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Published: March 27th 2008
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Rin again - After an interesting bus trip (and long) through the Argentinian Andean Steppes, the Andes finally began to come into view as we approached Puerto Natales in Chile - our base before heading off into the Torres del Paine National Park. We couldn't believe that from the bus we were already able to see some glaciers on the mountains in the distance!
nick - For those of you that dont know much about this Park, it is generally seen as the mekka of southern pategonian treking. Modern refugios (shelters) scattered around the most popular sendora (trails) of the parks allow the inexeperienced backpacker or tourist to attempt a 4-5 day trek called the W to see spectacular glaciers, mountain crags, sweeping plains and experience the weather of pategonia first hand. It is possible to walk the whole W without carrying any food or any sleeping equipment.
Rin - With much debate, advice sought and received, we decided to complete the 9 day Torres del Paine Grande circuit trek. This trek takes you away from the hustle and bussle of the W trek for a good 4 days around the northern side of the park. It was the
longest time either of us had been out on hike before, having to carry all of our food / tent / stove etc. So it was probably no surprise that we were a little nervous whilst we completed all our planning and packing. To complicate matters further, this small Chilean town doesn't cater for people with dietary requirements... Hmmmm, 9 days of rice for me! Thankfully I'd been thrifty enough to have saved some of my gluten free pasta from BA which broke the flavours up a bit!
Nick - With an early morning 2-hour bus trip out to the park we didn't get started until late morning. The clouds around TDP shrouded it in mystery as we set off on a grassy pampas walk up a river valley on the parks eastern side. The wind was gusting to 80kmh easily, making it hard to keep a 20kg pack steady. Over the next few days we would experience some crazy weather including deluges of rain, snow, sun, mucho viento (wind) before we crossed over 1200m Paseo John Gardiner to catch sight of Glacier Grey, a sea of ice infront of us. The following days we then came round to
meet the W and see the amazing sights of glacier frances calving massive ice blocks that would tumble down the mountain face and the massive peaks of the Torres Del Paine. One of the most photographed and recognisable peaks in patagonia.
Highlights were certainly the last morning getting up early to climb to see the sunrise on the torres after 8 days of hiking and around 100km and around 2500m of vertical up and down and up and down and up and down. Camping over glacier grey on our 5th night was a special campsite. One thing to warn you about if you are thinking of attempting this journey is watch out for the ratones - aka Mice. They infest most campsites, and particuarly it seems late in the season are extremely hungry due to the reduced tourist numbers and summer population growth. They are quite happy to nibble on plastic, canvas, tents, the handle of walking poles as well as the more normal feasting on bags of scroggen...
Rin - Its quite hard to describe being out on a hike for that long i think. Especially being for the first time. I'm so proud that we managed
to make it through without major injury or other disaster (except for my non-waterproof jacket & Nicks overpants). Despite being a slow hiker, i realised that i spent a lot of time concentrating on where to put my feet (damn those slippery logs!). Looking at the ground and being in your own headspace for so long left me feeling like i'd had a sensory overload when we came back to town. I did however manage to conquer my fear of walking over slippery muddy logs, river crossings on logs and descending / ascending narrow steep ravines on vertical ladders with a full pack on!
We made some great friends too along the way - the Swiss Train (4 young swiss boys who walked fast and always together whom you could hear powering towards you from quite a distance away), Kevin (wow!), Marina and David, Chris the Texan and Frederik, and Mike and Liz. Sharing the warmth from a fire, stories and drying space made chilly nights and sore tired limbs and the prospect of another long days walk ahead all the more bearable.
Pictures tell a thousand words, so check out the ones attached. They are in cronological order
as we travel around the circuit in an anticlockwise direction. you can check out a map here http://213.161.84.220/images/maps/to-08.gif
So tomorrow we're heading off to El Chalten via El Calafate (bus routes and border crossings...) with more hiking around Monte Fitzroy in the Los Glaciers NP and perhaps a few other icy adventures!
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Jeremy & Danielle
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Great success!!
Awesome work, making it through the whole 9 day trek in what looks to be a stunning part of the world. To strike a contrast while you're keeping warm in some icy places, we recently went through a record heatwave here in Adelaide - officially the hottest spell for any capital in Australia (15 consecutive days over 35C). Enjoy the glaciers! ;)