|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Torres Del Paine
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Another stolen picture that has nothing to do with Patagonia |
Towers of Paine. these way out names are really a bit worrying. Although to scale them I'm sure they live up to that name. But the towers are only one part of this stunning area. Located a hundred or so kilo's north of Punta Natales, this is the premier hiking spot in Chile, and arguably the best that South America has to off. Very debatable, but I can vouch for this area being really rather stunning. The Park itself consists of the Paine massif, the mighty Glacier grey and some strange coloured lakes in and rivers. The main attraction for the idle tourist is the views of big mountains over lovely lakes. The aspirant day walker get to view the mountains up close, with walks into the Torres possible in a day. But the real rewards are saved for those hiking into the mountains. The two main trails, know as the circuit and the W can be done separately or together. for scenery the W is possibly the better, and certainly easier to complete on a limited schedule. But, being the masochist that I am, I preferred the sustained feel of the circuit. The walk above the glacier from the pass is actually rather taxing and the big distances covered add to a feeling of intimacy that the W's mass tourism does not seem to engender. Don't get me wrong, the W is amazing. Its just that you will be sharing it with others. Even watching the sun rise over the Torres is not going to be a solo affair, despite the fact it takes a bit of will power to get there in time for the photo. However, even on the W, there are the more remote spots. Not everyone heads up Valle Francis, the second of the three arms of the W. This big bowl of granite is well worth a visit, and you can at least have a sunrise alone here. Glacier Grey, at the western most arm of the W is also amazing, and if you have the gear, a walk on its exotic blue surface is fantastic. There are a couple of routes to the glacier, but the best is to climb down from the lower campsite, a fun scramble over smoothed rock. The circuit continues north from here over the pass and round the north of the Paine Massif. This northern section is mainly in stunning forest, and the Eastern bit is through flat meadows and over scrubby hills. From the moneyed folk, there are hotels in the park, and organised tours can be arranged. Whatever way you choose to see the park be ready to have your breath taken away. Seeing genuine alpine peaks rise nearly 3000m from the flat plains is something that no IMAX is going to get close to. The colours of the Lakes, especially Pehoe, is something that only graphics artists normally imagine, and the torres themselves are canines of pure magic. The Lenga Forests and delicate flowers, with Calafte bushes to graze off keep us botanically fascinated types intrigued, and the odd condor or guanaco makes for something of a wildlife experience |
| Paths are excellent in the park, and navigation will never be a problem. Transport to the park is easy to arrange in Punta Natales, but hitching is easy enough. Transport back is difficult if you hitch, but the tour operates will always accommodate you (for a price) The walking is of a moderate standard. There are some climbs, but these are not very long. However, the topography can be quiet rolling, and hence fitness is required. Some sections are dead flat, which is easy walking, until the wind gets up and tries to flatten you. Hostels do occur throughout the park, however, when I visited they were not well enough spaced to allow a tentless circuit hike. It is possible to do the W without a tent, but getting deep into Valle Francis will take a big day walk. Some food can be bought at the Refugio's, but this is never guaranteed. Our complaint was that the food cost almost as much as in Argentina! The Glacier Grey area see very unpredictable weather, and often fairly shitty stuff. So be ready for rapid changes in conditions. The large volumes of ice mean that even in the height of summer, the wind (which almost always comes from the west) can be icy. A pretty good map (with occasionally weird English) can be bought locally and is more than enough to find all the routes. Oh, rats and mice are a problem in the more popular campsites. No fires are allowed, so bring that MSR, and you are supposed to stay in the official campsites, about half of which you have to pay for (but if you mail me I might let you know where the good free camping spots are) |