“The Earth never forgets that trees were its first thought”

This intriguing idea was carved in Spanish on a wooden sign as we left Puelo on our first multi-day trek on the Los Hitos trail to Chile. And when you enter the ancient forests of northern Patagonia you realise what the importance of forests and wood are to, not only the landscape, but also the culture. Wood is a solution for almost every problem in these remote areas:  building material, primary energy source, wood chips as line markings on a soccer pitch (near Segundo Corral), stepping “stones” on a muddy trail, bridging a stream, etc. The forest is alternately a searingly beautiful ecosystem and an oppressive, menacing green blanket, depending on whether the sun is shining or it is raining. But it always seems to be eerily silent. The absence of wildlife and birdsong is strange.

Lago Perito Moreno near San Carlos de Bariloche, Chico Circuit

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3D map of the Cochamò Road trek

Once we left Puelo and wound our way up the Chilean lake district, and then returned to Argentina via the Cochamò Valley, we almost never left the forest’s shadow. This is despite extensive burning by colonists and farmers in the 19^th century and clear-cutting by lumber companies in the twentieth. Chile’s southern temperate rainforests are the second most extensive in the world, but seriously under threat outside protected areas. In the vicinity of the Rio El Arco, the middle section of the Cochamò Valley, ancient Alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides) trees, which can live for 4000 years, have survived because of the area’s remoteness. It is hard to comprehend the notion of a living organism breathing in the same location for thousands of years. When we reach sixty years we believe we have acquired some wisdom – what wisdom does 4000 years bring?

“Anyone who hasn’t been in the Chilean forest doesn’t know this planet” – Pablo Neruda

Another abiding memory of the trek is the feeling of travelling a hundred years back in time when we met the local

farmers in the Cochamò Valley. Perhaps it was naïve of me, but I never suspected that people in South America in this modern age live lives of subsistence and isolation without any trappings of modernity, including electric light. Goods such as salt, rice, coffee and sugar are brought in on pack-horse trains. For the rest the farmers are self-sufficient, cultivating vegetable crops and farming with sheep, chickens and cattle – especially cattle. Income is generated by driving the cattle along the Cochamò “Road” to the sea every once in a while. When I first saw the “road” – pioneered by the Jesuits and made famous by the outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as their route out of Argentina to the Pacific coast – I could scarcely credit that gauchos could or would drive cattle on the narrow, muddy trail. And then I saw them do it – and understood why in places it’s a two metre deep donga with a floor of cloying, black mud and cow dung. At times, as the rain teemed down, we could barely progress at 1 km/h even with two walking poles each. We slid, fell, scrambled and cursed our way from El Arco to emerge from the forest north of Lago Vidal Gormaz on a remote farm, where the owner provided us with a shed to make a fire in and permission to camp on his land – despite the fact that he doesn’t like gringos (being South African held no water with him). Luckily, our co-leader Elena is not a gringo but a native Argentinean and a skilled negotiator.

That farmer was 86 years of age and didn’t look a day over 65. At the southern end of the lake we camped at Soto and Amelia’s farm, one of the most beautiful I have seen. Soto is 94 (Amelia 76) – we heard him working with a chainsaw in the forest the entire afternoon. He built their wooden house from Alerce (I think) shingles sixty years ago. They have eleven children who live in the coastal towns. Clearly, the simple but hard life promotes longevity. At those advanced ages, a rough two-day ride out of the valley could be fatal, so I guess those farmers are fated to die on their land, but I suspect that they would not want to be anywhere else either. Soto and Amelia were extremely hospitable and when we walked from their farm our rucksacks were bulging with home-made loaves, boiled eggs and farm cheese.

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3D map of the Los Hitos Trail trek

Refugio Cochamò is a new … “eco-lodge”, I suppose one could call it. It is a day’s walk away from the start of the trail at the coastal end and is a haven and base camp for rock climbers for whom the imposing granite domes that dominate the valley are the South American “Yosemite”. We came across groups of them during our two-day stay: steely-eyed types who stare into the middle-distance; intense and focussed, poring over climbing diagrams and sketches detailing the most difficult routes, annotated with the arcane terms of their obsession. A fascinating sub-culture.

We were certainly very happy to enter its warm hospitality after our first experience of “the road” in the rain. The refugio is owned and was built by an enterprising young couple, an American and an Argentinean, both climbers and it operates for six months of the year. It is powered by a 3.6 kW micro-hydro plant (50m head) whose excess energy is diverted to heating water, features LED lights and makes excellent use of natural lighting. The rest of its energy needs are satisfied by burning wood. Remarkably we were able to order pizzas for supper. A vegetable hothouse is in operation while other supplies have to be brought in by horse. Solid waste generated by the guests has to be carried out by them, and only organic waste is permitted to stay on site. To keep it as spotless as it is inside, guests have to remove shoes and wet and dirty gear and stow it on the porch. The system works a treat. Water supply is not a problem in this valley; it is carpeted by rainforest after all!

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Google Map of all the treks (if the 3D maps don’t work for you) with photos and their locations or download the Google Earth tracks of the treks

The land in the valley is privately owned and like much land in Chile is under threat from hydropower and logging companies (and the southern fjords from salmon farming). The owners helped mobilise an NGO, Conservación Cochamó, whose mission is to protect the valley’s natural environment and culture through sustainable development and responsible tourism. Their campaign achieved some success when Chile’s then president signed a decree that guarantees protection of 80% of the river’s flow as an ecological reserve. However, the new president, who was elected while we were wandering around Chile, is a conservative and true to his kind could reverse it. I hope not.

Photo slideshow

It was interesting to hear that the argument that Conservación Cochamó mounted deliberately avoided any environmental agenda and purely focussed on the economic benefits of tourism for the local communities. Having been involved in ecotourism myself, I am very wary of making nature conservation and preservation dependent on something as fickle as tourism. But hey – if the tactic worked to obtain an important, yet short-term, concession then so be it. The NGO understands the socio-political currents in Chile better than I do – but I do worry about the long-term security of the valley’s protected status.

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3D Map of the Frey Trek

In the final analysis, this trip was one of those “trips of a lifetime”. It had nearly everything: new cultures, different lifestyles, breathtaking scenic beauty, ecology, history, hard hiking, adventure, great companions and tour leaders. I suspect that South America has not seen the last of me.

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Related posts:

1. Rim of Africa Google Earth track
2. More Patagonian trek stories
3. Patagonia trekking photos

VWS crew runs through the fireline to safe ground. Copyright 2010 Andrew Hagen. All rights reserved. Served from the VWS blog.

Amazing photo isn’t it? See Andrew’s fantastic photos of VWS Jonkershoek operations and read the VWS report. The fire started after a lightning strike.

Hats off to the volunteers for their selfless service in support of CapeNature and SANP in defending our unique biodiversity (I can’t claim to have been there as I was trekking in Patagonia at the time).

On 18 April from 08h00 to 14h00 VWS Jonkershoek is holding a Fynbos and Fire Awareness Day at the Assegaaibos reserve in Jonkershoek (opposite CapeNature offices). Become a volunteer!

Related posts:

1. Volunteer Wildfire Services Jonkershoek
2. VWS Jonkershoek firefighters in the Franschhoek mountains

A crew of 10 volunteers reported to the Jonkershoek base at 06h00 on Saturday and then trucked through to Robertsvlei near Franschhoek where the firefighting base had been established. We watched the four Hueys set off up the valley to waterbomb the fireline while we waited for the Fire Boss to decide how to deploy us. Eventually, after a couple of hours waiting we boarded a Huey and headed up to a high ridge west of Fortsnek, from where we had to hike a couple of kays along the watershed to reach a fireline. We spent the rest of the day securing the line towards Emerald Peak with rake-hoes and beaters in a raging north-wester. It is amazing how a fire slowly moves into the teeth of a gale by causing adjacent vegetation to combust. So we were quite chuffed that we stopped that movement on the watershed, because from there the fire would move north into the Jonkershoek reserve which after sustaining 30% fire damage a year ago, has a lot of fynbos veld that needs to be free of fire for up to a decade at least.

In the late afternoon we radioed for extraction and prepared a landing zone near one of the peaks, but apparently wind and altitude (about 1300m) were concerns for the pilots. A debate then ensued about whether we should wait or start walking down. Some were apparently prepared to spend the night, but from experience I know that wind-swept mountains are not places to spend the night without appropriate gear. Eventually the wise decision was made to head for the LZ where we had deplaned in the morning and as we approached it from above the Hueys thumped into sight. The fast hike down to the LZ caused a couple of injuries, but we were happy to board the yellow machines – especially as it had become too late to pick our way down the mountain via Fortsnek.

However, the LZ which had featured intact vegetation but a few hours before was now a fire-blackened ridge. I don’t quite understand how the fire which was always south of us and on the southern aspect of the mountains somehow flared up north of and below us in Assegaaiboschkloof – this while a north-wester was blowing – and raced up the northern aspect to take the ridge late in the day. Our earlier satisfaction was immediately replaced by deflation.

To our surprise too, the chopper dropped us in a charred wasteland south of Franschhoek peak, on the opposite side from the firefighting base with the result that we spent about three hours waiting for a lift back. That was my first experience of a black ash-storm – the black stuff is still coming out of my ears.

If the track doesn’t appear in the window above or you don’t want to install the plugin in your browser, then download the VWS operation’s Google Earth file and view it in Google Earth (download Google Earth) or see the Google Map below

The crew was ably led by Mark Randall and Hayley Marrison (VWS Jonkershoek station manager) who are both extremely keen volunteers. They pitch up at every callout and work party without fail – dedication to the cause.

In reflecting on the recent fires, it seems to be clear that almost without exception they were caused by human activity. The big one in the Groenland mountains was started by an arsonist, while this fire was apparently started when a Working for Water work party’s cooking fire escaped control. I would be quite happy to never be called out for a wildfire, unless it was caused by a lightning strike or to help control a controlled burn; my attitude is informed by concerns about the conservation of biodiversity and the effect of too-frequent fires on biodiversity. So I believe that the VWS should emphasise fire-prevention strategies such as awareness-building and education more in its activities. By “awareness” I don’t mean “awareness of the VWS” but awareness about the causes, dangers and ecological implications of fires…

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News reports on the fire (sites open in new windows):

• Fire continues to devastate Cape
• Weather works against Cape firefighters
• Franschhoek fights fire fearlessly

Official VWS site – Want to volunteer? Click here (note: apply before March of each year)

Related posts:

1. Volunteer Wildfire Services Jonkershoek
2. Jonkershoek hiking
3. VWS at Slanghoek fire

The VWS is an impressive organisation. Established in 1999 and entirely staffed by volunteers, it provides integrated wildfire management services to conservation agencies, specifically SA National Parks on the Cape Peninsula in Table Mountain National Park, and Cape Nature in the Jonkershoek, Hottentots Holland, Kogelberg and Limietberg reserves. Situated as we are in the fire-driven ecology of the Cape Floral Region, a World Heritage Site, regular fires in the fynbos are a fact of life.  And the summer fire season is underway…

There are 3 VWS stations: the HQ at Newlands, Scarborough and the new one at Jonkershoek. VWS can mobilise more than 140 volunteer firefighters and as I understand about 50 recruits were inducted in November. The training is thorough and the unit is well equipped – and I believe that VWS’ services are respected and appreciated by SANP and their professional, fire-fighting peers.

VWS new recruits 2009 at Open Day, Newlands base - photo by Nick Sales © Nick Sales. All rights reserved. Photo served by Flickr.

VWS Jonkershoek will be called out by the Cape Nature reserve manager in Jonkershoek, mainly to fight wildfires in the mountains of the reserve where the recent summer fires ravaged 30% of the vegetation. Biodiversity is consequently at risk should fires break out in areas that burned only 4 or 5 years ago, far shorter than the “optimum” no-fire period for fynbos. So where and when fires burn are crucial issues in Jonkershoek fire management during the next few years.

Much to our amazement we were informed that the patch of mountainous territory that we (VWS-JNK) are tasked to help protect is some 290 000 ha in extent! And a lot of it is pretty inaccessible except by helicopter. It could be an interesting summer…

For almost-realtime updates of fires refer to the Advanced Fire Information System.

VWS demo at Open Day 2009 - photo by Adriaan Wessels © Adriaan Wessels. All rights reserved. Photo served by Flickr.

VWS abseil training at Idas Valley dam

Related posts:

1. VWS Jonkershoek firefighters in the Franschhoek mountains
2. VWS at Slanghoek fire
3. Jonkershoek hiking

It is interesting to reflect that when I was at ecoAfrica.com, another Stellenbosch-based ecotourism company, we launched a Google Earth layer for the Kruger National Park (2MB .kmz file; requires Google Earth) in early 2008, in the context of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. All the information was gleaned from publicly available sources. I am still very proud of that layer (I hope the guys are still maintaining it) and I am excited to see that MAPA is making what was then a vague vision of ours too, happen.

Our layer included:

• Lodges, camps, restcamps and trails camps
• Transport: roads, distances, routes, gates, airstrips
• Ecology: rainfall, biomes, wildlife census – all graphically represented
• History: how Kruger evolved and its borders expanded since 1884
• National park, transfrontier park and game reserve boundaries

Travel layer: lodge and camp locations

Travel layer: game lodge information

Ecological layer: animal census

Ecological layer: biomes

Transport layer: roads, gates , airstrips, routes, distances

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1. Rim of Africa Google Earth track
2. Kruger Park and climate change
3. Hiking in Kogelberg

Cape Peninsula baboon distribution (source: Baboon Matters)

Getting close to the Da Gama Park troop as they descended from their roosts to feed was an enlightening and humbling experience. Unconcerned by our presence, they proceeded to play, groom, mate, gather food and noisily sort out a few hierarchical issues. We spent most of the morning with them and our garrulous and informative guide.

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National Geographic recently did a piece on these baboons in which some telling points are made:

Many residents of the Cape see the primate as a pest.

But the founder of Baboon Matters says what many humans forget, is that baboons gave their lives for medical research.

Jenni Trethowan, Founder Baboon Matters “And now where’s the gratitude? People can have heart transplants, and liver transplants and kidney transplants, what do we owe back to the animals that we practiced on for so long?”

My view on the matter is that given that the Cape Peninsula is a national park and world heritage site, if you choose to live there then you should recognise that you are living a) in a fire-driven ecology and b) in proximity to wild animals. This isn’t suburbia in the usual sense; it requires a sense of place, a spirit of custodianship and a willingness to adapt. There will be fires near your house every decade or so. The baboons will come calling – they were there first after all. Adapt your living arrangements to live in harmony with the place and it’s traditional inhabitants.

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1. Cape of Good Hope Trail
2. Photos of Table Mountain walks
3. Volunteer Wildfire Services Jonkershoek

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If the track doesn’t appear in the window above download the Google Earth Rim of Africa file and view it in Google Earth (download Google Earth)

The GE track shows almost every step of the trail as recorded on my Garmin Foretrex 101 personal navigator, waypoints describing some features or places, and geo-tagged photos.

We left our camp below Pakhuis Pass on a grey, misty day and our steps would be dogged by cold fronts and rain, except for the balmy days of our passage through the central Cederberg wilderness area from the Crystal Pools area to just north of Middelberg Pass. For me, those middle days were the highlights, especially when we skirted what would become known to the group as “the rim” between Bakleikraal and Breekkrans Valley. On that particular day one could literally see forever to the west, mountain ridge upon valley, as we raced a rapidly-closing cold front to our next campsite at Slangboshoek.

The trail was often tough – especially for those with less than optimal gear – always spectacular and uplifting, seldom a slog. We gazed out on vistas that few local hikers will ever see and listened to the utter silence of the rock and the metallic click of our walking poles as we picked our way south.

Eventually, having been trapped in our tents for a night and a morning by a raging storm at the head of the Elandskloof valley, we struck out into the fire-ravaged Hexberg Nature Reserve, a “lost” reserve. From there we climbed fire-blackened and white rock slopes and a sodden, peaty kloof into a gathering front in search of the gulley down to a remote valley. It was on the exposed ridges in rain, icy wind and poor visibility that Galeo and Ivan made the wise call to abort some 40km and two days short of our objective. I think the group was a little relieved to spend the night in a friendly farmer’s shed.

What an adventure, what an experience. Fitter and leaner I now look forward to completing the last couple of days and visiting Turret Peak. And then… stage two….

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Related posts:

1. Patagonia Treks in Google Earth
2. Rim of Africa
3. Rim of Africa photos

The vision of the Rim of Africa is to create a mega-distance trail on a par with the best the world has to offer. Mega-distance trails in Europe and the USA play an important role in giving access to time in wilderness while stimulating a walking culture.

The Rim of Africa stretches from the greater Cederberg wilderness area on the Cape’s West Coast to the Outeniqua Mountains in the Garden Route, traversing more than 650km of mountain paths. The route takes in the Cederberg, Skurweberg, Hexrivier, Keeromberg, Langeberg and the Outeniqua representing a flagship hiking product of international significance, attracting hikers from around the world. There is potential to link the Rim of Africa to the Outeniqua Trail and on to the Eden to Addo Hike for Biodiversity creating an extended trail of 1200km ending at Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape.

I’m looking forward to getting “lost” in the wilderness, communing with Nature.

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1. Rim of Africa Google Earth track
2. Rim of Africa photos
3. Groot Winterhoek wilderness

Caracal. Source: Wikipedia

I was cycling to work through the Jan Marais Nature Reserve which is located near the centre of town. As I rounded a corner I was stunned to see a beautiful big caracal standing in the path. He calmly trotted around a bend, watched me for a moment, and then disappeared into the fynbos.

Obviously, there was a lack of prey in the mountains and the resourceful cat had quietly slunk through the urban area to feed on the guinea fowl, squirrels, hares and buck that live in the reserve.

Now, I have been on a lot of wildlife safaris, but I have never seen a caracal in the wild. And here I see one in my backyard, in town… Nearly fell off my bike.

I have kept the sighting quiet because I know how people can react. Caracals have been terribly persecuted by farmers over the centuries. I did, however, notify Cape Nature, the local nature conservation agency. I haven’t seen it since, but I am happy to know that it is somewhere out there.

No related posts.

To quote Cape Nature’s brochure: “Kogelberg…represents perhaps the finest example of mountain fynbos in the Western Cape”. Approximately 1600 plant species of which about 150 are endemic, are found here. The reason for its near pristine condition has been its long isolation from development and agriculture, although in the last decades ribbon “development” of the coastline has boomed, resulting in the unsightly coastal towns that are common on our coast. A prime example of bad taste and low-density sprawl is perhaps Betty’s Bay, with Kleinmond a close second. One of the results has been the increased frequency of fires in the area mostly emanating from human settlements. Although the ecology is fire-driven, the fires are occurring at intervals that are too short and some species may disappear as a result.

Below are Google Earth tracks of some of the hiking routes in the reserve. With time I will add more.

If the track doesn’t appear in the window above or you don’t want to install the plugin in your browser, then download the Google Earth Kogelberg file and view it in Google Earth (download Google Earth)

Related posts:

1. Jonkershoek hiking
2. Walking in Fernkloof
3. Climbing Victoria Peak