Since I got in late last night this was an organizational day. Call some people, post something new on the blog and gather 8 days worth of food. This is the base town for visiting the all mighty PN Torres del Paine!!! I decided to do the whole circuit which includes the "W". This trail takes anywhere from 7 to 10 days depending on your speed, side trails and rest days. My plan was not to cross 8 but who knows. Everybody is raving about this park so my expectations are really high.
Wednesday, 16 II 2011
I got on a bus at 7:30am (2h - 10,000 CLP - there and back). I think the entrance is a bit expensive (15,000 CLP extranjeros, 4,000 CLP nationals) but oh well here I go :)))
I chose to do the circuit counterclockwise. First three camping grounds are on private land and you have to pay (4,000 CLP) to stay there. Also it is NOT allowed to camp anywhere. Screw that. I paid for the park entrance and I'm not intending to pay for the camping grounds. Either or but not both. There are some free camping sites but further away. Only some of the paid ones offer hot showers but that's luxury that I can do without and just wash up in the rivers.
Unfortunately the first day did not offer much views. On the beginning and on the end I could see some cool mountains on the horizon but most of the time it wasn't anything special.
I made camp half way between first and second paid camp ground. To my surprise Florent (French) and Francesca (German) arrived later on. First time we met in Perrito Morreno town on Ruta 40. From there we kept running into each other here and there in the mountains hehe.
Thursday, 17 II 2011
I made a plan to do the circuit in 7 days. I walk fast so I didn't have to jump out of my sleeping bag super early. As long as I start hiking by 11am I'll be fine.
The views got really interesting from refugio/campamento Dickson on. It is situated by the lago Dickson where on the opposing end glacier Dickson enters the water.
From there you have to climb. Most of the trail was in the forest hence not too interesting but there was a great mirador where you could see awesome mountains all around. The laguna was created by another glacier called Los Perros. Truly spectacular stuff. Paid campamento Los Perros was on the north side of the laguna so I backtracked down a bit. I waited for Florent and Francesca and we hid away from the trail by the river for the night.
Friday, 18 II 2011
Today it is time to conquer the pass. The weather is iffy with clouds up to no good. At first you have to wade your way through a swampy forest and then make your way through the rocks. It was drizzling on and off so I put on a rain cover on my backpack. The wind was hauling and I thought about securing the cover to the backpack but instead I just tighten the elastic cord. Not a minute later a gust of wind came suddenly and stole it! I did not even have a second to react. I saw it tumbling down the mountain with an enormous speed. All I did was wave to it goodbye. Farewell backpack cover.
It was hard to walk across the pass with all the wind and rain droplets accelerated by it were like needles. On the other side laid a reward.
WOW!!! WOW!!! WOW!!!
As Glaciar Perito Moreno put me on my knees Gkaciar Grey paralyzed me!
The sea of blue ice... The only way to describe this view is to see it for yourself. Million of words would have to be combined into one and it still wouldn't do it justice. I'm humbled and speechless in the presence of such nature... It's hypnotizing and I can't break free. It's not moving, it's not changing yet it can't get boring.
The ice is crawling down from the jagged mountains in the background and spills out in every direction. Even further in the background clouds are hiding more of it. On and off icy peaks show its slopes. They dissolve within the white cloud massive and you can't distinguish where one begins and the other one ends... Sometimes I wonder if it is a phantasm or maybe I'm just dreaming. I strain my eyes to the point of tearing. Which one is it??? I can't tell. The mystery is there and I prefer it that way anyway...
As I walked down I got closer and could look into the crevasses. It was dangerous because I was watching the glacier instead of the trail and I could have tumble down very easily. I pushed on to Campamento Los Guardas. I watched the sunset for more then two hours which seemed like a second.
Ice crystals glistening in the evening sun... Shadows playing hide and seek in between the dark crevasses... Chaldy blekitnego lodu sciela horyzont kryjac sekrety milionów lat...
Saturday, 19 II 2011
Today was a longer day than I wanted to get to Campamento Italiano. I had to leave Glaciar Grey behind and I really didn't want to.
I don't understand why trail "W" that is the most popular ends at Refugio Grey?! Sure you can see the glacier but only front of it. Unless you see it from the middle and from above you haven't seen nothing. The "W" should go at the very least up to Campamento Los Guardas or even about an hour further where you can enjoy this ice beauty.
Hot day without a cloud in the sky. On the last leg los Cuernos came into view and the hike became more manageable. It was starting to get a bit boring.
Campamento Italiano was hidden in the forest and masses occupied it. I found the only spot with some views and away from everybody. It was on the end of the camping (or maybe it was already outside) as you would walk into the Valle del Francés. I had views of Cerro Paine Grande which was occupied by Glaciar del Francés. From time to time it would send down clouds of ice/snow down the slopes.
Sunday, 20 II 2011
Finally a relaxing day. The plan was to just go to the mirador inside the Valle del Francés put up a hammock somewhere and enjoy the views. That did not happen of course as my curiosity got the best of me...again.
The valley is stunning!!! It looks like you're in a courtyard of a castle and all the mountain around are walls with lookout towers guarding the entry. I got to the mirador relatively fast. Then I decided to go up a bit more to have a better picture of the whole valley. Every time I got to a rim there was another one a bit farther. As I said my curiosity got the best of me and I was just climbing and climbing. My mission changed and now I wanted to have a peak into the Valle del Silencio. I was climbing up loose rocks (what's new?!) between Cerro Fortaleza and Cerro Espada. Torre Sur came into view and it was THE view. Unfortunately my hard work wasn't rewarded with the view down the other side :((( On the end of this little valley there was a small ice field stretched side to side. I cursed myself for not having crampons. Another 5 minutes on the ice and I would be able to look into the Valle del Silencio. I was soooooooo close.
The way down was even more tricky on these loose rocks/boulders. The saying says "Curiosity killed the cat." I didn't have to worry since it didn't kill the Dzik hehe.
So again I was hiking/climbing a whole day and my hammock didn't see the light of day.
Monday, 21 II 2011
Another long day in which I wanted to get to Campamento Torres. It was a loooooooooong boring trail. With Metallica giving me the motivation I was powering through it. It finally got nice on the end once I entered Valle Ascencio.
In the camp guardaparque told me I can't go to Valle del Silencio because it's dangerous and only climbers go there after registering and signing wavers in the office in Puerto Natales. After conversing with him for few minutes he told me how much time do I need for it and how to do it. The only thing was that this conversation never happened hehe.
Tuesday, 22 II 2011
Sunrise was going to be around 6:15am. Many people walk up to the mirador (45min) to see the Torres light up in red. I was about to do that as well but as I got out of the tent I felt the rain drops. I dove back into my tent and into my sleeping bag for some more zzzzzzzzzzz...
I woke up around 8:30am, ate breakfast and headed out to Valle del Silencio. There was an overcast but I was optimistic and hoped it'll start to clear up. I was wrong. Instead of clearing up it started raining again. The trail was overgrown a bit with bushes which collected water. My pants got wet and I wasn't having that much fun anymore. I went a bit past Campamento Japonés (1h) and turned around. I wouldn't see much anyway with the damn clouds hanging low.
The Torres were hidden in the clouds as well so I dove into my tent. It was noon. I've red, wrote, slept and watched a movie. Didn't look good for tomorrow either but one can hope.
Wednesday, 23 II 2011
Unfortunately my predictions were right. The clouds were hiding the Torres. I could see some blue sky in a distance so I decided to wait a bit. I ate breakfast and rolled my camp. I left the backpack with guardaparque Manuel and headed up to the mirador. I got there quicker then I thought but it was for nothing. I could see the laguna and some of the glacier but not the towers. It looked like it wanted to clear up but it wasn't happening. I waited for an hour and still nothing. I guess I'll have to see the trio from up close some other time. I've seen one of them from behind and all of them from farther away so it's cool.
Without much time to spare I headed down quickly to catch a 2:30pm bus to Puerto Natales (the only other one is at 8pm).
It was time to take long awaited shower and eat lots of ice creams hehe. Mission accomplished.
I have to say I was expecting more from PN Torres del Paine. It is so hyped up that my expectations were really high and sometimes I was disappointed. Some sections were incredible but some were just plain. I have to say that overall I enjoyed the area around Monte Fitz Roy a bit better. It was still a great hike with a views that won't be forgotten!
https://picasaweb.google.com/maurycy.sarosiek/ChileTorresDelPaineTrek#
Thursday, 24 II 2011
I took a bus at 10:00am to Punta Arenas (3h - 4,000 CLP).
Feeling really tired and lazy I found a hostel and relaxed for a while. I went for a stroll around the town in the evening. The city didn't strike me as interesting. The waterfront was trashed and popular with young kids riding their skateboards and bikes up and down special ramps.
There was an interesting cemetery filled with some small and some elaborate mausoleums. Yet other sections had few story buildings of coffins above and next to each others.
It is a descent size city and it didn't have that cozy or far away deep south feeling to me.
Friday, 25 II 2011
There is a Zona Franca or Duty Free shopping on one end of town. Things are cheaper but I couldn't find a good backpack cover to replace the one stollen by wind.
I wanted to see the penguins. There is one huge colony on Isla Magdalena and a small one on the beach of Seno Otway. To go to the island you have to pay 25,000 or 33,000 CLP = too expansive for just some small penguins. I chose the cheaper option - 7,000 CLP transport there and back (70km - 44mi) + 6,500 CLP entrance. Unfortunately the wind was blowing really hard sending chills down my back. Most of the penguins were hiding in their burrows. There was a group of about 30 that were huddled on the beach not doing much. Some of them were just plain lazy. One of them just lifted up, took a crap and then just sat right into it?! Other than that they were cute but that's about it. I was kind of disappointed.
https://picasaweb.google.com/maurycy.sarosiek/ChilePuntaArenas#
Saturday, 26 II 2011
Time to go to Ushuaia, a dedo of course. I couldn't believe how lucky I got when after about 20 minutes of waiting Alejandro y Angelica from Santiago took me all the way there. The ride wasn't much interesting as we were traveling through pampa (steppe). It took us all day.
Goodbye Chile, welcome Argentina... again lol.
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