I just completed a 4 day hike/trek in the national park Torres del Paine in Southern Patagonia. Others have walked further, climbed higher, overcome harder obstacles, but these were mine. The hike were 53 km up and down in the Torres. The easy days, I only climbed 4-500 m. The longer days, 12-1300 m. By myself. Nobody to cheer me up, carry my gear or help me climb the tougher rocks.
Nobody had expected this 9 years ago, when I completed my first mountain hike. It was of course in India. 1 day up - Avilash (the guide) had said that the absolutely slowest person would be able to do it in 7 hours - it took me 8 1/2 - and it wasn't pretty. Fair enough, I had never been sporty, so it suited me well with a "drive and view relationship" with mountains.
But then, god help me, in the past 9 years I've become sporty, out doorsy and apparently even a masochist. And to me, this trip feels as last step in the transition. I've lost 20 kg's on the way and spent hours of working out, so to keep it simple: Im god damn proud (and ready for next trip).
Well, actually this post was supposed to be about Torres del Paine and from now on it will. The Torres is beautiful, wild, overwhelming, colorful, thought provoking and picturesque.
Day 1, I took the bus to Torres Central, dropped my sleeping bag in the refugio and started climbing to Torres Mirador. It would have been at least as expensive to rent tent, carry mat and cooking equipment, so I stayed in refugios (dorms) even if it meant some extra hours of hiking on the way.
4 1/2 hours upwards with amazing views as rewards.
Torres del Paine from the ground
View from a break
End of trail... Torres del Paine
Double up of torres del paine - the Chilean and my Danish towers (bottom left) - torres del paine means towers of pain.
Day 2 was a fairly easy, but nonetheless beautiful, walk along Lago Nordenskjöld. I'd been the first to leave in the morning, so the animals hadn't gone hiding yet. This little cute owl being one.
Soundtrack of the day was Beethovens piano sonatos with David Barenboim. Very suitable...
The destination of day 3 was Valle Frances (The French Valley). The location of the refugios added an extra 2 hours each way, which was easily made up for by the rainbow and the sunrise.
Campo Italiano was followed by a very steep and rocky climb. Unfortunately, my left hip couldn't cope with the uneven climb (it's been a bit wussy since the Futa - and I know hips can't be wussy, but mine has...), so I had to give up on the very last climb. Still a very beautiful hike of about 20 km.
In the evening, we were rewarded with one of those sunsets you just need to take pictures of, even if the pics will never be the same as the real experience.
On day 4, I got up and left while it was still pitch dark. I had to catch a ferry at 12.30 pm and had to walk 4 - 5 hours to reach the ferry point. (5 hours according to the map, 4 hours realtime).
Hooray for the sunrise! The entire valley was gloating in the morning rays of the sun.
A huge forrest fire had burned 128 square kilometres in December, due to a hiker who had lit a fire in spite of the rules against it. The last part of my hike was through a part of the burned area. Crasy. When the fire hadn't burned everything to the ground, you could see the bare black tree trunks and smell the ashes while walking. Beautiful, though scary.
The fire had almost reached the fairly new refugio Paine Grande, set out point for the ferry. You could see on the terrace, that the fire had reached there. That close!
And then finally... the ferry crossing with even more views.
And a guanacho for Jens (my not-god-son) and other animal lovers - it's peeing, which can be told by the lifted tail - and the fact that I could see it pee.
To end the story, the very last view at the towers of pain...
Location:Barros Araña,Natales,Chile
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