Torres del Paine is a national park in southern Chile known for its backpacking. What's funny is that the backpacking experience is much less serene than it should be because of how well known the place is and because of how developed it has become. Some of the trails and lodging options are just downright silly. But more on that later...
In general, Torres del Paine ("Towers of the Blue [Sky]") is absolutely stunning, containing jagged mountain peaks down to green pastures, huge ice fields and glaciers, as well as many amazing waterfalls. I will let the pictures below speak for the natural beauty.
There are 2 main routes in Torres del Paine, named after the shape that they trace out on a map. The "W" (in red below) is the easiest to access, has the most infrastructure, and can be comfortably done in 3-5 days. The "O", or the "circuit", (in red and blue below) combines the "W" with a loop over John Gardner Pass and is usually completed in 8-10 days (~110 km). Those routes are fine and all, but we were hoping to enjoy a section of the park less traveled. This is hard to do at such a popular park.
Enter the "Q" (red, blue, and yellow below). The advantage of the Q is that you don't have to rely on transportation within the park (which is expensive), you can more easily leave Pto Natales in the afternoon rather than dawn, you have better access to free camping on the 1st and last night of your trek, and you get to see more of the park. All wins.
(Torres del Paine trail map. Red shows the 3-5 day "W" route. Red and blue segments comprise the 8-10 day "O" route. Red, blue, and yellow make our "Q" route.)
A consistent highlight during our trip is when we get to see family and friends along the way. David and Christie, friends from Colorado, were able to take a vacation from their new (again) home in Peru to hike Torres del Paine. We are extremely happy that the timing worked out so well!
Jill and I hadn't planned on much backpacking, so we had a couple of things to figure out. Basically footwear and backpacks, as we had the rest of our camping gear. We found some relatively cheap and sturdy enough shoes in Ushuaia of all places, and were able to easily rent backpacks in Puerto Natales. Not quite the perfect fit, but they worked. Food planning was easy in Pto Natales - one stop at the grocery stores for all the oatmeal, tortillas, pasta, and cheese we would need for 10 days. And one stop at this little hiker heaven:
(dried food superstore, Pto Natales)
A bus ride took us to the entrance to the park, where we plunked down our almost US$40 (!!) each to go into the park. And that was just the first of many expensive fees, as most of the free campsites have been closed, forcing you to pay between US$8 and 16 per person per night to camp. You can see why we wanted to avoid the US$20 each-way catamaran ride, and try to catch as many free camping nights as possible.
The amazing and varied views that constantly surround you in Torres del Paine make it pretty easy to get over the expense of it. That is, provided the weather lets you take in those views.
(David walking towards Cerro Paine Grande)
(Refugio Paine Grande, where a tent city sprawls below Cerro Paine Grande)
(the quincho, or picnic shelter, gets crowded all the time, especially in inclement weather)
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(life on the "W" is still plugged in)
(us trying to stay warm at the top of Valle Francés)
(forest fires have hit this park hard in the past decades, usually started by careless backpackers)
(classic)
Even though Campamento Italiano, at the foot of Valle Francés, was officially closed, it turns into a tent city every night. It was one of the few free campsites that everyone anticipates staying at given its ideal location across the W. We got a bit of rain the night we poached it, and were in for a good solid day of it as we made our way past Cuernos (that place is crappy, and the most expensive - AVOID IT!) and on to camp at the Refugio las Torres.
(valley view, Valle Francés)
(Monte Almirante Nieto)
We spent basically one full day inside the lodge of Refugio las Torres drying out and warming up, even though we slept outside. Although we brought in our own food and spread our socks all over the place, they didn't seem to mind. We did buy a couple of boxes of wine from them to make it even. And we even helped them clean up the plates late at night. Well, we helped them clean
off the plates, but it's all the same, right?
(Jill, Christie, David and Mike at Campamento Chileno with the Torres in the background)
(Rio Ascensio)
(we were lucky to have clear skies to catch the towers. This is late afternoon after a day and a half of rain.)
(proof that we were there)
(just in case you were tempted)
The next morning we were excited to start our way around the circuit, leaving the busy "W" trail behind. The W is really busy. Lots of hikers going both directions on the one trail. Some have etiquette. Many don't. But it's fun to guess what language you should use for an "excuse me". Mike was batting around 20% on that one. Jill fared much better.
(Lunch at Campamento Serón. We decided to make this day a long one, skipping over the mosquito infested Serón to head on back to Refugio Dickson. Although it's 26 km (~16 miles) or so, it was mostly flat. Flatish. Some ups and downs. Ok, it was a long day.)
(Christie and David on their way to Dickson)
With the expense of visiting this park, there are some amenities that you just don't find in other national parks. Like a chance to take a hot shower at the refugios, even when camping. The chance to buy box wine (it's Chilean and just find by us!) almost every evening for a bit of a mark-up - it's twice as much as in town, but still only US$8 per liter. Access to toilets in various conditions, some even quite clean. The expense does not include impressive bridge work. For example, in the flat valley between Campamento Serón and Refugio Dickson there is an area that must always be really marshy. The first couple hundred meters was on a very nicely constructed pontoon style bridge. Then it stepped down a notch for a few tens of meters. Then down again. Then kind of left you wondering who just dropped 2x4's from a helicopter and called it a bridge:
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(Christie and David working their way through the marsh)
(I don't know what kind of cloud that is, but it's neat)
(after Campamento los Perros the mud fest continued)
(Looking up at the pass)
(Jill towering above the glacier)
(Mike, Jill, Christie and David on top of Paso John Gardner)
(Descending towards Glaciar Grey)
(Mike looking for a way out, Campamento Paso)
(Jill on the jungle gym that is the trail between Campamento Paso and the old Campamento Las Guardas, yet another closed, free campsite)
(wild and tasty Calafate berries. Supposedly tasting these berries will ensure your return to Patagonia...)
(magical forest)
(Mike's self portrait on top of the next ladder jungle gym)
(Nice campsite at Refugio Grey)
(Fire tree above Lago Grey)
(yet another example of the interesting bridge work you can find at Torres del Paine. Here, Jill crossing a bridge ON a bridge)
(Cerro Paine Grande seen from across Lago Pehoé)
(Jill hiking back out towards Campamento las Carretas, our last night on the trail)
Our return to Pto Natales allowed us to indulge on two wonderful evening meals of asado and pizza. Thanks again, Dave and Christie! That asado was the best! We also spent some time warming up in the kitchen of our hostel. You didn't even really have to be in the kitchen, just near it, and you can feel the heat from the traditional behemoth of a furnace that Chileans of the region call an oven.
(Cocina Magallanica. Typical stove for the Magallanes area of Chile. This thing turns the kitchen into a boiler room. And kind of heats food, too.)
(Mike and TA preparing to leave our hostel in Pto Natales. The staff at Koten Aike was super nice and helpful, allowed us to store the bike for 10 days, as well as lots of our riding gear)
With our camping gear back in its usual spot, our riding gear back on, we were ready to cover ground northwards...
