Cochrane is the last proper town on the southern Carretera Austral before the road runs out into the far south, and it feels like it. About three thousand people live here, in low houses around a spacious plaza, with a river valley and glacial lakes nearby and the high Patagonian steppe to the east. It was founded in the 1950s and named after Thomas Cochrane, the Scottish admiral who commanded the Chilean navy in the independence war against Spain, so there is an odd flavour of Scottish seafaring in the middle of the mountains.
The ride in from the north follows the shore of Lake General Carrera, the vast turquoise lake that Argentines call Buenos Aires Lake, and it is one of the most spectacular roads on the continent. The road clings to cliffs above the water, with sharp bends, gravel patches and sudden gusts of wind, while the lake changes colour from pale green to deep blue as the light moves. Past the lake, the road heads south along the Baker River, which carries more water than any other river in Chile, glowing a striking blue-green. Expect strong wind, quick weather changes and few other vehicles. Summer, from December to March, gives the longest days and the safest riding.
Cochrane is a practical stop. You will find fuel, a supermarket, simple restaurants serving lamb and local beer, and several guesthouses, and it is a good place to stock up for the Caleta Tortel road, which continues south and leads to a village built entirely on boardwalks over the water. Cochrane also serves as a gateway to Patagonia National Park, a huge reserve created from former sheep ranches, where guanacos, foxes and, with luck, pumas live.
The landscape is a blend of Andean peaks, glaciers and dry steppe. Rain falls heavily on the western side of the mountains, while the east is dry and windy, and Cochrane sits in a transition zone, with beech forest and grassland meeting. The air is clean and cold, and the night sky is a spectacle. The southern huemul deer also lives in the area, and condors are often seen soaring above the ridges.
Fill up the tank here, since the next fuel is a long way off. Bring warm layers, rain gear and patience, and watch the wind.