A frontier is a place that’s both physical and metaphorical. Our ongoing series, Dispatches from the Frontier, shares encounters and insights from life on the ranch, where the inner and outer wilderness converge.   

 Dispatch from John Hauf, Founder and Director

Finally home from the latest trips.  Half the horses came to the beach to greet me, and the other herd a little while later.  The only two I haven't seen are The Little Mare and Red, who don Luis mentioned seeing about a week ago.  I'm sure they'll be down once they catch wind of the bag of oats I've been sharing with the others.  And it wasn't but half an hour after I lit the wood stove that Tres Patas showed up along with his smaller son/buddy, begging handouts.  The Canquenes are along the beach, the Bandurrias, more this year than in the past, are kicking up the leaves in the yard and reeking havoc on the worm population, and the Teros are squawking and dive-bombing in the open field back of the corral.

It seems there must have been a big wind, or snow with wind, as a number of the older, bigger fruit trees have taken a hit.  Have to keep on renovating for the next folks.  Last season’s tree plantings are looking pretty good, though a few branch ends show signs of hungry hares.  I managed to get the water installed, the heat going, the truck out...all in all things look in pretty good shape, much as one hopes when we spend time on the front end to return to them in good nick.  Next up is to start the process of getting the Pilchero in the water, but it started to sleet, so I came in to a warm fire and tea. I am looking forward to the crew arriving soon.

WE ARE CURRENTLY BOOKING TRIPS AND ENROLLING PROGRAMS FOR THE 2021-2022 SEASON AND INVITE YOU TO GET IN TOUCH TO PLAN YOUR ADVENTURE. 

John Hauf founded Patagonia Frontiers in 1999 to connect people with wilderness through education, conservation, and adventure. From our wilderness ranch home, Patagonia Frontiers offers multi-day trekking, horseback trips, mountaineering, and education programs in the heart of Chilean Patagonia.