Chile Forum

On tripadvisor, the destination expert says you can get into Chaiten by ferry.

"There are actually ferries running. Three a week from Puerto Montt and at least one a week from Quellon. You can disembark in Chaiten but have to move out of the area immediately. You can also go from Puerto Montt into Argentina and in at Futalefu but you have to move south from there."

Is this true?

They are doing limited shipping through Chaiten, but I would not exactly call it a tourist route. As far as we know there are no buses operating. Puerto Cisnes is your next regular transport hub in to the Patagonia.

I had someone contact me a week ago upset that we where somehow lying about Chaiten. That it had been rebuilt, and that the airport was operational. We talk to people in Futa and people relocating from Chaiten to Futa almost every week and sometimes several times a day, especially in relation to the government offices that we work with in the area.

Just to be sure we looked in to it. There is no Chaiten as far as the rest of the World is concerned. It is still a disaster zone. Like 30 people are currently living there. There is no airport, and no airlines flying in to it.

Chaiten was a hard place to use as a transit point before the Volcano. It is not like downtown L.A. got hit be an earthquake, they rebuilt, and now a couple months later everything is back to normal. If anything is going to be rebuilt, it will be at least the summer before any progress is made because of the rainy season. Most government offices, and thus about 50-80% of the Chaiten economy will be relocating permanently. Chaiten will likely at best be a small port town someday, but I doubt it will ever be the capital of Palena again.

It's all a bit confusing...I also have heard that you can take a ferry to Chaiten. However, once there -to my knowledge - no accomodations, and your nearest lodging and services would be in Futa, or Palena. Possibly the small, underserved community of Santa Lucia. Potential travelers should also be aware that there are no fuel stations in Futa. I've not heard that the gas station in Chaiten is open. Palena has a two-pump station, gas was 802 pesos a liter last week. If you have rented a vehicle and traveled by ferry to Chaiten, you must make sure you have the proper documents to travel into Argentina if you plan to do so. Anyone considering travel by ferry from Isla Chiloe to Chaiten should also consider the weather conditions...and the fact that the ships that ferry are not considered the best. Just a thought.

In Futa...The ash cleanup continues, and really, is quite amazing. Locals are employed to chip up and collect ash, and wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow, it is getting done. Very little ash fell in the Azul area where the rafting companies Bio Bio, and Cara Del Indio have operations. Both are preparing for "summer" tourist and expect to be in full swing. In all honesty, I expect some parts of Futa to be a nightmare of ash come the hot, dry, windy days of December and January. The current rains are a blessing...they pat down and compact the ash making it easier to remove. The area down by Lago Espejo seems to have been ignored, and the ash is many inches thick. The new lake-front park appears to be abandoned with thick slabs of hard ash which will be fodder for menacing swirling winds (my neighborhood for the time being).

Rio Azul appears almost unscathed. Espolon is still milky green-blue. Our drive from Futa towards Azul (going on the road towards Chaiten was increasingly clear. There are pockets of ash, and areas seemingly unaffected.

There was just an article on the front page of the El Mercurio the other day. It seems there is no water in Chaiten. So a fire started, and like an entire block burned down because there was no city water to put it out. They had to just let it burn.

The moral to the story, Chaiten is not back. Futa seems like it has a lot of work to do, but should be back in full swing by summer. This year will be very hard on the tourism, but by next year it should fully recover and about the same time a lot of the cleanup and new building projects will be completed.

admin wrote:. . . . This year will be very hard on . . . tourism, but by next year it should fully recover and about the same time a lot of the cleanup and new building projects will be completed.

Just in time for the more straitened circumstances of first-world tourists to be felt -- in reduced visitation to southern Chile. (Or to anywhere else, for that matter.)

I've now counted eight new houses going up in Futa, as well as many "additions" on existing homes. Some businesses have expanded (a larger storage area for propane tanks, etc.). I also saw two new meat markets, and a produce store open. Cleanup of ash continues and roadwork in town has resumed (three streets closed) and is going quickly. I miss the old arroyo water source...Lago Espejo is our current source with the new water treatment facilities doing a good job...just not the same! I was a little sad to see that the huge trees around the Carabineros place had been removed! My new electric bill was 18,000 pesos! Outrageous, I tell ya! The highest it's ever been. I'm guessing electric bills went up everywhere.

Today is local election day. Quiet, and probably with my luck, no beer sales!

They just reported on the news that they are holding local elections for the mayor of Chaiten at polling places in Puerto Montt other places that large numbers of people from Chaiten relocated to after the volcano. I suspect Futa also.

Don't know about Chaiten, but I believe the mayor of Futa was re-elected. Someone won, as a loud parade of cars just made the five minute trip around town with horns blaring and baloons trailing. That means it's over and beer is for sale.

Gotta go.

Hello,

I have enjoyed reading all of your posts. My wife and I are looking at traveling to Futaleufu in January for a Biking/Hiking/Rafting excursion and needing advise if results of the volcano would detract from the beauty & enjoyment of this until a later date. Obviously this would cost more than an excursion in "The States" and am looking for an unbiased opinion of current conditions in the area. Any information you might have regarding whether or not this year would be the time to attempt it or not would be immensley helpful.

It seems that Futa did not bear the brunt of the ash etc..., but with few precious vacation days and a budget we obviously want things to be as good as possible. Of course we realize adventurous trips of such nature are never perfect! Just curious of any real aesthetic or safety concerns. Have a good day.

Thanks.

Here is my advice, considering that we are just in love with Futa; Futa is in relatively good shape. It is magical place, with or without the volcano. In fact, I have scheduled at least a few weeks of my own precious vacation time this year for Futa and I can go anywhere I want in Southern Chile (its my job); but, I would say make Futa a stop at least along the way the other parts of Patagonia as insurance that you have a wonderful vacation even if Futa is not really ready for visitors (which all indications at this point are they will be). As beautiful as it was before the volcano and after, it really was about the people. They are the main attraction. You won't regret it.

Later, when all the cleanup is done, come back to Futa as a destination for a week or two. Many of our clients went for a day or weekend and have never left. If you fall that much in love with it, give us a call.

My landlord and neighbor just told me that Volcan Chaiten has blown significantly again. Anyone hear anything?

this is ambiguous
http://www.inglaner.com/volcan_chaiten.htm
I wrote to Alan Sullivan to see if he had any info, watch his blog at seablogger.com.
The volcanism blog is down for a few days. Oh boy! oh boy!

Thanks for the insight on Futa, from what you say and I read it's a lot about what direction you travel towards. Certainly tough getting info from somewhere that off the beaten path. I will continue to monitor the web and this blog, and if you have any other feedback please don't hesitate to pass it along. Eventually we'll have to make a decision. I believe taking a trip where one has to check on seismic activity fits into the category of adventure.

Best regards.

Chaiten volcano has been put on red alert status again.

It even made it to CNN international in English, and they are not much for reporting any sort of current events.

waiting for the 9 o'clock news, and will update.

It even made it Fox "news".