Pioneering pleasures of Patagonia; Remote region in Chile is an adventurer's paradise.(Travel-Books)

Byline: CAROLYN McCARTHY King Features Syndicate

Chile's northern Patagonia is a thin strip of lush valleys, pummeled by Pacific storms into a thorny green. Its pioneers began to trickle in almost a century ago, crossing rivers and mountain passes on ox carts laden with iron wood stoves. Today humble farms dot the shores of turquoise rivers, linked by trails. Though unenviable transit routes, these horse paths make excellent trekking and riding circuits.

For pioneering travelers today, reaching this remote region requires navigating prickly logistics and weather closures with saintly patience. But the rewards are equally great. You get to travel back in time, to inhabit your great-grandpa's tales - but now as a protagonist.

Here are three favorite …