Hiking in Torres del Paine, Chile

Torres del Paine is a national park in the Extreme South region of Patagonian Chile. It is located in the southern tiers of the Andes and features mountains, lakes and glaciers.

My original plan to hike the W Circuit was almost destroyed by my 14 Kg backpack. I did not realize how heavy it was until I was dropped near the trailhead.

I thought that I would be the only person started from the last bud stop today since all other passengers of bud got off already. Coinstantally, my backpacker friends from DC changed their plan at the last minute and decided to start with this trail 1st. I was glad to hike with them than by myself.

We started 1st day from the Centre/Administration of the park, and hiked via Campamento Las Carretas to Refugio Paine Grande. My tent and other gears were heavy and my shoulder hurt. I had to stop a few times to rest my back. I managed to finished 17.5 km in 4.5 hrs, and re-planned for day hikes to minimize the distance to carry my tent.

I wondered in the dinning area of the Refugio and run into two friends I met twice in Salta, Argentina. We exchanged our travel experience since we met last time. We did not really talk much when in salta and seized this opportunity to share our life stories. They lived in London and started traveling together after their work contracts expired. They will start a new life when getting back to UK.

The camping area has hot shower facility, an enclosed kitchen with gas stoves, tables, chairs, and utility outlets, was really nice. The camping area was not windy but rained the 1st night. Fortunately, my rental tent with holes stays dry.

I woke up to hike by myself the 2nd day since my friends from DC left the day before to hike a bigger circuit. I hiked to Refugio Grey to see views of Grey Glacier and then back to Refugio Paine Grande (15 km), slept at Refugio Paine Grande camp site for 2nd night.

While resting my left knee at Refugio Grey, I chatted with a gentleman who happened to be a US attorney living in colorado. He kindly loaned me one of his grand new hiking stick to get back to the camp site. We chatted about our hiking plan for the park, and he suggested some trails I cam take when visit rocky mountain national park.

After I returned the stick, i was in the campsite kitchen, and someone announced a lost stick found on the trail. I recognized it was his model of stick and tried to return the second one back to him. However, I also realized later that it is a popular model and used by many people. I gave it to the Reception desk of the Refugio overnight and took it the second day for my left knee since no one claimed for it.

On my way back from Refugio Grey, I run into a young couple for the 4th (5th) time by accident. How likely for that to happen! We met at least at a bus(or airplane) ride, in el Calafate, in el chenten, now here. I lost their email address last time, so they took my email address this time.

When charging my I-pod in the kitchen cabin, I chatted with an Canadian lady about her trip, retirement life, and her 37-yr marriage. There were ups and downs but they survived together. It was a pretty even partnership. It was her husband's turn to cook dinner tonight.

I then wondered in the Refugio dinning area to find a corner to do yoga and massage my knee. I saw another gentleman who I gentleman who I had a brief conversation in the kitchen and started chatting with him and his two brothers about their travel plan and life. They travel together once a year without their spouses.

The 2nd night was more windy and rainy. I was woken up once by the wind, and once by the cold. Then I waited 45 minutes for the kitchen area to open to hide and decide what to do on my 3rd day. I feel strongly to escape back to the city for a warm bed but I want to hike two more days to see two overlooks!

Every one there had the same struggle as mine. Some groups ventured out in cold rain and wind to reach the Frances valley (beautiful view on the snow-covered summits), but came back in 1-2 hours. Before noon, a few of us decided to leave the park since the bad weather would last for today. Even if the rain stops, the wind kicks in to make the trails difficult to hike and the cloud will cover the three torres/Towers del Paine (Spanish "Paine" is the old indigenos name for the colour blue), three immense rock towers give the park its name. During the return bus ride, I could have turned to the trail of the three towers, but two hikers told me the towers were behind snow fog today and are likely stay the same way tomorrow. Considering the risk of weather, my injured left knee, and another windy and rainy camping night, I continued my bus to leave the park.

I have never injured my knee this way. I would rather save my left knee for other places during my last 10 days in south America.