Category: Chile

Intro | Part I | Part II | Part III

Day 7 – Campamento Italiano

Map (link) | Distance: 7.5 km + 5 km | Time: 1.75 hours + 3 hours

The hike from Paine Grande to Italiano is one of the shortest hikes in the park, designed so hikers can enjoy a “day hike” past Italiano to a pair of mountainside lookouts (Francés and Británico) which make up the middle leg of the “W”. Knowing this, we set out before sunrise hoping to maximize our daylight hours for the day hike.

The hike to Italiano was fairly straight forward: we left the windy peninsula of Paine Grande and headed East across hillsides and streams, stopping periodically to admire a lakeside view. We arrived at camp fairly early (before many campers had even woken up), set up our tents, and checked in with the Ranger. The Ranger gave us some tips and directions, but informed us that the second lookout, Británico, was closed due to poor weather.

The day hike is bit awkward: it travels along the mountain side so the footing is tricky, full of rocks and inclines. We reached Francés Glacier after an hour and rested a minute to appreciate our fourth glacier of the week. Then we actually continued on, hoping to see more (the weather in Patagonia changes so frequently that we hoped the trail would clear up, contrary to the Ranger’s recommendation). Unfortunately the wind and rain only worsened so we turned back before getting lost (or worse) and had warmed our hands drinking tea and cooking dinner to rest up before a long hike to Chileno the next day.

Awake before the sun at Paine Grande

Arriving at Italiano, built beside this raging glacial stream

Looking upstream at Frances from a distance

View from Frances lookout (though overcast)

Day 8 – Chileno

Map (link) | Distance: 16 km | Time: 5.5 hours

The hike to Chileno was an exhausting day. We got on the trail a bit later than usual (I slept in) and paid for it with a long hike through the middle of a hot afternoon. We started off in hilly lakeside grassland and forest, which were actually delightful in the morning hours (some of the lake views were incredible, and we passed the oft-photographed Cuernos).

However, we left the forest just as the sun was reaching its peak and began a 4-hour hike uphill through open grassland. Many stops for water and sunscreen later, we started to see the mountain range surrounding los Torres which helped to put a spring in our step and push us up the final hill to Refugio Chileno.

After checking in we set up our tents, which involved a new twist for our last night. Because the campsite is built on the side of a mountain, every tent gets erected on a wooden platform using a hammer and nails instead of stakes!

The campsite and lodge are beautifully nestled between a stream and mountain, under the gaze of los Torres. Dinner that night was included in our reservation, so we enjoyed some salmon, rice, and salad (real food!) before watching the sunset (what a view) and heading to sleep.

Setting out in the morning

Lake side, from the beach

Crossing another bridge

Approacing Nordernskjold Lake

The lake was (unusually) still and gave us this beautiful reflection

Hiking under the sun…

…all afternoon

Winding our way through the final ridges

Our view at the campsite

Tent on the side of a hill

Day 9 – Our Final Hike

Map: (link) | Distance: 4 km + 2 km | Time: 2 hours  + 1.5 hours

Over the course of eight days on the trail we grew into a pretty standard sleeping pattern: sunlight = awake. So we had fine tuned our ability to fall asleep and wake up early, but our last night really pushed us. Researching for the trip we learned that a must-do activity in the park is watching the sunrise at the Torres del Paine. Which means starting your final (2-hour) hike to the Torres well before any daylight arrives. For us, that meant setting an alarm for 4:45 am, sleeping in our hiking clothes, and eating a Cliff bar on the trail (no time for breakfast).

The hike was a little tricky: everything was pitch black outside of our headlamps’ paths and we were navigating climbing switchbacks through a forest. Fortunately the trail markers contained reflectors, so we only got lost a couple times, and we made the summit fairly quickly. We were actually the very first group to reach the top! So we settled into our sleeping bags and broke out our celebratory chocolate.

7:50 am

7:57 am

8:05 am

8:10 am

8:20 am

8:35 am

Truthfully we were hoping for a more dazzling display of light, but even in overcast weather it was a treat to watch the Torres greet the day. And what better place to sit and reflect than a peaceful glacial lake surround by mountain tops? Looking back, it was a quick week in which we’d graduated from being hiking rookies, bested the elements, and lived more than a handful of post-card-worthy moments.

King of the world

From Mirador (Lookout) Grey

The rest of the day was a mostly wrap-up. After lunch at Chileno we headed downhill to the trailhead, celebrated with a beer, and boarded the bus back to Peurto Natales where hot showers and fresh food awaited. From there we enjoyed a couple great celebratory meals (Angelica’s is highly recommended) and began our journey back home.

Intro | Part I | Part II | Part III

Day 4 – Campamento El Paso (John Gardner Pass ⛰️)

Map (link) | Distance: 8 km | Time: 7.5 hours

We had been gently warned by the rangers that most hikers should leave camp around 7:30 am to climb the John Gardner Pass, so despite the rain and chill we were up and on the move early on Day Four. Luckily the rain had calmed down over night so packing our tents up wasn’t too messy and we set out on our relatively short but very steep hike (the Pass is the highest part of the trail, at just under 1,200 m).

The trail started out with the forest and dirt we’d grown accustomed to, but turned to rocky switchbacks before long. The rocks made our footing a touch unsteady, and more than once my wobbly ankles almost rolled. Fortunately the weather had blown out after its overnight outburst, so we had relatively clear skies to make our upward grind tolerable and we reached the pass in just a couple of hours!

One of the great things about Torres del Paine is that it has so many beautiful features. Magazines often feature the Cuernos del Paine. Everybody makes time to visit the namesake Torres. And there are countless viewpoints and tours of Glacier Grey’s Southern tip. But for me, reaching the Gardner Pass takes the cake. There was something incredibly rewarding about climbing the 1,200 m and feeling exhausted but proud. Then just as you’re beginning to feel big, a king literally on top of the world, Glacier Grey slaps you in the face. You look out on a sheet of ice stretching further than you can even comprehend. It contains more white, greys, and blues than your eyes can register in its cracked surface and exposed depths. It stretches as far as you can see, ending only in purer and larger snow capped mountains. It was a truly humbling reminder that the Earth is just so much bigger than us. It’s just so much…ice.

Starting out bright and early

Looking ahead…the pass is there somewhere

Scrambling over rocks

Looking back at yesterday’s glacial lake

Same, same

Reflecting, proud of the climb

King of the world

Ice stretching beyond comprehension

Pictures can’t capture it’s beauty

The cracked surface is more incredible in person

The rest of the hike is relatively less grand. You turn back South and start working your way downhill. The hills are steep but there are often handrails and steps, (though that didn’t stop my Bambi-like grace from taking the express route once or twice) and a few lookouts through the trees reminding you of the inescapable ice sheet.

We arrived at Campamento El Paso in mid-afternoon a little tired from the day’s climb and pitched our tents before sitting about in the sun to warm up (the glacier is cold and we were tired). Dinner that night was a smaller affair as our “O-circuit” group had started to break apart as schedules diverged, but we still got to hear plenty of stories about Antarctic adventures and backpacking South America before we packed it in for the night.

Day 5 – Refugio Grey

Map (link) | Distance: 7 km | Time: 4.5 hours

Looking back, our near-perfect experience climbing the John Gardner Pass was pretty special. Because of its proximity to the Glacier Grey, and Patagonia’s generally hectic weather, the pass is frequently closed by Rangers, especially late in the season (when we visited). To that point: the two days after to our climb the trail was closed, and another two days later it was shut for the season. We just squeaked through!

Knowing this as we were reserving campsites we had actually bracketed in an extra day following the pass, and we awoke on Day 5 grateful for that. The weather had settled into a chilly rain (something to do with a giant glacier nearby?) and our legs were feeling some aches after the climb, so it was nice to start the day slowly. We hit the trail around 10 am after filling up on oatmeal and boiling enough water to brew our tea (Early Grey, hot).

The trail to Refugio Grey was almost entirely downhill through the same cliff side forest we had encountered the previous day. The views looking out at the glacier were similarly impressive, if somewhat diminished by overcast skies. And thankfully we had the views to enjoy, because what was billed as an easy stroll down to Grey became bit of a mental battle. A little bit because of the weather, but mostly because of our knees not enjoying the downhill slog. Almost five hours later we reached Grey tired, grumpy, wet (and probably smelly, it’d been five looong days).

Hitting the trail with dark skies ahead

Completely cloudy skies

We took our time crossing these bridges (don’t look down)

Staring back out at the glacier.

Nearing the end (marked by that island)

Finally glimpsing some icebergs

From Mirador (Lookout) Grey

But boy were we excited to arrive! Refugio Grey marks the Western start of the more built up “W Circuit” so in addition to camping spots and a cooking room, Grey had a full lodge complete with restaurant, bar, hotel, and spa. Hallelujah! We dropped our messy backpacks at the door and stumbled inside ordering “tres cervezas” and cheers’d to rejoining society! We spent the rest of the evening chatting with fellow hikers beside the fire place, enjoying a couple drinks, and honestly just appreciating the comfortable couch.

Day 6 – Refugio Paine Grande

Map (link) | Distance:  11 km | Time: 4 hours

After an evening spent relaxing, Day 6 became the easier day we needed. It was another late morning as none of us set an alarm, andeven when we finally sorted ourselves out we didn’t hit the trail right away. Refugio Grey is considered the starting of the “W Circuit” because of its proximity to and scenic viewpoints of Glacier Grey. So before leaving we wandered out to take our last looks.

So many blues

Pensive morning…

Larger than life

Seriously. Large.

Glacier Selfie!

Afterwards we hit the trail, heading south to Paine Grande, and though the skies were grey the worst of the clouds blew over and our hike was dry. Much of the trail looked like our first couple of days: long grass and stubby trees. Knowing the day’s hike was relatively short we took our time, stopping for photographs and snacks throughout the afternoon.

Arriving at Paine Grande we were quick to understand how it earned the nickname “tent graveyard”. The lodge and campground are situated on a peninsula between two lakes, and wind gusts consistently threatened to uproot everything not bolted down. This was definitely our most nerve wracking tent set-up. Luckily our tents held on and, even though it was a noisy night, we woke early the next day with all our belongings!

Starting out, the mountains are always a prescence

Evidence of previous forest fires

The park is seriously strict about fires now

Enjoying the scenery

Finally approaching Paine Grande

I really went overboard to ensure my tent was weighed down

Intro | Part I | Part II | Part III

Day 1 – Campamento Serón

Map: (link) | Distance: 13 km | Time: 4.5 hours

Saturday morning was an early one. We had a 7 am bus ride to the park ahead of us, which meant getting up at dark o’clock and double checking our backpacks before heading out. Fortunately our hostel, the Erratic Rock, provides a warm breakfast every morning so we made our way to the bus full of homemade bread, oatmeal, and omelettes, if a little sleepy.

The pre-dawn bus ride to the park let us see some brilliant scenes as sunrise played out on distant mountains, and by the time we were dropped off at the trailhead we were pretty excited. A final taste of normal (a muffin) in the gift shop and we were off!

The first day of hiking was a nice ease into the routine. Our bags doesn’t hurt (yet), the hills were gradual, and the weather was fantastic. The shuttle-bus contingent quickly split up as every group found their pace, and soon enough the three of us were casually strolling through nature and sunny skies. The path to Campamento Serón is mostly hilly grassland on the Eastern periphery of the mountains, following a winding river North for much of the afternoon. It was funny at times to think we had just traveled two days  when the hike felt so similar to Ontario’s Bruce Trail. But every far-off mountain peak was a quick reminder otherwise, and we spent much of the afternoon taking breaks and doing our best Owen Wilson impressions (wow!).

Our first night in camp was pleasant, if a little windy. As it was the first time setting up our new tents, we were happy to find spacious, level spots sheltered from the worst of the elements. We ate our first camp meals and chatted a little with our new “O Circuit” family of campers before settling in for the night with plans for an early rise.

Starting-off on the trail. The trail was a bit wet but the skies were gorgeous.

Walking through tire tracks (for the first two days)

“Everything the light touches…”

Our trail followed this winding river, always heading towards the mountain.

Distant mountains were a constant

As was relatively flat grassland.

Arriving at Seron for our first night

Day 2 – Refugio Dickson

Map (link) | Distance: 18 km | Time: 7 hours

Our first morning on the trail was a learning experience. Despite well meaning plans to rise early and head out after a quick bite, we didn’t actually start hiking until almost 10 am. Repacking your bag (from inside the tent) and disassembling a tent took longer than anticipated. We got much better on subsequent days.

The trek to Dickson was quite similar to the previous day’s. We spent the morning following the same winding river and the weather remained promising with blue skies and puffy clouds stretching to the horizon. The biggest difference in the trail began as we turned West into the valley. The map noted that the trail would feature “Heavy Winds” at this point, and we were curious to find out what that meant. For me, it finally illustrated the expression “screaming winds” as a constant gale force wind rang in your ears and threatened to bowl you over for 2 km before we could descend into forest.

The rest of the day was much tamer. We wandered the valley’s hillsides through forest and long grass. At times I was reminded of summers spent golfing back home, searching for my ball in the wild – unkempt – long grass, just with stubbier trees and prettier horizons. I even grew frustrated throughout the day as I sweated and chafed (I had been wearing my backpack improperly), a true callback to my golfing years!

After a final climb we descended into Refugio Dickson, beautifully perched on the shores of a glacial lake (our first glacier sighting!). We set our tents up nestled within the trees (quickly learning to avoid the wind) and explored the campgrounds: rocky beaches on the lake, horses roaming freely, and communal buildings including a small store, showers, and lodge/cafeteria. This was the first night that our “O Circuit” family got to know each other, many of us stayed up chatting in the lodge until it was too dark to find our tent.

Starting out at sunrise

We watched the the wind start small tornadoes in this lake for a few minutes…

Stopping for a photo…hat’s off to prep for the wind

Stopping for a drink. Fresh glacier water right out of the stream

Hiking in the trees provided some coverage

The trail still features long grass (fescue?)

But mountains still dominate the scenery

Looking down into Refugio Dickson, glacier in the background

The lodge at Dickson, photo borrowed from onlyadayaway.com/refugio-dickson-review/

Day 3 – Campamento Los Perros

Map (link) | Distance: 11.8 km | Time: 6 hours

Our second morning on the trail started off a bit smoother: our tents got packed smoothly and breakfast was quick. We were in the first half of campers to leave. So we had high hopes for the day, even if it looked like the weather was turning.

Admittedly, I didn’t have large expectations for Day Three’s hike. On the map it looked like a logistical shuffle that would require covering some distance and elevation, setting up hikers for the next day’s mountain climb at the John Gardner Pass. Fortunately I was wrong. It wasn’t an easy day; it featured a steady climb through mountain forests for the first half of the day, followed by a rocky trail testing your ankles in a windy valley. But the trek had some of the best views on the trail. The first half of the day climbed high, giving us great views looking back at Dickson Glacier (and Argentina), while the second half featured steady progress towards Los Perros Glacier and it’s beautiful green lake.

Rain threatened for most of the day, but held off long enough for us to reach camp and pitch our tents. We were luckily gathered in the communal cooking room (a make shift building with three shared tables) when the rain finally hit. In the span of an hour we witnessed a downpour, hail, and snow, before it settled into a steady rain for the night. A few of our fellow campers were rained out, so we all spent some time helping move tents or dig moats to ensure everyone was safe before tucking in for a fitfull sleep (I thought every loud gust of wind would blow me away to Oz). Somehow this was one of my favourite nights, and we all awoke early the next morning ready to climb a mountain!

Starting out in the woods

Climbing back out of Dickson, we could see the glacier again

Looking back at the glacier

Charlotte also having a drink

Drinking right out of a glacier stream (Robin)

This orange quasi-swamp land was like walking on a sponge

Can never escape the mountains…

…or glacier rivers

Just beautiful

Resting beside our second glacier of the day

Frigid and windy (I was actually knocked off my feet) but beautiful

Preview of tomorrows hike