Trekkers’ Dreamland, Patagonia, Chile

by

Basia Meder

The culmination of my twelve months’ trip around the world was a long dreamed-of  trek in Patagonia in South Chile. Standing quite apart from the lower ranges that surround it, the craggy mountains of the park make a breathtaking sight when first viewed from the road.

Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia is located on the eastern slope of the Andes Cordillera, in the Magallanes Region of Chile. The park is 400 kilometres north of the regional capital, Puenta Arenas, and 150 kilometres from the nearest town, Puerto Natales. The uniqueness of the park was recognised in 1978 when UNESCO declared it status as a world heritage area.

The Torres del Paine circuit is the longest and one of the most popular treks in the park. The full circuit, about 86 kilometres, is normally done in seven days. Side trips and rest days might stretch the walk out to 10 days or more. I spend thirteen wonderful camping days there and walked about 160 kilometres with three new friends.

After crossing a bridge on the Ascencio River, the track heads for a group of mountains called Macizo Paine, which is the most spectacular orographical group in the world. This is the heart of the park with the most unique features. Macizo is composed of granitic rock formed twelve million years ago. The torres themselves are three distinctive pinnacles of hard Andean batholith rock. The imposing summit of the tallest tower stands some 2900 metres above sea level and overlooks the intensely glaciated and barren surroundings 250 metres below. Next, the path leads across bare country full of white daisies and gorgeous calafate berries near to the Paine River. After that, the track climbs over ridges and a pass with a wonderful vast panorama of Lake Paine below, with a variety of peaks beyond it.

An exciting experience quickened my pulse one evening. Sitting with friends around the campfire we saw a huge white puma! We were stock still with amazement. She observed us for a few minutes before she disappeared into the surrounding forest.

The following day I arrived to the area of spectacular Dickson Lake, with the impressive backdrop of Dickson Glacier. Walking ahead the trail, passing by Indian Head, I come to the Dogs River. Continuing upstream, first through rich beech forest with some boggy sections, I reach the John Garner Pass at 1300 metres, the highest point on the circuit.  There is an awe-inspiring view of the enormous seventeen-kilometre-long Grey Glacier, a fractured mass of ice choking the valley. It was a strong experience to be here for a moment by myself.

A steep track then descends into light beech forest.  Grey Glacier disgorges into Grey Lake, sending numerous glossy icebergs to gradually drift south across the lake’s turquoise waters. Near Lake Pehoe there is a magnificent view to the Cuernos del Paine, jagged turrets of a resistant layer of sedimentary black shale covering the granite base. Extremely strong wind pushes me ahead to the next valley. The next significant spot is Frances River and Frances Glacier dropping down from the Paine Grande Range with the highest peak in Torres del Paine (3050 metres). The summit is copped by the so-called hongos de bielo (ice mushrooms), a phenomenon peculiar to the far southern Andes.

Torres del Paine National Park occupies a zone of climatic transition. It contains a diversity of flora and fauna (guanaco, nandu, puma and many birds).  After nearly two weeks in this amazing place, I left the park with the feeling that it fully deserves its world heritage status and it was a great place to be.