mother nature in her splender

each day began with a gentle awaking to the sounds of rushing water, the rustle of birds in the trees and little critters running through dry leaves, small whispers of wind blowing through the leaves, and the muffled noises of other campers starting to surface from their tents and mobilize for the day's hike. it was normally very cold in the mornings and evenings, so the wool cap, gloves, and fleece were immediately thrown on as we crawled from the tent and into the daylight and fresh air of the Torres Del Paine national park. my morning ritual (so predictable for anyone who has spent any time with me at all) was a beeline over to the nearby bubbling fresh glacier water, a dip of the nalgene container, a transfer into our little steel cooking pot, full fire of the butane, and within minutes... the morning's coffee - steam trickling up into the chilled air and warmth absorbing into my gloved hands, curled around the container. the perfect start to a new day...

torres del paine is one of chile's most magnificent national parks, sprawled across the tierra del fuego region in southern patagonia. The park was created in 1959 and declared a UNESCO heritage site in 1978. It is expertly maintained my CONAF, Chile's national parks system, who are responsible for all 11 of the united system of national parks in the country, representing 51% of continental surface of the region.
you don't need to spend a lot of time wondering why this has been declared a UNESCO site or why thousands flock here each year (summer) to soak up some of the most diverse environments mother nature has to offer in one place: mountains, valleys, glaciers, lakes, rivers, salt flats, birds, guanacos, the puma (if you are lucky)...and the imposing "torres" (three or four high peaks) that reside in the middle of the park with a fatherly stance, peering out across the variety of flora and fauna.

there are several ways to experience the park, and in my opinion CONAF has done an excellent job of creating opportunities that pander to the spectrum of visitors...the hardcore 7-10 day camper, eager to accomplish the challenging 100 km "circuit", the day visitor - wanting to sample a few hours of hiking over the ever changing terrain; the adventure buff, who can't wait to sink their crampons into glacier grey for an afternoon of stalking across the spears and ice; or the recreational tourist who can enjoy a boat ride across on of the many lakes and a hot meal and warm bed at one of the many lodges strategically speckled around the park.

salome and i decided to do something in the middle....trek the "W" circuit. the "W" is a 4-5 day, 80km trek (in the form of a W :), that takes you through the main inner regions and attractions of the park. we also decided to buff the option of staying at over-populated 'refugios' (basically in park hostels) and really go the distance with authentic "camping"...
a slightly more challenging choice, but one that i think the two of us will never forget.

we rented all equipment (tents, stove, butane, sleeping bags & mats) in puerto natales, a bustling & charming patagonian town about 2 hours outside of the torres. we emptied our big backpacks and repacked them with only the essentials...layered clothing, equipment, and food....and set off for the torres to begin our 5 day adventure.

it was nothing short of spectacular. there is something very calming and natural about "communing" with nature. within minutes, you start to feel all outside anxiety, pressure, busyness, and static start to melt away...and concentrate solely on the next step ahead, the grandeur of mother natures oeuvre, when to stop for water, when to stop to use the 'facilities', and most importantly...when to stop for lunch or much needed 'snack break'. on most days, we hiked about 5-7 hours, with a few days pushing 8 or 9. the weather as you move around the torres is in constant flux, so you quickly pass thru sun, rain showers, wind, cold, heat, forest, and blazing hot, bare hillsides. every hour or so, we would stop to put on a shirt, take off a jacket, find our gloves, or reapply sunscreen. the trails are pretty well marked, however are never-ending paths of up & down, up & down, up & down...with many trails somewhat challenging over rocks, tree stumps, or precariously hanging routes on steep gravely slides. several times i imagined that we were both little billy goats, slowly and methodically picking our way through the hillsides. at times, the 20-30 lb. packs were an added challenge that surprisingly didn't seem to get lighter as the days passed and we consumed all the food... (tired legs is my theory!)..but ultimately, not too dificult to manage. you adapt very quickly.

a brilliant feature of the entire park (or one of them) are the plethora of streams and rivers that you come upon every hour or so, with rushing, fresh, ice cold and crystal clear glacier water....YUM. this made a refreshing break and nalgene upon nalgene was consumed, sometimes with a little snack of peanuts, raisins, or dried fruit...and as we got toward the last few days and were battling tired legs, feet, and backs...packages of cookies that were dunked in peanut butter (for the energy and protein, or course! :)

"matilda", our very oddly shaped, yellow and black tent served us well through the cold nights...after we got over the 30 minute rubix cube, twister-like episode on the first night, attempting to set her up. we may have started to feel a little novice, but even the guardiaparque ranger (stationed at the camp sites) couldn't immediately figure it out!

the trip ended on day 5 with an evening boat ride back to the park's edge and a bus trip, bringing us back to puerto natalas....to hot water & clean clothes. by then, a welcome treat...but OH SO WORTH the effort.
if you ever find yourself in southern chile or patagonia, definitely put the torres on your list. you won't regret it!

quick notes...
patagonia adventure hostel in p. natales was great. very easy to rent all equipment, organize the bus trips in and out of the park, and has great facilities, knowledgeable staff and conveinet location. they will keep your clothes, etc...in storage while you hike.

el living is maybe my favorite little vegetarian, coffee, literature enclave off the main square in puerto natales. run by a British expat, its the perfect place to full up on veggies and nutrients after a few days of carb loading in the "bush"...has a great book exchange, coffee, sofas, and even a pisco sour for celebratory cheer after your accomplishment :)

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