Huerquehue

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After a terrifying 10km drive up a rough, dusty dirt road we reached the park entrance. Now I know what 4x4 are for. Unfortunately we only had a Toyota Yaris. We then trekked high into the Huerquehue National Park.
Then we climbed 1000m through virgin forest (bamboo, a type of beech tree and a conifer I didn't recognise at all. The trees were gigantic. The wildlife is compltetely different to Europe, including snakes, humming birds, bright emerald green lizards, and a tarantula, the last to of which which Dan managed to photograph. At the top of the trail which we reached late, with the sun getting low, was a set of "hanging lakes" formed by glaciers "hesitating" on their way down, forming a dam.
Right at the top of the forest still above were some of the few surviving natural examples of mature Araucaria trees - better known to us as "Monkey Puzzle trees". They are named after the Aurucania indians and the area is know as Araucania.
We arrived fairly late and the light was stunning and magical. The photos only hint at the beauty.

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Photos

Volcan Villarrica in the distance
This view was half way up to the hanging valley.

Ancient tree
Massive old fir tree with bamboo growing inside

A very green lizard
© Dan Chernett 2008

The view back to the start.
We started from the far end of this lake. The volcano can be seen in the distance. Taken before entering the high valley.

Lago Chico
After several hours climbing ... the reward