Horses

There are many differences between places I have lived in the US and Coyhaique. One thing: horses. It doesn't phase me anymore when I see a Gaucho riding his horse down the street in the middle of town stopped at a red light, just like a car. Horses are everywhere here, not just in the campo, and it's just another of the things I love about Patagonia.

Alongside the ledge / play wave in Coyhaique River kayaking last week.

Watching us as we walk to the climbing crag today just outside town.

Sometimes I'll ride them too... in the campo with Belen in Manihuales. 

Rio Simpson Take 2

Today is the official start of spring. Here in Coyhaique, the morning greeted me with blue sky and white fluffy clouds. When I stepped outside I could hear the buzzing of bumble bees and noticed the buds on a small tree in my yard had opened. But alas... back to work, sitting inside at my computer. Then, I started chatting with Astrid, a good friend and paddling partner. We were talking about Gauley Fest this past weekend and about how she is about to buy a new creek boat and I realized, I want to go paddling and today is the perfect day to do it! Literally right that instant, in the middle of talking with Astrid, I called Pato, a friend and the local paddling extraordinaire. Next thing I knew I was grabbing my gear and headed to the river!

We ran the same part of the Rio Simpson that I had done months ago, but the water level was much higher. As we put in I got super nervous... an unfamiliar boat, bigger water, and the first paddle of the season. Do I remember how to kayak? Can I still hit my combat roll? It didn't help that the first rapid is the hardest, a pushy class III+ with a technical move you have to hit half way through. Finishing that rapid, hitting my line perfectly, grinning ear to ear, I was reminded... I LOVE KAYAKING!

I have been hearing stories from friends in the States about their paddling trips this summer as I was huddled next to my wood stove to stay warm in the middle of Patagonian winter. I am so excited that the paddling season is starting down here. I can't wait until the next time I get on the water... which might just be tomorrow :)

Pups at the put in.

Happiness!

Pato headed for the horizon line.

And we are BACK!

I got an email a few days ago. The subject read “Truer words have never been spoken…” and in the body of the email was the copied and pasted introductory sentence of my last post, “I have been slacking a little bit with updating my blog as of late”. Thanks Uncle John, but I think that was putting it nicely. TWO MONTHS. Sheesh. My bad!

As you all can imagine, a lot has happened since my last update. No way I am going to cover it all, but some highlights:

Nick and Jenna were welcomed to Patagonia with one of the best sunsets I have ever seen. From the airport we drove towards the silhouetted mountains that surround Coyhaique with a sky full of reds, oranges, yellows and pinks. The rest of the trip was also a success. We were three crazy gringos roadtripping though Patagonia… in the middle of winter. Sleeping on the side of Ruta 40, hiking around Fitz Roy in whiteout conditions, snowball fights next to glacier Perito Moreno, standing at the end of the continent (literally), skinny dipping in Lago General Carrera, car surfing along the Carretera Austral, and all while drinking Mate, or as Nick calls it, diesel. Needless to say, it was awesome.

Rounding out my winter visitors, were my Dad and Brother. My Dad arrived a week before Eric, and as I was waiting in the baggage area of the airport to pick him up I was nearly in tears and shaking with excitement. It was SO NICE to have family here. The day after he arrived, we competed as “Team USA” in the Desafio Aysen (Aysen Challenge), a two-day adventure race comprised of biking, snowshoeing, kayaking, and running. While it definitely kicked my ass, it was a ton of fun. Fortunately for the race in terms of publicity, and unfortunately for me and my imperfect Spanish, dislike of cameras, and regrettable need to be wearing 800 layers and a bike helmet, we (well, only me since Dad doesn’t speak Spanish) were interviewed a bunch for programs which are now being shown not only on Chilean cable TV, but national TV as well. Oh jeeze.

After the race and before Eric arrived, Dad and I traveled up north to Queulat National Park and the Puyuhuapi hot springs. I had been there two times previous, but this time we had NO RAIN, which is very unusual for this part of the region. It was like a whole new place. Mountains, glaciers, and volcanoes everywhere you looked. Didn’t know they were there before! When Eric got here, we headed south to my favorite place in the world, the Baker river :) We also went to Valle Chacabuco, Lago General Carrera, Capilas de Marmol, and Eric drank his “first” beer on Glacier Exploradores. Heck of a place to turn 21! Sadly the visit had to end… My family rocks!

The day after Eric left, I left for a backcountry skiing and winter mountaineering course with the guide school. We loaded my car with ice axes, crampons, shovels, harnesses, helmets, skis, skins, poles, and more. We headed to Portezuelo Ibanez in Cerro Castillo. I was in charge of the skiing classes and trips. I was a bit anxious since I am no pro-skier and I had to explain everything in Spanish to people who have never been on skis before. But in the end, it was INCREDIBLE. In no time we were all daring each other to skin up higher, go faster, hooting and hollering, and laughing as inevitably every single one of us got a face full of fresh powder from an epic wipe out. Gringa or Chilean, expert or newbie, girl or guy, those distinctions don’t matter when everyone is there to learn and to enjoy the incredible outdoor playground that is Patagonia. Good times. No. Great times. Seeing the smiles on the guys faces as they hit their first successful run is why I love doing this.

I am now in Coyahaique, and don’t have plans to go anywhere until October. It’s a weird feeling, to be in once place for more than a week, but it’s a welcome one. I am busy planning for the next guide school trip (a float trip down the Rio Palena from the Argentine boarder to the sea), working on old and new projects with CIEP, and enjoying the (slow) start to spring here.

My roommate Pancho and I have started going to a spinning class. I was skeptical since I am not a huge fan of bikes, but I am hooked. Who wouldn’t love a peppy Chilean guy screaming “sigue sigue sigue” and “vamos” over a soundtrack of old Jock Jams CDs and remixes of pop songs from 5 years ago. The smile plastered to his face makes me smile even tough I am drenched in sweat. Also, for some reason I have been cooking and baking up a storm... maybe to replace all the energy I’m using in spinning? The other day I decided I couldn’t wait another day to have a bagel. Chileans don’t know what bagels are, so I set off on a mission to make them myself. Problem being I didn’t know how to, nor do I have a real oven. But I have to say round one of flaxseed bagels in the toaster over came out pretty yummy!

I have been catching up with friends in the States, making an Epic List ;), and have even started to think about what the heck I am going to do when I get home… that is, besides figuring out how to get back here to Aysen!

Traveling... again...

I have been slacking a little but with updating my blog as of late. I have been traveling, a lot. Last month with Rich (a friend from Pittsburgh) I went north along the Carreterra Austral, to the Puyhuapi hot springs, Quelat National Park, Chalten, Parque Pumalin, FUTALEUFU, crossed into Argentina and drove further north to Trevelin, Esquel, and El Bolson before doubling back and driving back south in Argentina and crossing back into Chile through Los Antiguos and Chile Chico. We drive back to the Careterra Austral along one of the most beautiful stretched of road I have ever been on, visited the Confluencia (again) and then back to Coyahaique. I promise more writing to come but for now a few picts. Check the link to Picassa on the right for a whole bunch more.

Right now I am on the road again. Jenna and Nick (friends from CT/CO) are here and this time we are in the middle of a trip south. We crossed from Coyhaique directly into Argentina and down Ruta 40 (miles and mils and miles of pampa and only pampa) to El Chalten / Fitz Roy. We are currently in El Calafate / Los Glaciares Nat Park and tomorrow we are off to Puerto Natales / Torres del Paine Nat Park then back north again along Ruta 40 before crossing back into Chile onto Careterra Austral ending once again, back home in Coyahique. Pictures and more stories to come.

Movies

I am used to packing an extra layer when I go to the movies. They always seem to blast the AC. I went to the movies for the first time here in Coyhaique this weekend. The single theatre hosts a new movie about two weekends out of every month. My roommate Pancho and I went to the matinee showing of Piratas del Caribe: navegando aguas misteriosas (or, Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) and like I am accustomed to doing I brought along an extra layer... and another layer, and a hat, and a pair gloves. Not for the AC, but because its winter in Patagonia and woods stoves can only do so much.

This colder weather is making me antsy for the snow to arrive so I can get some use out of my AT skis that are currently stashed under my bed. This region is perfect for a lot of outdoor sports and skiing is certainly no exception. Really all of South America, with the Andes running the length of the continent, has an endless amount of back country terrain for those willing to go out and find it and earn their turns. Sweetgrass Productions is currently filming here in South America (including Chilean Patagonia!) for an incredible new movie, Solitaire. They are putting out a new behind the scenes video every month. Hucking the gnar, exploring SA, learning about the culture, and living the dream. I can't wait to see the final product... or better yet I can't wait to get out to the mountains myself.

Publication!

I am not much of a reader. I have never really been one to sit down and read a novel for fun. In fact I don't even think I made it all the way through the first Harry Potter book... thank goodness they made them into movies. I do, however, love reading magazines and newspapers. One of my favorites is Outside magazine and now that I live in Chile a new favorite is la revista Outdoors, the Chilean equivalent of Outside.

But truthfully, I don't want to just sit on the couch or lay in bed and read about other people doing cool things in these magazines, I want to BE the person doing those cool things. I have always told friends, "just wait, one of these days it will be me, it will be the things I am doing, that people will be reading about." Some believe me, some don't, but it doesn't really matter much. I believe in myself.

In the June issue of Outdoors Revista there is an article about the horse packing trip and accompanying an wonderful article written by Pancho Vio are a few of my photos. The fist of hopefully many successes.

I am not going to stop doing what I love nor am I going to start to do things in an attempt to rack up more publications. I have never been one for resume building. I consider this a success because these 'cool things', like working with the Guide School, backpacking, and exploring Patagonia, make me happy. I think in the end being genuine shows through. Having something I was a part of out there for people to read, to entertain them, to educate them, and to hopefully inspire them to get off their couch or out of their bed and go DO something they love... that is a pretty awesome thought.

I Did What?

I bought a car. 1997 Black 4x4 diesel Nissan Terrano. Oh yeah!

The decision to buy a car or not was haunting me. More than anything else, more than work, more than having to speak in Spanish, more than adjusting to the everyday life and culture of Patagonia, buying a car was causing me stress. And for those of you who know me well, I usually don't stress. I find it kind of funny that in a region that really has one road running though it, the mostly unpaved carretera austral, that this is what was on my mind.

I asked pretty much everyone I know here for their opinion and there were valid points for both perspectives. I thought long and hard, if not too hard, on the matter and in the end I did what I always do... I went for it.

Who would have thought that the first car I have ever bought in my life, would be one in Patagonia. Forget about the adventure of owning a car here, it was an experience in and of itself buying the car. First, I had to find one which meant I needed to overcome one of my biggest fears here... having to call people and talk in spanish to people on my cheap phone with terrible sound quality. Second, I took it to a mechanic to make sure I wasnt buying a complete lemon. Third, I needed to figure out a way to get money to pay for the car. I bought the car in cash and after going to literally every single bank in Coyhaique and calling PNC Bank via Skpe a few times, I found a way to get past the daily limits for ATM withdraws. Fourth, I had to finally buy the car. This meant interpreting all the legal documents, waiting in lines at various offices, until finally I had documents in my name, keys in hand, and drove off with my new auto.

So far so good. I love my car, but it does have its quirks. Like a lot of cars here, mine was imported from Japan. The user manual is in Japanese and therefore useless to me. The steering wheel has been moved from the right side to the left side so with that comes a few electrical problems with the dash. Currently my odometer, gas gauge, odometer, and temperature gauge don't work. One of the terminals on the battery comes loose sometimes but after a little whack, we are back in business. And the back window is a little loose so it squeaks when I roll over bumps. But, its got good tires, four wheel drive, a strong engine, space for friends and gear, and a radio to blast my tunes!

In the end, the most I will lose is money, and that is replaceable. What I gain is the freedom to roam and explore Patagonia which to me is worth so much more than money.

Fulbright Testimonial

A short piece I wrote for the Fulbright Chile Newsletter:

Here in Coyhaique, and throughout Patagonia, almost all homes are heated with a wood stove. The winters are long and cold, so as you can imagine an immense amount of firewood is consumed. As my family and friends in the US are entering the summer season, swapping sweaters and boots for shorts and flip-flops, I’m starting to wear long-underwear under my jeans and bringing along my hat, scarf, and gloves everywhere I go.

One of the first things I did when I settled into the home I’m renting was call to have my winter supply of firewood delivered. A half hour later, in pulled the truck loaded to the tippy top with leña. This was not a dump truck, just an old Ford pick up with built up sides, so the wood needed to be unloaded from the truck by hand. Not one to ever have a man do something for me as I stand there useless and watch, I climbed up into the truck bed on top of the pile and started to help heave the logs onto my poor grassy lawn. After the truck was empty, I handed over my pesos, said chau to Marcelo, and watched the now significantly lighter truck drive away. Then it dawned on me, I needed to move all this firewood into my shed before schizophrenic Patagonian weather had the chance to drench it with rain. Five hours later I had stacked the often awkwardly shaped logs in nice neat rows. I was exhausted, dirty, and despite the cool breezy air and periodical sprinkles, I was drenched in sweat.

Patagonia conjures up different images for everyone. Some think of a land of extremes, of ice and volcanoes, of the steppe and Andean peaks. Some think of it as a place full of untapped resources both to enjoy and to exploit. Some think of it as a difficult but rich and fulfilling place to live and raise a family. Some think of the clothing brand, Conservation Patagonia, Patagonia Sin Represas, or the movie 180 South. Some think of a rugged expansive landscape at the end of the world. I have had the opportunity to travel throughout the region of Aysén getting to know the people, the towns, the landscape, and the culture and form my own picture. Forever engrained in my mind when I think of Patagonia, are images of curious guanacos roaming the pampas, crystal turquoise rivers and lakes, jagged glacier wrapped peaks, endless sky, weathered gauchos riding their horses, and bumpy curvy but spectacular dirt roads.

However, more than this, more than the awe-inspiring portraits of natural and cultural beauty, living in Patagonia has reminded me of the value of living simply, working hard, and earning a good night of sleep. The landscape and climate here are equally unforgiving as they are stunning, there are more cows and sheep than people, and you can't just press a button on your thermostat to turn up the heat. Some of my favorite days here are the ones spent splitting that wood I stacked three months ago, tending the fire, sitting around the stove, and drinking mate. I still spend hours straight sitting at my computer sometimes and there are days when I wake up in the early morning to a cold room and have no desire to leave my warm bed to rebuild the fire, but I am learning. It’s really easy to get caught up in always planning for your future, obscuring your priorities, and losing perspective, but here in Patagonia both out of necessity and out of nostalgia, you have to slow down and worry about living life in that moment. Making sure you have fire wood and that it is stacked, dry, and ready for the winter is just as important as remembering to respond to an email for work. I love that balance. If I could change one thing, I would have chopped down the trees for the firewood in el campo myself. Oh well… next time.

Its Been a While...

Lots has happened since my last blog post. Make sure to check out the tons of new photos I added: www.picasaweb.com/empierson11

I have moved forward on my work here with the Escuela de Guias and CIEP. I have protested the dams for a Patagonia sin represas. I have bought a car (loco). I have used that car to take an amazing trip south to Tortel while a friend was visiting. And I have continued to stay open to as many experiences as possible, balancing the past, present, and future. So much to do!

Horse Packing / Backpacking

As with other places abroad I have lived and studied, I stick out. Being over 6 feet and blonde, its clear that I am not Chilean. This fact is made even more painfully obvious when I speak Spanish with a thick American accent, poor grammar, and fail to use “poo” and “che” throughout my sentences as any good local would. With that being said, I am living here as a temporary resident. I am here for a year. On one hand a year is a long time, but in the big scheme of things I am only passing through. I am not entirely a tourist, I’m not studying, and I’m not purely working. I’m in the gray area in the middle. I have found myself thinking about this a lot. How these labels define or don’t define my time here and my interactions with people.

Last week however, I went on a horse packing / backpacking trip with the Escuela de Guias and my role was clear. I was a tourist. One of the final tests for a group of graduating students from the school is to organize, prepare, and execute a trip for tourists. The tourists in this case were myself, Pancho, Tamara (a friend), and five other students from the school in the younger generation.

The trip prepared for us was along part of the Sendero de Chile from La Tapera to Lago Verde, north of Coyhaique and nearly on the boarder with Argentina. Not only did we escape the planning and group gear-packing process, but also throughout the trip we didn’t have to cook or wash dishes. And the best part, we had horses carrying the heavy gear! Backpacks are almost comfortable when all you have in them is your sleeping bag and some extra clothes. There are no pans awkwardly packed and stabbing you in the side or heavy food rationed out in plastic bags that you hope won’t explode.

We walked just under 70km (or roughly 45 miles) in three and a half days. The days were long with a good deal of elevation gain and loss, and included a number of absolutely frigid river crossings. The weather was unusually gentle and the scenery was beautiful. It’s fall here. Forever imprinted in my mind is this image: green dry pastures aside a winding river, flanked by trees whose leaves are a patchwork of yellow, orange and red; In the background, a jagged snowcapped mountain and bright blue sky speckled with clouds. I think some of my pictures capture bits and pieces of the landscape, but none do it justice. You need to be here, present with all your senses to get a complete picture. It was yet another great trip. I feel so lucky to have these opportunities.

Kayaking - Rio Simpson

Last Saturday, April 9th, I finally made it on the river. Rio Simpson is a mere 10-minuet walk from my house and hosts a number of class II to III rapids. I went with Pato and three of his friends. ‘Pato Kayak’ as he is known in Coyhaique truly loves the river. He taught himself how to roll and do tricks and despite a huge lack of readily available equipment and transportation, he tries to get out on the river everyday.

It was perfect weather as we headed for the river. Sunny and even warm, by Patagonia standards. The water is low right now as it’s the end of the summer but it was clear after the first rapid that low water meant plenty of fun technical moves around rocks and between eddies.

After the initial class III rapid, Pato and I caught up with three of his friends on sit-on-top kayaks. We continued on for a while through some flat water, riffles, and rapids up to class II. A few swims later by them, some intentional and some not, we came to a small beach where more friends and some family were picnicking. I thought the day was done. I was content to have been on the river but had hoped for some more difficult rapids. After a short break Pato hopped back in his kayaked, looked at me, and said “vamos.” We went down river further and I got my wish, we went through a handful more class III rapids before taking out.

It was a great day on the river, with beautiful scenery, and fantastic Patagonian weather. The river continues much further, all the way to the sea in fact. It has many more rapids up to class IV and a few waterfalls. Naturally, I want to paddle them. I also can’t wait for big water… all the snow in the mountains that I’ll be enjoying on my skis I’ll get to enjoy again when it melts and floods the river

:)

Cerro Castillo

About an hour and a half south of Coyahique along the bumpy, hilly, windy, mostly unpaved Carratera Austral is Cerro Castillo. I have been to this area twice. First, I went with Alex and Frida from CIEP to a few field sites collecting samples. The second time I went to attend a wedding.

Cerro Castillo is a jagged peak named for the spires that resemble a castle. It is just one mountain in a beautiful range covered with glaciers and surrounded by lakes, rivers, and pastures. (As a side note: I had never seen a glacier until this year. It blows my mind that it now seems like a normal thing to see them on a daily basis.)

On my first trip there, I was amazed at the scenery unfolding around every turn. And to make things even better, I was doing science. I was helping collect samples for a few different projects concerning plant response to defoliation, climate change, and tree line formation. As we were hiking up the steep rocky incline completely exposed to wind and sporadic rain so we could collect seedlings that had been planted and monitored for the last three years, I realized once again how much I love doing this. Not everyone would find this type of thing fun. But to me, cold wind-bitten hands, time spent repeatedly cleaning the dirt off plant roots, and labeling sample bags is almost heaven. With one of the most gorgeous views I have ever seen sprawled out behind me, I was contributing to the understanding of the local environment and hopefully in doing so helping to preserve it. And above all, I was learning. I genuinely love learning and the huge number of new experiences that I am having here means that I am constantly acquiring new knowledge. At times it’s incredibly overwhelming, but it’s awesome and I would not have it any other way.

After spending a day in Cerro Castillo I knew it was a place I would return to, but I didn’t think I would go back so soon. A week later, on my second trip there, I was still amazed at the scenery unfolding around every turn. I was graciously invited by Trace, another person I am working with at CIEP, to a wedding there. The wedding was between Cristian, a Chilean, and Mary, an American who now lives in Chile. It was a beautiful ceremony, and a lovely mix between Chilean and American traditions. Set with Cerro Castillo as the backdrop, friends and family gathered and the bride and groom rode in separately on their horses. The reception and asado afterwards, full of eating, drinking, and dancing, went into the wee hours of the night. Another great trip to Cerro Castillo.

The next step: There is a four-day hike that traverses Cerro Castillo and the surrounding mountain range. I have to do it.

Mi Casa!

Home sweet home. After a few weeks of living out of suitcases and backpacks, various hotels, cabins, hostels, and tents, I have a space to call my own.

I moved in almost two weeks ago now. Basic furniture and kitchenware was included, and I’m still working on adding things to make it more homey. It’s close to the center of town, the Escuela de Guias, and markets.

My street, lovely landscaping, mi casa, living area, wood stove - heat for the winter, bedroom

Feeling Sick

Being sick is no fun. Being sick, alone, and in a foreign country is even worse. I'm fine now, but after a miserable night if stomach pain, headaches, and basically no sleep, I called my Dad on Skype... these images soon showed up in my inbox from him and my brother, Eric. Love!

Six Days Canoeing - Puerto Aysén

Less than a week after I arrived in Coyhaique, I was already leaving. This area is saturated with lakes, rivers, glaciers, fjords, and creeks. Basically, there is a lot of water, and a lot of water means a lot of opportunity to go out and play in it!

From March 12th to the 17th I went out with Pancho, the director of the Escuela de Guías, and 8 students for the Modulo Conoas. The Escuela de Guías, one of my affiliations, is a non-profit school that trains people from all over the Aysén region to be guides. Not only do the students learn technical skills such as mountaineering, horse packing, and canoeing, but also included in the curriculum is leadership, LNT, business strategy, and ways to approach tourism.

During the 6 days we were out we paddled in Lago Riesco, Rio Condor, Laguna Los Palos, Rio Blanco, Lago Portales, and Lago Zenteno. It was rainy or cloudy pretty much the whole time. This area is known for being incredibly wet which makes for really dense and green vegetation. It also means that chances are around every bend you’ll see a waterfall or rainbow. We went over paddling techniques, reading water, river safety, and each day learned 5 “words of the day” for paddling in English.

Besides getting a chance to learn more about how the guide school operates, get out into the field and paddle, this trip was a an immersion into Patagonian culture. In addition to the things I’m accustomed to while in the backcountry, like whisper-lite stoves, dry bags, and synthetic base-layers I learned that paddling breaks include heating up water for mate, that the Spanish here is almost like a whole new language, and that campsites are on someone’s private property, but they are usually more than happy to have us pitch our tents next to their cows.

At the end of each day I was not only physically exhausted but mentally as well. It was a great trip. I was on sensory overload. I can’t wait to become more comfortable with the area and culture and get out again.