If you don't already know, the "inactive" Volcano Chaiten just 10 kms from the town of Chaiten at the start of the southern portion of the Carretera Austral became active again after a long dormant period. The entire region around the volcano has been evacuated. This includes all inhabitants of Chaiten and Futaleufu and the surrounding area.

This is a large eruption, with large amounts of volcanic ash falling on Trevelin, Esquel, and when the winds are northerly, El Bolson and north to Bariloche in Argentina. All air travel south from Buenos Aires to destinations in Patagonia has been suspended as a consequence of the drifting ash cloud.

What this means presently for travelers is that:
1) there is currently no Chaiten ferry service to/from Puerto Montt or to/from Quellon on Chiloe Island.

2) there is no border crossing at Futaleufu, the northernmost land route to the Patagonia area of Chile.

I suspect that Chile will increase its ferry service from Puerto Montt to Puerto Aisen (Puerto Chacabuco, actually), down near Coihaique. Currently this is a cargo ferry (trucks only) route, with private car service available only to locals. However, check the Navimag site ( NAVIMAG ) in the future to see what's available.

I don't know if the evacuation area affects access to and from Puerto Piedra, at the south end of Lago Yelcho. If not, then one should be able to enter/exit Chile via Corcovado, Argentina, rather than Futaleufu. If this is not available, then there are a couple crossings nearer Coihaique. I can personally state that the crossing at Lago Verde, accessed via La Junta, Chile, is not open to motorcycles. There are two large river crossings on the Argentina side of the border that are too fast, too deep for bikes. (at least, that's what the Chilean border post folks told us when they refused to let us leave Chile at that point).

Even after the situation returns to "normal" after the eruption has subsided, I suspect things won't be back to "normal" for a long time in this area. This means that all the information in the guide books is for practical purposes worthless - nothing (as in gasoline, hostels, other tourist accomodations) can be counted on to be up and operating again.

The Chilean government is pro-active in encouraging homesteading in this area of Chile - so I suspect that the longer the volcanic activity lasts, the more efforts will be made to relocate the displaced to other parts of the south. In addition, many people (especially the expats trying to start guide services) will simply just bale. The loss of residents (and their income) will also impact the speed at which services are restored in this area.

Even Argentina may be affected. Currently volcanic ash on the towns of Trevelin, Esquel and El Bolson is being tolerated, but everyone is wearing some sort of mask. Volcanic ash is very hard on vehicles. This region of Argentina is probably not going to be a pleasant place to visit until the volcano stops spewing ash (winds are essentially easterly here, year 'round).

So, if you're planning on traveling through this area in 2008/2009, you may want to keep on top of this situation as it unfolds. Things won't be the same for a while in this spot in the world.

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Was in Bahia Blanca last week, on Atlantic coast, and bike was covered in ash in the morning, also my sprockets seemed to just wear out in no time. One day fine, next clapped out, I had just ridden from Esquel to Comodoro Rivadavis then next day up to Treleve so maybe the dust was in the air. I had not thought of that until I saw your post

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Happy Trails

Stagbeetle

It is not the Journey nor yet the Destination, that is the Prize; it is the people you meet on the way.

Blog on http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/fairless/

There are some pics and video in this report:-
In pictures: Chile volcano eruption, from MSN UK News special report - news & weather

As quastdog indicates, it could go on for years rather than months according to the pundits in that link.

Also, there's this thread, which has a link about volcanoes and chaiten in particular:-
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...no-chile-35066

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Dave