Torres del Paine - The W+ Trek (part 2) |
Day 3 - Pehoe to Refugio Los Cuernos (19km - 600m ascent - 600m descent) |
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Thick bush on the way to Lago Skottsberg |
The beautiful ciruelilla - a beacon in the rain |
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The twin channels of Rio Frances near Campamento Italiano |
The mists swirl about Los Cuernos de Paine |
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Climbing the beech-covered morain |
Upper and lower sections of Glacier Frances |
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Rio Frances in its rocky bed |
Leaving Campamento Italiano to cross the heath flats |
It had rained below but snowed on high |
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Backward look to Valle del Frances and Grande Paine |
The north shore of Lago Nordenskjold - can you spot the albergue? |
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View up a pebbly creek bed to Los Cuernos |
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The path around Lago Nordernskold crossed rocky headlands ... |
... and at times led us along stony beaches |
Day 4 - Refugio Los Cuernos to Albergue Chileno (20km - 1020m ascent - 620m descent) |
Good morning Los Cuernos |
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Albergue Los Cuernos on the shore of Lago Nordenskjold |
View back along the north shore of Lago Nordenskjold |
Soon we were back on the track, crossing a fast-flowing stream via a wooden bridge and climbing steadily up a hill to the east of the refugio. Views opened up back over the lake and, as we reached the crest, we farewelled Cerro Paine Grande, its dark shape still brooding behind a veil of white mists. Across the lake, the grass-covered hills appeared bright green, contrasting with the turquoise colour of the lake. Once again the track was lined with the pinwheels of ciruelillas, firy red and orange in the bright sunlight, while below small cream flowering herbs were out in abundance. It was a glorious morning and the birds of Paine were singing - even a frog joined in the chorus.
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Panorama of Lago Nordenskjold and distant Paine Grande |
The 3m span of the condor |
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Descending a drier tussock covered valley |
The beautiful landscapes of stunted beech |
Looking toward the western end of Lago Nordenskjold |
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The tranquility of a small alpine lake ... |
... home to the upland goose |
Pancake clouds - a common sight in Patagonia |
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Landscape of the lower slopes |
Lower section of Rio Ascencio |
Looking up the Valle del Ascencio |
Crossing the swing bridge to Albergue Chileno |
Lunch in the sun at Albergue Chileno |
Heading further up beech-clad Valle del Ascencio |
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After an hour of meandering through this forest, we emerged at the clearing of Campamento Torres - ahead the snow-capped ranges lining the Valle de Silencio looked like a black-and-white photo as dark grey clouds drifted in from the west. Our goal, however, was in a different direction, the mirador of the Torres, less than a kilometre away, but 400m higher up at the end of steep boulder morain. Climbing up first beside it, then scrambling up the bigger central blocks, we emerged at the crest to a collective wow! |
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The four spires of Torres del Paine above in their glacial cirque |
L to R - Torres de Agostini (2850m), Central, Norte and the edge of Monzino |
Zooming in on mist-shrouded Torres Central and Norte |
Day 5 - Albergue Chileno to Albergue Torres (6km - 90m ascent - 410m descent) |
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View down Valle Ascencio toward Hosteria Torres |
The clouds gather over the Patagonian lakes |
Ribbon fall on the rock face of Cerro Paine |
People were already on their way up; serious trekkers with backpacks full of camping gear, guided groups of daywalkers, people on horseback, of all ages and sizes, all keen to get to the Torres mirador. The attraction of these rock spires reaches all! Hopefully, the cloud building up would clear for them, as it had done yesterday. |
Mini-canyon cut by Rio Ascencio |
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The pyramid of 2640m Cerro Almirante Nieto |
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For those who seek luxury - Hosteria Torres |
Trek's end - celebrating with a bottle of Austral cerveza |
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