Saturday, March 9th, 2002**ANDES MOUNTAINS, CHILE** My flight back around Puerto Montt: I'm on my way back to Mt Shasta! looks like it's gonna be another fantastic season on the home front! As I fly the friendly skys of Chile, I looked out the window and viewed this active volcano just north of Puerto Montt. The views from the plane were spectacular and I stopped and thought to myself what a undiscovered land with many nooks and crannies, hills and peaks, not commonly hiked or travelled by humans. I know in this day and time it's hard to imagine this, but the Andes Mountain Range is one of the most remote and unaccessible ranges in the world. It's not uncommon to read the local paper out of Coyhaique and see they have discovered some new lake or river building and connecting the Pan American highway from the north of Chile to the south. There's almost a 1500 mile section still not connected, that will run eventually through some of the Andes most remote sections. Puerto Montt salmon operation: As the plane got nearer to Puerto Montt, I could see these salmon pins that the Chileans use to grown, raise and harvest pin fed salmon. To be sold out in any market they can compete in. The Chileans are now the most successful country in the world for pin raise salmon and has become as big of industry as the wineries. Amazingly enough, I sat next to a gentleman from Norway, the former top producer of pin raised salmon in the world, now looking at second place. He said and I'll quote, " the people of Norway are very upset with Chile because they've completely slashed prices and have been impossible to compete against, especially in the European market". I thought to myself, well competition is good for the consumer and anytime I can see Chile prosper, you know where my heart is! exactamente..........JT Puerto Montt lake area: This is the lake district of Chile, hundreds of lakes are within a 100 mile radius. Nice views from the plane, the picture doesn't do for you, what you actually view yourself from your seat in the plane. Undisclosed river in Andes canyon: Here's another river located in the heart of the Andes mountain range. It could go 50/50 whether or it's it's been discovered, or even if theres a road to it. From the plane I can always see many rivers and lakes that look to be totally unaccessible by roads or even horse back. I look for roads but none can be seen from a distance where some others, I do see roads. Undiscovered Lake in Andes canyon: Here's an undiscovered glacier lake up high where one could only see by plane. You see the glacier lake empties out into the pompa (high desert) into another more bluer lake, that must hold trout! Well that's this story for this time, I'll be reporting back in Northern California, in my home town of Mt Shasta! Stay tuned for those stories coming up, until then Jack Trout saying "HOWDY"!


[ Print This Page ]