Torres del Paine

After a good night, woken only by big plops of snow falling from the tree on my tent, we caught the sunrise.

It was then time to jet boil more snow for coffee ( best bday gift thanks Tom, Kate and Gaby), pack up and head out on a very slippery trail, as the weather from yesterday had melted snow which had overnight frozen hard. Thank god for my trekking poles.

It was a glorious quiet walk out through the Rio Ascentio valley. And yes the fact that it sloped down did help!

I was very proud and happy to have made it, and appreciative of having a lot of my gear carried for me.

And so was Moosie

The descent down the valley gave us great views across Lago Nordenskjold

And then back to the car, very tired but happy. As we left the  park we were given some final magnificent views of the towers. 

Walking to Campamento Torrens

The morning was absolutely beautiful, a worker said he had been here for 3 years and never seen such a day, so the weather gods were smiling on us.  My lovely Serratus pack felt good, and my Leki trekking poles like old friends ( who I was about to get to know a whole lot better).

A Nav mistake meant we walked about 15 mins on a wrong trail, but that was ok because it was flat.  Rejoined the correct trail and started to climb 

Now when I say climb I mean a pinchy continuous climb that had my out of breath very quickly. With some cajoling and lightening of my pack I was convinced to continue. Finally we reached some flatter parts but I was pretty much spent.

My lack of fitness was(is) shameful and I really struggled mentally. However the scenery was beautiful and I convinced myself that we could stop at the first campsite not continue on to base camp as planned. You see on the W circuit there are free campsites, private campsites which you pay for and have showers, toilets and usually a Refugio or hut that you can pay to stay in as well.

After walking along a contour line around the mountain we dropped out into the river and to Campamento Chileno. My inquiry revealed that it is $100 Austalian dollars per person to camp here !!!

A failry major breakdown ensued, including tears, but a banana, a pep talk and really no other option we headed on to Campamento Torres.

Almost immediately we entered beech forest just starting to shoot green, with a deep blanket of snow and pockets of snow in the trees. It was magnificent.

This track was leveller and some of my joy de trek returned. I even found signs of a snow angel.

 We started to get some views of Torres del Paine. It's hard to describe how beautiful the actual Rio Ascencio valley was with absolutely towering mountains on each side, let's just say it was worth all the effort!

We arrived in camp mid afternoon and this was the view from the edge of our beech grove.

Set up and snuggled down to a good sleep ( thanks to my sleeping bag, bag liner, thermRest and cold shield underlay). Oh and icebreaker course.

Rest day

Well after a good sleep but very rough weather we headed to the west end of the park.  It was a light sideways snow sort of drive, with most of the mountains covered in mist.

Lake Peheo is very beautiful, that marvellous blue found in glacial areas.

Lots and lots of guanacos on the road side, they look very healthy and are not at all  scared of people.

 

  Arrived at Hotel Torres in a thick mist And no visibility of the mountain. So a rest and sort gear day was om order.  Oh course this included some trying to the other type of Pisco, Pisco Calafate, made from the local berry.  Bit to sweet for me, so the original is still the best.

Woke in the night to a stillness, that made me look at the window to see an ultra clear moonlit night and the silver silhouette of the mountain!!

Camping, Patagonia style

Camped at Lake Pehoe last night, arriving at around dusk. The now familiar " I speak no Spanish and you speak no English" interchange happened with the lovely Heracle, and we were allowed to just pick a site.

The camp has a frame shelters and we are to have night which proved why.

 The weather report said minus 9 and 90km/hr winds! My gear proved ever faithful and I actually had a great sleep. The wind did wake me a few times, but my icebreaker and down served me well.

I was especially appreciative of my hut bootie, thanks Tom!

With the morning came the realisation that we would be foolish to walk as planned, and so we headed to a hotel near the start of the walk to Camp Torres, and alternated between trying the different types of Sours, and packing bags.

The plan tomorrow is to walk regardless, but be prepared to turn back if it is to rough.

Lago grey

After a splendid drive up from Peurto Natales we entered the Torres del Paine park, with obligatory gunacco sleeping nearby. 

We headed west in the park to Lago Grey, and Lady Grey glacier. We had a restorative drink in th gorgeous hotel, with a view to die for, before  a shore half hour walk through a beech grove and across grey pebble beach with icebergs floating on the shore.

The next few hours were a fabulous meander, past towering mountains and bobbing bergs to the front of the glacier. 

The colour and shapes are amazing, and sadly the amount of obvious shrinkage in the glacier front was easy to discern