Patagonia: Parque Nacional Torres del Paine
Just back from an 8 day trek in Parque Nacional Torres del Paine in the southern Patagonian Andes, Chile! It was wild, amazing and beautiful!!
When we arrived in Punta Arenas after our flight from Buenos Aires we heard that there was a fire in the park which meant that most tracks and refugios (mountain huts)were closed. The fire was started by an irresponsible Czech tourist who chose to camp outside designated campsites. He got off with paying a fine (only 200 USD) and was allowed to leave Chile. Ppl are pretty pissed off with this as the damage is immense and a lot of visitors have had to change their plans, including us.
Our initial plan was to do the Paine Circuit however as some of the park was closed we decided to do the ´´W´´ circuit.
We started from Puerto Natales where we caught a boat up to PN Bernardo o´Higgins to check out the Glacier Serrano. It was so gusty and cold that I was swept off my feet a couple of times. Oh, I lost my favourite hat in the process. From there we jumped on a zodiac and sped up the Rio Serrano to the park administration in PN Torres del Paine, stopping for a break at a nearby estancia. That was a lot of fun and really enjoyed the lady next to me screaming her head off while the zodiac jumped through the waves.
Our trek totalled approx 90kms over 7 days and ranged from what I thought was moderate and at times difficult terrain. Definitely a mental and physical challenge especially carrying packs but it was all worth it.
Our trek details:
Day 1: Reached the park in the afternoon and stayed at Posado Rio Serrano for an early rest.
Day 2: Got a lift to the catamaran early in the morning (note Chilean time similar to Filipino time) in a rickety old VW combi to cross the river to Refugio Pehoe. Walked up the Valle el Frances up to Campo Britanico. Trail past Campo Italiano was challenging involving scrambling up boulders and rocks whilst weather condition was gusty (80km/hr winds) with lots of rain, and eventually snow. Watched my balaclava fly down the mountain as I lay on the ground clutching rocks after a sudden violent gust of wind threw me off balance. Gorgeous dave tried to search for it on our descent but to no avail. Beautiful views though and watching avalanches a definite highlight. Reached the refugio by 8pm after 9 hrs thoroughly exhausted and in pain (and silently cursing girl at Big Foot expeditions who claimed that the walk could be done in 6 hrs). Luckily had a good dorm with 4 others from the US who we had been sitting behind us at a restaurant in Punta Arenas a few days before. We remembered eavesdropping into their conversation as was interested in all the places they had travelled to. Had a great night sleep.
Day 3: Short walk (5hrs) to Refugio Grey on the western arm of the circuit. Beautiful sunny clear day and breathtaking views of lakes and mountain ranges. Refugio Grey was perfectly located by a lake by the base of Glacier Grey framed by the mountains. Met a lovely dutch couple also on a year long sabbatical. She works for IBM (trust my luck - they´re everywhere!).
Terrible night sleep due to noisy german group and walls that didn´t reach the ceiling.
Day 4: Plan was to proceed up the John Garner pass up to the next Camp but didn´t fancy the 14 hr walk up a very steep ascent and didn´t think it wise particularly as weather changes so quickly. (It apparently is very gusty, can get 100-120 km/hr winds, and very difficult). Instead we walked along the side of the glacier to a fantastic view overlooking the entire glacier through to the lake. Spent a number of hrs up there and could have stayed for longer. It was breathtaking. Stayed at Refugio Grey again but this time in a tent as advised by aussie ocker Vanessa from Katoomba (´´Go the tent and you´ll never look back´´)and had a ´´graaate noight sleep´´.
Day 5: Back down to Refugio Grey. Gorgeous weather again and warm enough to lay on the grass by the lake in shorts drinking beer. Met a very excitable cute couple from Belgium on an 8 mth holiday who gave details of a great website to check out.
Day 6: 5hr walk to Refugio Los Cuerros. Best refugio so far. Freshly baked bread and comfortable dorms. Part of the track was the one to Campo Italiano so this was the 3rd time we had crossed it. Tricky stoney river crossing involving one piece of wire.
Day 7: Los Cuerros to Refugio Chileno. A bloody steep climb up to this site that I thought would never end. Met great ppl: Tal and Samuel from Israel who have been driving around Chile and gave us some great advice re treks north of here; Sonia and Nicolas from France who have been travelling for 6 months and had just come from Australia and NZ; and Matties and Kirstin a couple from Austria who had extensive knowledge of the area and between them spoke about 15 languages (slight exaggeration).
Day 8: 4am start to try and catch sunrise up at the Torres del Paine lookout - the highlight. Dave, Nicolas, Matties, Kirstin and I got braved the clouds and rain with the hope that it would clear by the time we reached the top. No success. By the time we reached halfway the rain got heavier. The trail to that point was difficult in the dark and the rain (very muddy with steep climbs and ropes). We waited inside a makeshift shelter at the campsite for an hour hoping the rain would subside. It was freezing. There was no point continuing up the very steep ascent over boulders to the viewpoint (another hour) as we wouldn´t see anything and it was also dangerous, so we turned back. Was disappointed but glad to be back at the refugio and out of the rain. After an hour´s kip while waiting for our clothes to dry (poor dave burned his fancy new pants on the wooden stove), we packed up and hit the path for our final 2 hr descent downhill to end our trek. The rain and clouds subsided a little enough for us to see part of the Torres when we reached the bottom!
Overall, everything was a highlight and we have fallen in love with Patagonia.
Observations:
1. Totally addicted and excited to see more.
2. Never thought I´d be sad to lose a balaclava.
3. The 78 yr old american botanist who shared our dorm in refugio pehoe who walked to Glacier Grey and back with a full pack in gusty conditions. His tip: Walk everywhere.
4. The website is fantastic and was similar to what I had envisioned prior to our trip.
5. The porters carrying 35-40 kgs of packs travelling at record times, stopping only at streams to grab a drink.
6. It costs more for a horse to carry your pack than a human.
When we arrived in Punta Arenas after our flight from Buenos Aires we heard that there was a fire in the park which meant that most tracks and refugios (mountain huts)were closed. The fire was started by an irresponsible Czech tourist who chose to camp outside designated campsites. He got off with paying a fine (only 200 USD) and was allowed to leave Chile. Ppl are pretty pissed off with this as the damage is immense and a lot of visitors have had to change their plans, including us.
Our initial plan was to do the Paine Circuit however as some of the park was closed we decided to do the ´´W´´ circuit.
We started from Puerto Natales where we caught a boat up to PN Bernardo o´Higgins to check out the Glacier Serrano. It was so gusty and cold that I was swept off my feet a couple of times. Oh, I lost my favourite hat in the process. From there we jumped on a zodiac and sped up the Rio Serrano to the park administration in PN Torres del Paine, stopping for a break at a nearby estancia. That was a lot of fun and really enjoyed the lady next to me screaming her head off while the zodiac jumped through the waves.
Our trek totalled approx 90kms over 7 days and ranged from what I thought was moderate and at times difficult terrain. Definitely a mental and physical challenge especially carrying packs but it was all worth it.
Our trek details:
Day 1: Reached the park in the afternoon and stayed at Posado Rio Serrano for an early rest.
Day 2: Got a lift to the catamaran early in the morning (note Chilean time similar to Filipino time) in a rickety old VW combi to cross the river to Refugio Pehoe. Walked up the Valle el Frances up to Campo Britanico. Trail past Campo Italiano was challenging involving scrambling up boulders and rocks whilst weather condition was gusty (80km/hr winds) with lots of rain, and eventually snow. Watched my balaclava fly down the mountain as I lay on the ground clutching rocks after a sudden violent gust of wind threw me off balance. Gorgeous dave tried to search for it on our descent but to no avail. Beautiful views though and watching avalanches a definite highlight. Reached the refugio by 8pm after 9 hrs thoroughly exhausted and in pain (and silently cursing girl at Big Foot expeditions who claimed that the walk could be done in 6 hrs). Luckily had a good dorm with 4 others from the US who we had been sitting behind us at a restaurant in Punta Arenas a few days before. We remembered eavesdropping into their conversation as was interested in all the places they had travelled to. Had a great night sleep.
Day 3: Short walk (5hrs) to Refugio Grey on the western arm of the circuit. Beautiful sunny clear day and breathtaking views of lakes and mountain ranges. Refugio Grey was perfectly located by a lake by the base of Glacier Grey framed by the mountains. Met a lovely dutch couple also on a year long sabbatical. She works for IBM (trust my luck - they´re everywhere!).
Terrible night sleep due to noisy german group and walls that didn´t reach the ceiling.
Day 4: Plan was to proceed up the John Garner pass up to the next Camp but didn´t fancy the 14 hr walk up a very steep ascent and didn´t think it wise particularly as weather changes so quickly. (It apparently is very gusty, can get 100-120 km/hr winds, and very difficult). Instead we walked along the side of the glacier to a fantastic view overlooking the entire glacier through to the lake. Spent a number of hrs up there and could have stayed for longer. It was breathtaking. Stayed at Refugio Grey again but this time in a tent as advised by aussie ocker Vanessa from Katoomba (´´Go the tent and you´ll never look back´´)and had a ´´graaate noight sleep´´.
Day 5: Back down to Refugio Grey. Gorgeous weather again and warm enough to lay on the grass by the lake in shorts drinking beer. Met a very excitable cute couple from Belgium on an 8 mth holiday who gave details of a great website to check out.
Day 6: 5hr walk to Refugio Los Cuerros. Best refugio so far. Freshly baked bread and comfortable dorms. Part of the track was the one to Campo Italiano so this was the 3rd time we had crossed it. Tricky stoney river crossing involving one piece of wire.
Day 7: Los Cuerros to Refugio Chileno. A bloody steep climb up to this site that I thought would never end. Met great ppl: Tal and Samuel from Israel who have been driving around Chile and gave us some great advice re treks north of here; Sonia and Nicolas from France who have been travelling for 6 months and had just come from Australia and NZ; and Matties and Kirstin a couple from Austria who had extensive knowledge of the area and between them spoke about 15 languages (slight exaggeration).
Day 8: 4am start to try and catch sunrise up at the Torres del Paine lookout - the highlight. Dave, Nicolas, Matties, Kirstin and I got braved the clouds and rain with the hope that it would clear by the time we reached the top. No success. By the time we reached halfway the rain got heavier. The trail to that point was difficult in the dark and the rain (very muddy with steep climbs and ropes). We waited inside a makeshift shelter at the campsite for an hour hoping the rain would subside. It was freezing. There was no point continuing up the very steep ascent over boulders to the viewpoint (another hour) as we wouldn´t see anything and it was also dangerous, so we turned back. Was disappointed but glad to be back at the refugio and out of the rain. After an hour´s kip while waiting for our clothes to dry (poor dave burned his fancy new pants on the wooden stove), we packed up and hit the path for our final 2 hr descent downhill to end our trek. The rain and clouds subsided a little enough for us to see part of the Torres when we reached the bottom!
Overall, everything was a highlight and we have fallen in love with Patagonia.
Observations:
1. Totally addicted and excited to see more.
2. Never thought I´d be sad to lose a balaclava.
3. The 78 yr old american botanist who shared our dorm in refugio pehoe who walked to Glacier Grey and back with a full pack in gusty conditions. His tip: Walk everywhere.
4. The website is fantastic and was similar to what I had envisioned prior to our trip.
5. The porters carrying 35-40 kgs of packs travelling at record times, stopping only at streams to grab a drink.
6. It costs more for a horse to carry your pack than a human.
posted by W at 8:26 am
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