During my travels through Chile, I visit many national parks. I made most amazing trekking trips, hoist myself up steep hills, see beautiful views, drink water from mountain streams and immerse myself in an ice-cold laguna. Trekking falls into the category of “you have to do something for it, but then you have something! Pushing yourself, continuing where you actually want to give up. Braving the natural elements, the relentless heat, the pouring rain and biting cold. It’s all part of the struggle, and the reward is always stunning. I have become addicted.
But. I always visit the parks as a guest. Sometimes I sleep there for a night but otherwise I’m just one of thousands of visitors. What would it be like to work in a national park? To see how it is organized from the inside out? What is involved in running a park? I cut the knot and signed up to volunteer at Parque Tagua Tagua, in the head of Patagonia. For a month, I join the park team as an (unpaid) Park Ranger. In this weblog a report of a special time.
Commercial
Taqua Taqua is not officially a “National” park. It is not part of the CONAF, but is owned by a university. It is operated by commercial party Mitico, which rents out hotels and lodges. The park is known to be very pricey, making it inaccessible to many Chileans. And not only figuratively is it inaccessible – it takes me six hours from door to door over a distance of 150 kilometers as the crow flies. Although the commercial owner takes a slightly different approach that the government-run parks, for the park team of which I am a part, the operation is identical. We get guests and make sure they safely have the most wonderful day or days possible.
Arrival
Tagua Tagua is the name of a species of duck common to the elongated lake that bears the same name. On the lake, accessible only by a ferry and then a motorboat, is the entrance to the park. We first sail over to the huge waterfall a stone’s throw away. The water plunges into the depths with a thunderous roar, then rushes upwards in billions of tiny drops of water which create beautiful rainbows. After the usual photos, we sail to the entrance. It turns out to be nothing more than a rough rock formation. Packed and packed, we step off the wobbly boat onto the rocks and then climb almost ninety degrees up a rope. And I thought I was in good shape….
Introduction
After a steep climb that almost makes my heart jump out of my chest, I arrive at Refugio Notros. This is the first of three (shelter) huts named only after a species of tree that is common near the Refugio. Notros is the base camp of the park team. No guests sleep here; at most they may stash some gear or hang clothes to dry. I meet two park guests from my team; the other three stay at Refugio Alerces which is 6.5 kilometers higher up in the mountains. The third hut is Refugio Qaetrus which is even further north and can only be booked privately. I first get a good meal (read: lots of protein) and a cup of coffee. Then comes the explanation of the park and I get to pack my backpack right away and head up the mountain. Refugio Alerces needs oil and gasoline for the chainsaw. Would I like to bring that? Of course!
Trekking
My first trek toward Alerces takes some searching. I get lost twice. The route is marked with distance signs, always after 500 meters, and with red arrows. But they do not always hang as intended. I take a good look at the route and make notes. After all, that’s what I’m here for: to make sure the guests have as safe a day as possible. It has rained the day before and the trails are slippery and muddy. Halfway up I pass the “Zona de derumbe” where a rock slide came down a few years ago that wiped out the old path. On the last stretch it goes up steeply past pointed rocks and huge tree roots. It is where weary runners are most likely to fall. It usually goes well, but a week ago a woman with two (!) broken legs had to be lifted down the mountain on a stretcher. By the park rangers. Because that too is our job. All in all, a responsible role.
Enjoy
In the weeks following, I regularly run up and down the mountain. Sometimes I try to break my personal speed record (at the end I also break the park record), on other days I take my camera with me and enjoy all the beauty at a slow pace. Refugio Alerces is located on a large laguna that contains hundreds of old stately trees (the alerces). About 150 years ago, the eruption of a volcano was followed by an earthquake that reached so far as to flood the ancient forest. The gray alerces are dead reminders of better times. But it makes for a beautiful, fairy-like landscape. Near the lake live three Martin Pescadores, a kind of giant kingfisher. They announce themselves with a loud, laughing sound, dive down into the clear water and almost always surface with a fish in their beaks. The great spotted woodpecker, which grows half a meter long, reveals itself by hacking at a tree with its beak. Occasionally a condor soars past the mountaintops. Pumas and pudus also roam the park, but I only saw them on the fall camera. Besides fauna, the park has beautiful flora and fungi, such as mushrooms a meter across. And all in complete silence.
Sleeping (or not)
Working in the park is enriching but also hard. We work extremely long days – the first guests arrive as early as 7:30 in the morning – and walk enormous distances uphill and downhill. We sleep alone in a small room and there is always someone snoring and keeping the rest awake. After a while, fatigue begins to set in. The regulars work three weeks and then have a week off, otherwise it’s not sustainable. I get respect for the resilience of the park rangers. I can’t go into detail, but let me say that the park team is continually allowed to clean up the mess they cause at organization Mitico. Many guests enter the park complaining and leave smiling. That makes one proud.
Enriching
All in all, it was mostly an enriching experience. An inside look that inspired admiration for the tough guys who run a park on a daily basis. And the best part. I have never been in such top condition in my life!
Enjoy your trip!
Gerjon