The Invisible Torres Del Paine

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We arrived in Puerto Natales, Chile on the 18th realizing a bus leaves to Torres Del Paine (another place tied with 2,000 others as the ¨8th Wonder of the World¨) only 30 minutes later. We made the decision to rush and make the bus, which was a difficult decision knowing whatever was in our packs at the time we boarded would be all we would have access to for the next 4-5 days. So we bought noodles, soups, bread, cheese, beans, beans, and honey at the nearby Chino market and visited three ATMS that did not deposit Chilean Pesos so we had almost no money. We arrived in a photographic heaven a few hours later and took a boat ride through a lake formed by glacial melt to Paine Grande Base, where we began hiking immedieately. The views were beyond spectacular..blah...look at the pics..blah...it was awesome for three days. We came across a resort called Los Cuernos where we asked if we could work for food and free stay since we had no money (pitching a tent cost money at the resorts). So we washed dishes and swept floors that evening and the following morning in exchange for 8 pancakes, a plate of tuna casserol, 2 egg flan bowls, rice, bread, and crackers, and a piece of land to pitch our tents. More hiking, more awesomenessfully.
The last morning we decided to wake up at 3:45 am to hike to Los Torres, the iconic rock formations known by all adventurists in the world (many people hike only to see Los Torres). It was a difficult day. We ventured off the path accidentaly (in the dark) and found ourselves exhausted, lost, bushwacking and wrestling our way through the thick of Andes forestry in the middle of a heavy snowfall. Cold, windy, lost, farting from the previous night´s beans, and at the hands of Mother Nature, we fortunately saw the light from a headlamp on the adjacent mountain to guide us to the correct path. So instead of having to decend (a dangerous 40 degree slope) we traversed with luck upon a stony ridge that led us to Los Torres. After 4 days, 40 miles, and 4,000 beans we had arrived at what one of the world´s most renown national parks is named after - Los Torres Del Paine. But it was snowing very hard and it was cloudy so they weren´t visible at all so we decended 5 hours down the mountains to the nearest exit of the park where there was a lodge/restaurant accepting credit cards and we ordered omelettes and steakburgers and beer and layed in the grass and waited for the bus.

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Photos

Torres del Paine
on the catamaran

"Via Paine"
A short bus ride to the park

Last camp site
Final camp night before setting off at 4am to see the Torres. The three Torres are visible, along with the storm/snow clouds forming overhead

Comments

[Carol]

Torres del Paine
I am so impressed with ur "will work for foo" skills. What an experience for all of u to share with ur children years down the road. Keep journaling as it is exciting hearing about ur adventures. Keep on hiking! love u Graham