Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Embracing the Slow Burn: Bikepacking the Carretera Austral (Video)
The third video from Ilse and Ryan “Kodak” Brown’s bikepacking journey from Argentina to Alaska documents their experience riding the famous Carretera Austral in Chile. Watch the 50-minute video, read a short reflection from Ryan, and find some stunning photos from their trip here…
Words, photos, and video by Ryan “Kodak” Brown
There’s a saying in Patagonia that goes, “El que se apura, pierde su tiempo,” he who is in a hurry, wastes his time. While riding the Carretera Austral, this is a sentiment that resonated deeply with us. Constructed between 1976 and 2000, the Carretera Austral or “Ruta 7” threads together some of the most remote national parks and charming pueblos in Chilean Patagonia. Stretching roughly 770 miles from the port city of Puerto Montt to the isolated frontier outpost of Villa O’Higgins, the diversity of the terrain is incredible. It’s no wonder this road has ascended to classic status among bikepackers, motorcyclists, and backpackers.
Just reaching the Carretera’s starting point proved to be an unforgettable chapter in our journey from Ushuaia to Alaska. The traverse from El Chaltén to Villa O’Higgins involved two ferry crossings, remote border control posts, and an infamous hike-a-bike across no man’s land. All in all, it was the perfect approach to explore the heart of Patagonia.
With autumn on its way and tourism and traffic dwindling, we enjoyed riding the challenging ripio of the southern section in relative solitude. North of Coihayque, smoother pavement appeared alongside a slight increase in civilization. Instead of ending the route in Puerto Montt, we pointed our wheels east and continued our way into the backcountry gravel roads of Argentina. To be continued…
For more from Ryan and Ilse, make sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel.
Further Reading
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