Finally the much anticipated trek was about to begin. Parque NationalTorres del Paine is located just north of Puerto Natales. It's known for its rocky spires, a glacier, several glacial lakes, and wild weather. The meaning of the name is somewhat disputed. According to most sources, it means Towers of Blue (paine being a native word for light blue, most likely referring to the turquoise color of the lakes). There are several options for hiking in the park but our crew planned on tackling the W (marked in yellow on the map below) and/or the full Circuit (marked in red), depending on how we felt along the way. However, as seems to be the case with many carefully planned trips, the plans never go as planned and Plan A quickly morphs in to Plan B, C, and D so that the course of events in no way resemble the original "Plan". That's what happened with us.
Day 1: Originally, we planned to arrive as a group of 6, but before leaving Santiago we shrank to a group of 5 - changing the dynamic of sharing the burden of camping supplies and kicking off Plan B. When we arrived in the park from Puerto Natales, we found two more fellow volunteer teachers, Pat and Verred, who had valuable information to share regarding the conditions of the trail: which starting point was best, where to expect to be hiking in snow, etc. Their information led us to change the direction of our hike and reverse our anticipated camping locations - commence Plan C.
We arrived by boat to our new first campsite, Refugio Campamento Pehoe, placing us at the lower portion on the right arm of the W. We could have pitched the tent, left our backpacks, and hiked up to see Glacier Grey but decided instead to move on to Campamento Italiano, located near the middle point of the W trail. This new change put us at Plan D.
We arrived by boat to our new first campsite, Refugio Campamento Pehoe, placing us at the lower portion on the right arm of the W. We could have pitched the tent, left our backpacks, and hiked up to see Glacier Grey but decided instead to move on to Campamento Italiano, located near the middle point of the W trail. This new change put us at Plan D.
Along the way, we would pass other hikers and everyone would use Spanish to communicated espite the obvious fact that virtually no one spoke it as their first language except those working at the campsites. It just seemed like the respectful thing to do, using the language of the country in which we're all in. This proved to be the norm throughout our hike in Torres del Paine.
Right away, we learned that the park has some very strict ordinances at each campsite. For example, there are no showers or toilettes except at sites with refugios (refugios are basically overpriced hostels which provide beds, showers, food, and bathrooms to those who prefer not to camp outside and are willing to pay the steep prices); all trash, including things like orange peals and toilette paper, must be carried with you until the next refugio site; and dishes cannot be washed in the rivers, although you can carry the water from the river to your tent. The idea is to leave no trace and keep the park as pristine as possible. Failure to follow the rules can result in being kicked out of the site...however, it's pretty easy to just leave for a couple hours and come right back as our camping neighbor discovered after getting caught tossing his apple core into the bushes.
With the first chunk of our hike completed, we went to bed still feeling excited just to be in the park and looking forward for the trails to come.
Day 2: The sky doesn't get dark until midnight and daylight begins to return around 4:00 am. It's hard to sleep-in even when your back and legs ache from yesterday's hiking. During the night, the wind picked up enough to disassemble our tent. Sleepy, grumpy, and disoriented in the dark, we struggled against the wind and the cold to put things back together. Our efforts were the topic of humerous conversation that morning as we ate a delicious breakfast of instant oatmeal with M&M's and raisins mixed in.
Once finished, we left our backpacks in the tent and headed up the center of the W through the Valle del Francés. Most of the trail is a gentle uphill walk by rivers, streams, and peaceful forrests, flanked on either side by tall mountain peaks. I thought it was the most tranquil hike on the entire trail. There was a steep incline towards the end, partially covered in snow, which led to the base of the peaks and an incredible view of the Valley and the lakes off in the distance. We ate lunch near the top and discussed our next move - Plan D was about to become Plan E.
The difficulty of the trial was greater than many of us had anticipated. Some had decided they would skip the rest of the trek and see other sights of interest by day hiking - without backpacks and tents. I decided to continue on the W but recognized the greater Circuit was going to be beyond my abilities. Three of our group of five turned back, and Kevin and I joined up with Pat and Verred. With that, we parted ways and moved on to the next campsite, Refugio Los Cuernos. After dinner we shared a box of wine purchased from inside the refugio and sat down by the lake to watch the sun set while the wind created cyclones on the lake in the distance. They looked like they were dancing.
Day 3: This was going to be the longest stretch of hiking - 4 1/2 hours to Refugio Chileno and then another hour to Campamento las Torres. Fortunately we knew of a short cut. Along the way, we met a pair of Canadian brothers who initiated a bit of a competition. We had stopped for a break and as they passed they sang out "Oh Canada". Let the game begin! We chose not to tell them about the short-cut.
We made camp and made preparations to get up at 3:30am the next morning. Our plan was to hike a steep path before dawn up to the the towers (the Torres del Paine) hoping to watch the sun cast a red light on the towers as it rises. As long as the sky remained clear, we had a good chance of seeing it happen.
Day 4: 3:30am and other campers were already awake and moving, their flashlights shining into our tent from outside. Reluctantly, we got up. It was cold and dark and a difficult hike over loose gravel and boulders. I was running out of breath and my legs ached, still wanting to sleep. We started chanting "Beat the red!" to keep ourselves motivated and reach the top before the sun. At 4:45 we made it...and waited. The sky was crystal clear. Slowly the sun came up and the towers glowed in the sunlight. They never turned red but it was an awesome sight nonetheless. We drank hot chololate and huddled in sleeping bags while enjoying the view.
With everything packed up, we made the long but easy, downhill hike to Refugio las Torres. From here we would once again seperate in different directions. Verred and I would set camp and sleep here while the two boys, Kevin and Pat, continued on and started the trail to complete the entire Circuit. Tomorrow, Verred and I would take a bus to a different trail location and hike up "The Tail" - an alternative trail entrance to the W that finishes back where we started at Refugio Pehoe. The map indicated it was a 5 hour hike but mostly across flat land. Seemed easy enough...
Day 5: It was starting to feel like the previous 4 days were catching up with me. I had a feeling the Tail was going to be harder than it looked on the map. First was 2 agonizing hours of boring, flat, marching. You'd think this would be a relief after the up and down on the W, but this felt like torture. Later, the hilly terrain retruned but by that point my feet ached more than ever, blisters were forming, and a new pain in my knee felt like mutinous rebellion in every step. A group of Dutch hikers, and then a group of Israelis recently finished with their required term in the military flew past us. The combination of fatigue and the feeling of being left in the dust can make a frustrating trek even harder. The 5 hour mark past and we still had a long way to go. Finally after 2 stumbles, no more water, and 6 1/2 hours on the trail, we reached Refugio Pehoe. It was over!
...But now we had to pitch the tent and make dinner. Aggghhh! I was surprised that our fatigue and low morale didn't cause an argument between us. Fortunately, that was the last time we'd have to endure a hike with our backpacks on, and we were able to find relief in that. All that was left was a day hike up the first arm of the W to see the glacier we'd skipped at the beginning. We ate in silence and then crashed.
Day 6: Too tired! We made an attempt to hike to the glacier, but turned around and came back. We needed a break. I fell asleep that night at 6:00.
Day 7: This time we were successful in making it to Glacier Grey and on the way saw Kevin and Pat on their return from the Circuit. The glacier was a spectacular sight with bright blue icebergs in the lake nearby. The wind here was incredibly strong, making it difficult to stay on the path. I was glad to see the glacier, but also pleased that this meant the hike was over. We stayed to eat lunch and then made our way back to the campsite. It was time to pack up and head out.
Right away, we learned that the park has some very strict ordinances at each campsite. For example, there are no showers or toilettes except at sites with refugios (refugios are basically overpriced hostels which provide beds, showers, food, and bathrooms to those who prefer not to camp outside and are willing to pay the steep prices); all trash, including things like orange peals and toilette paper, must be carried with you until the next refugio site; and dishes cannot be washed in the rivers, although you can carry the water from the river to your tent. The idea is to leave no trace and keep the park as pristine as possible. Failure to follow the rules can result in being kicked out of the site...however, it's pretty easy to just leave for a couple hours and come right back as our camping neighbor discovered after getting caught tossing his apple core into the bushes.
With the first chunk of our hike completed, we went to bed still feeling excited just to be in the park and looking forward for the trails to come.
Day 2: The sky doesn't get dark until midnight and daylight begins to return around 4:00 am. It's hard to sleep-in even when your back and legs ache from yesterday's hiking. During the night, the wind picked up enough to disassemble our tent. Sleepy, grumpy, and disoriented in the dark, we struggled against the wind and the cold to put things back together. Our efforts were the topic of humerous conversation that morning as we ate a delicious breakfast of instant oatmeal with M&M's and raisins mixed in.
Once finished, we left our backpacks in the tent and headed up the center of the W through the Valle del Francés. Most of the trail is a gentle uphill walk by rivers, streams, and peaceful forrests, flanked on either side by tall mountain peaks. I thought it was the most tranquil hike on the entire trail. There was a steep incline towards the end, partially covered in snow, which led to the base of the peaks and an incredible view of the Valley and the lakes off in the distance. We ate lunch near the top and discussed our next move - Plan D was about to become Plan E.
The difficulty of the trial was greater than many of us had anticipated. Some had decided they would skip the rest of the trek and see other sights of interest by day hiking - without backpacks and tents. I decided to continue on the W but recognized the greater Circuit was going to be beyond my abilities. Three of our group of five turned back, and Kevin and I joined up with Pat and Verred. With that, we parted ways and moved on to the next campsite, Refugio Los Cuernos. After dinner we shared a box of wine purchased from inside the refugio and sat down by the lake to watch the sun set while the wind created cyclones on the lake in the distance. They looked like they were dancing.
Day 3: This was going to be the longest stretch of hiking - 4 1/2 hours to Refugio Chileno and then another hour to Campamento las Torres. Fortunately we knew of a short cut. Along the way, we met a pair of Canadian brothers who initiated a bit of a competition. We had stopped for a break and as they passed they sang out "Oh Canada". Let the game begin! We chose not to tell them about the short-cut.
It was a long day but by this point our endurance was starting to pick up, and despite the rigors of the trail, the scenery never ceased to amaze me. As the path climbs uphill over rocks and loose dirt, I would look up without seeing the top and wonder how much longer I'd have to endure this. Then I stop to catch my breath, look back at the trail below and see how far I had already made it. Beyond that was a stunning view of lakes, mountains, plains, and incredible sky scapes. The path is painful, the weight is heavy, the sun is hot, and the wind sometimes works against you. But then the trail rewards you with views unlike anywhere else. When taken in context, the trek is an amazing experience. The struggle of getting to each destination is part of what makes the experience so sweet.
We made camp and made preparations to get up at 3:30am the next morning. Our plan was to hike a steep path before dawn up to the the towers (the Torres del Paine) hoping to watch the sun cast a red light on the towers as it rises. As long as the sky remained clear, we had a good chance of seeing it happen.
Day 4: 3:30am and other campers were already awake and moving, their flashlights shining into our tent from outside. Reluctantly, we got up. It was cold and dark and a difficult hike over loose gravel and boulders. I was running out of breath and my legs ached, still wanting to sleep. We started chanting "Beat the red!" to keep ourselves motivated and reach the top before the sun. At 4:45 we made it...and waited. The sky was crystal clear. Slowly the sun came up and the towers glowed in the sunlight. They never turned red but it was an awesome sight nonetheless. We drank hot chololate and huddled in sleeping bags while enjoying the view.
With everything packed up, we made the long but easy, downhill hike to Refugio las Torres. From here we would once again seperate in different directions. Verred and I would set camp and sleep here while the two boys, Kevin and Pat, continued on and started the trail to complete the entire Circuit. Tomorrow, Verred and I would take a bus to a different trail location and hike up "The Tail" - an alternative trail entrance to the W that finishes back where we started at Refugio Pehoe. The map indicated it was a 5 hour hike but mostly across flat land. Seemed easy enough...
Day 5: It was starting to feel like the previous 4 days were catching up with me. I had a feeling the Tail was going to be harder than it looked on the map. First was 2 agonizing hours of boring, flat, marching. You'd think this would be a relief after the up and down on the W, but this felt like torture. Later, the hilly terrain retruned but by that point my feet ached more than ever, blisters were forming, and a new pain in my knee felt like mutinous rebellion in every step. A group of Dutch hikers, and then a group of Israelis recently finished with their required term in the military flew past us. The combination of fatigue and the feeling of being left in the dust can make a frustrating trek even harder. The 5 hour mark past and we still had a long way to go. Finally after 2 stumbles, no more water, and 6 1/2 hours on the trail, we reached Refugio Pehoe. It was over!
...But now we had to pitch the tent and make dinner. Aggghhh! I was surprised that our fatigue and low morale didn't cause an argument between us. Fortunately, that was the last time we'd have to endure a hike with our backpacks on, and we were able to find relief in that. All that was left was a day hike up the first arm of the W to see the glacier we'd skipped at the beginning. We ate in silence and then crashed.
Day 6: Too tired! We made an attempt to hike to the glacier, but turned around and came back. We needed a break. I fell asleep that night at 6:00.
Day 7: This time we were successful in making it to Glacier Grey and on the way saw Kevin and Pat on their return from the Circuit. The glacier was a spectacular sight with bright blue icebergs in the lake nearby. The wind here was incredibly strong, making it difficult to stay on the path. I was glad to see the glacier, but also pleased that this meant the hike was over. We stayed to eat lunch and then made our way back to the campsite. It was time to pack up and head out.
Torres del Paine is one of the most challenging and exciting places that I have experienced This is a region I was hardly familiar with before coming to Chile. Thinking about where I was standing in the context of a map, I realized that I had never imagined I'd find myself in this section of the world. I can't help but wonder where else I might someday find myself. As we prepared to leave the park, I felt like I had conquered something, although I'm not entirely sure what. There is a lot I am learning about myself while traveling and this felt like the grand kick-off to a long and exciting journey with much more to discover.
Highlights from the trail:
- Sitting on a rocky beach at Refugio Los Cuernos sipping boxed wine while watching the sunset.
- Pure glacial water - drinkable straight from the rivers and streams.
- Chocolate on the trail (never tasted so good!).
- Getting up before the crack of dawn to hike up a steep mountain, bundle up in a sleeping bag at the top to try to stay warm, and then watching the golden light on the towers as the sun rose after that grueling uphill march.
- Instant mashed potatoes are awesome!
- Oatmeal with M&M's and raisins is also a breakfast masterpiece.
- Number of languages I heard, but different groups always initially greeting each other in Spanish.
- The cloud formations.
- Thought a lot about family.
- Made two new friends.
- Assembled a tent, started a fire out of wood chips, and cooked with a gas canister.
- Horse skeleton seen on The Tail. It sort of symbolized they way we felt at that day.
- A Dutch guy who passed us on the trail wore a ridiculous silver, glittery baseball cap that sparkled in the sun. At first I was mocking it, but after he passed us, I could spot it reflecting the sun easily from a mile away. We started using it as an indication of where the trail would lead.
- Perfect weather.
- One fox and tons of guanacos (similar to llamas).
- One big glacier.
- Fell, but got up.
- Peace of mind felt as I hiked along.
- Harder than I expected, but the rewards were also greater.
- Enjoyed the challenges and felt inspired to seek more opportunities like this.
Turning 24 on the 24th of November in Chile is reason enough for a little extra celebration, but nothing could have topped sharing it with these wonderful students. I will miss them and look forward to contacting them later on in our lives and hearing about the exciting things they have accomplished.
Back to Santiago: We said our tearful good-byes to Gladys, Violeta, and my host teacher Patricia and made our way back to where it all began. I've never been one to cry during farewells and perhaps it was partly the fatigue from staying out at La Comarca until 4:00am the night before, but I lost it on the ride back to Santiago. I didn't realize how much I will miss them and the prospect that I may never see some of those people again was really saddening. I hope to stay in touch with some and hope they all continue to live happily in Curanilahue. 
