The trip from Villa O’Higgins in Chile to El Chalten in Argentina had always intrigued me, as it involved a passenger only ferry, an international border and a 20 mile walk. Villa O’Higgins is a small town at the end of the Carretera which I reached after spending a few weeks hitchhiking. Unless you take this infreqent boat out, O’Higgins is a beautiful dead end on a very long dirt road.
I spent a few days waiting for the ferry, over the course of which i met a lot of interesting travelers and bikers. Two of the bikers were even biking all the way from Alaska. Finally one evening, the captain signaled the winds had died down and it was time to go. After a harrowing two hour boat ride across the turbulent lake, we arrived at night on the other side. The whole group from the boat camped at a campsite, and I set off early the next morning. I arrived to the Chilean exit customs right as it opened, and quickly passed a few bikers on the climb up to the pass. I crossed the very unique border and hiked into Argentina. I was lucky to have a bluebird day, and was treated to incredible views of Fitz Roy, piercing the sky in the distance.
After a nice lunch at the lake, and a quick entry into Argentina, I walked along the eastern shore and by mid afternoon I was thumbing a ride into El Chalten.
Anthony Ottati 