for this (2 Euro) but most of the time it was included. Bring slippers or flip-flops as boots/shoes are not allowed inside most of the huts. 

One of many beautiful Refugios

There are multiple huts or towns along the entire route so lunch options existed every day.

Fees: There are no park fees or cost for using the trail. Staying at the huts runs about $65 per person for 1/2 pension (dormitory accomodation, dinner, breakfast). Drinks and snacks are extra. Some of the huts have heartier and bigger meals than others and vegetarian options exist (veganism is more of a challenge because of the meat and cheese culture of Europe). You may be charged about $8 to camp near some of the huts or at designated spots. Wild camping is frowned upon but we saw lots of people doing it with no consequences.

Terrain/Trails: The trails ran the full gamut from wonderful single track to dirt roads and some pavement (usually when passing through the towns/villages). On one section of trail above Argentiere there are ladders and handrails to get past the rock cliffs. The scenery is ridiculously beautiful with alpine passes, forested valleys, and the ever present Mont Blanc massif with its constant changing perspective as you work your way around these massive mountains and glaciers. The “normal” direction is to travel counter-clockwise but either direction would work fine. Hikers will often take 10 to 14 days to do the loop. We “ran” it in 7 days. The winners of the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) race cover the distance in 21 hours (that is FAST!!!). We really recommend taking your time to truly be able to stop and enjoy the beauty of this loop. Don't rush through it.

Distance: The full loop is 170 km or 105 miles and has about 33,000 feet of vertical ups and downs. The Tour du Mont Blanc does not follow the UTMB course exactly. The hiking loop is longer, has more vertical, and is more scenic. The trail is well marked with signs and symbols painted onto rocks, buildings, and trees.

Trail marker in France        

Trail marker in Italy           

Trail marker in Switzerland

Lots of trail signage            

Description: We were originally going to start in Les Houches but the weather was so bad that day we elected to drive to Les Contamines and start from there where the weather was better. This area is notorious for bad weather and Mont Blanc creates its own conditions. While it was pouring rain in Chamonix it was sunny and beautiful in Courmayeur. We were fortunate to have our friend Glenn Tachiyama fly out from the United States to join us. The trail first traveled over the double pass of Col du Bonhomme and Col de la Croix du Bonhomme. This was one of our favorite passes and was a good introduction to some of the climbing that we would have to do. Once above the trees the terrain is alpine grass that almost looks like it has been mowed. Cows with large loud cowbells graze the fields. The UTMB race was two weeks away so we had some really fast tough looking runners going by us at times as they trained. We stayed that night at Refuge des Mottets and were glad we had a reservation since it was very crowded. Just as we got to the Refuge it started to rain and that continued all night. 

Starting in the rain                                      

View from Col de la Croix du Bonhomme

The weather was still ugly at the start of the next day as we climbed Col de la Seigne which was the border into Italy. Once we started the descent into Val Veny (Veny Valley) the rain became even worse. High winds, driving rain, and cold with the rain bordering on sleet/snow. The wind was so strong it would almost knock you down. During this section as we approached the Courmayeur ski area we literally had to run for our lives. We called it the “Race Against Hypothermia”. At the Refugio Monte Blanco we were able to find shelter and some of the best hot chocolate we have ever had. It was literally like a mug of melted chocolate. Yumm! The weather improved in the afternoon as we passed through the charming but large town of Courmayeur and then climbed up the next ridge to Refuge Bertone where the clouds broke and we finally got our first good views of Mont Blanc.

The Race Against Hypothermia

The next day running along the ridge of Mont de la Saxe was wonderful compared to the day before. Panoramic views of the Mont Blanc mountain range and wonderful runnable single track. This was one of the best days of runnable single track all the way to Refuge Elena at the base of the Grand Col Ferret which is the highest point on the loop (2537 meters).

Mont Blanc massif

Crossing the Grand Col Ferret takes you into Switzerland. The price of everything jumped up even higher once across the border. This was our other day of bad weather. At the top of the pass we had 5 minutes of a view before being engulfed into a cloud and it started to snow. It was cold enough that it was starting to accumulate on the ground but we were able to descend enough that it turned to rain. This day's trail passed through another beautiful river valley called Val Ferret. The trail passes through several small villages that are so perfectly Switzerland that they almost look fake. The tidiness of Switzerland is like no other place in the world. That day ended up in the town of Champex next to a small lake. There are numerous hotel and Gite (guesthouse) options here. 

Cows on the Grand Col Ferret

 

Day 5 took us up and over the Col de la Forclaz and then to Col de Balme which was the border back into France. This route has expansive views looking north into the Martigny valley. The hike up to Col de Balme was steep with constant switchbacks. The end of the day brought us to the Refuge du Col de Balme but we elected not to stay there. It was small, dingy, had no potable water, and the lady running it was grumpy. We elected to take the chairlift/gondola combination down to the town of le Tour. Since there were no affordable hotels there we then caught the bus/train combo to the town of Vailorcine where we stayed at a nice guesthouse called the Gite Mermoud. The owner was concerned that he didn't know how to cook anything without butter or cream but he ended up being very successful at feeding Glenn a vegan dinner.

View into the Martigny Valley

Day 6 took us through the most “technical” section where the trail follows the mountainside on the north side of the Chamonix valley. There are sections of ladders, handrails, and steps driven into the rock to get past some cliffs, especially in the Echelles area where numerous climbing teams were negotiating the rock walls above us. Our lunch spot at Chalet de la Flegere had a hot tub on the porch next to the tables but none of us had the nerve to jump in. The trail then followed a rugged ridgeline across Col du Brevent and Le Brevent mountain before dropping steeply down into Les Houches. Since our backpacks were there for the first time all week we were able to have access to clean clothes.

Glenn coming up a steep section 

View from trail above Chamonix

The last day was an easy one from Les Houches over the ski area and Col de Voza to get back to Les Contamines and our car. It was nice to have an easy last day since our legs were pretty tired. The sunny weather helped our sense of accomplishment as we slowly closed out the loop. You know it was a good trip when you are glad to be done but at the same time wish it never would end. 

Mont Blanc from Les Houches ski area