Trekking in Torres del Paine

The second day of our trek consisted of hiking with full packs along an unbelievable series of lakes, each with a distinct color caused by a unique mix of minerals and glacial runoff - from deep blue, to azure, to bright aqua-green. We crossed many mountains streams and rushing rapids on a variety of shaky plank bridges or just stones and logs placed stepping distance apart. The trail was dotted with spring flowers - firework red tree blossoms, tiny purple wildflowers, white orchids, and delicate yellow explosions of petals. We stayed at the tiny but cozy Cuernos Refugio at the base of the ¨Los Cuernos¨ (The Horns) with their grey granite sides and black rock tops which look like mountains dipped in chocolate.

Day three of the trek was spent hiking up the French Valley for a closer look at the Cuernos to the right and huge, hanging glaciers to our left. At one point, we heard a giant rumble and turned to see an avalanche of snow cascade over a cliff across the valley from us and fall several hundred feet onto the alluvial fan of ice below. As we climbed (and climbed and climbed), the wind grew and the occasional drizzle turned to sleet and then snow, stinging our faces and hands. Two hours up the valley, we realized if we went any higher we´d actually be in the clouds so we decided to turn back, gather our big packs at the drop point and head to Pehoe Refugio for night three.

Doug Lake next to Pahoe Lake

Dan in the French Valley with the Cuernos in the background

The wind! Oh the incessant Patagonian wind! The fourth Day of the trek (which is often done as two days) had us marching quick and light up the next valley to Glacier Grey. At the start, the wind was blowing a consistent 10-20 mph with gusts that seemed to reach 40-50 mph and literally stopped us in our tracks and made us run behind the next ridge or into the next forested section of trail. At times, the wind died down and allowed us spectacular views from the occasional rock outcropping overlooking Lago Grey with the giant Glacier Grey pouring out of the great Southern Ice Field in front of us. The bays below us were filled with tiny icebergs, broken chucks of the glacier blown to the far end of the lake. The glacier was immense and the far end just disappeared up the mountain valley to the horizon. While somewhat obscured by clouds, I was convinced we wouldn´t be able to see the end, even on a clear day, since the ice field continues 350 kilometers to the north! The entire hike took us 10 hours (including a few stops) and we calculated that we walked 19 miles round trip, concluding the 85km (50 plus mile) ¨W¨ trek. Including the Inca Trail and our hikes in Northern Patagonia, we´ve hiked well over 100 miles in the Andes on this trip - half of that up hill!

Glacier Grey

The next day, we took the Catamaran back to the Park Administration building getting awesome views of the Cuernos del Paine and the surrounding mountains, forests and lakes. From there we caught our bus back to Puerto Natalias and caught another 4 hour bus to Punta Arenas, Chile which sits on the Straights of Magellan. Can´t wait to just sit in a cafe, rest the legs and drink a hot coffee.

Los Cuernos