Prehistoric Pensivity

Because I went in off-season, the "Los Lagos" trail in Huerquehue National Park was practically empty. After a few hours of ascending through drizzling rain I finally arrived at the series of namesake lakes. I chose this specific park because I wanted to witness the mighty araucaria, national tree of Chile. In the photo, the araucarias are the trees with the tufts of leaves at the top of a long, mostly bare trunk. These trees, also known as Monkey Puzzle trees, are part of the reason an adjacent park was used to film "Walking with the Dinosaurs." The combination of stone cliffs, colorful marshes and these trees creates a mysterious aura. Other Cal students visiting this park were moved to tears by the incredible views.