It was raining cats and dogs and I lay in bed in Puerto Natales, worrying about my food choices, the potential of mice eating through my tent and the strong gusts of wind. So when I arrived at the bus station for my 7am bus I was far from well-rested. It was a hectic mess of people trying to find the right bus. There were about 8 departures in a half an hour time span. At Laguna Amarga I had to switch to a van for the last transfer into the park. In the distance stood the iconic Torres, the towers you see in many pictures of Torres del Paine national park. It was my destination for the day. Day one of a five day trek through the mountains.
Lots of people started hiking from the Torres hotel today. I hoisted up my backpack and followed the signs to the Chileno sector. The first section was flat, followed by about an hour long uphill section to the Paso de los vientos, the windy pass. You really couldn’t miss it because the wind hit you like you were body checked by a rugby player. I’d now gained a fair bit of altitude and had to descend a bit into the Chileno camp. Below, on my right, a river flowed. Behind me was the lake surrounded by the rolling green hills.
The Chileno refugio was buzzing with people. I left my bag in a row of others and only took a small backpack with some essentials. Essentials should have included more clothing… It was so warm hiking up that I didn’t even consider how cold it could get when you stop. The path snaked through a forest, occassionally providing a view of the valley and mountains on the other side. It was busy. There were a lot of guided day trip groups that were hard to pass. Only the very last section was challenging, since it became a scramble over big rocks that steeply led to the Torres base lookout. To add some flavour, mother nature decided to add some snowflakes to the mix.
So finally at the mirador I saw a bunch of people taking silly pictures in front of what should have been the Torres. The three towers were mostly hidden in a persistent cloud that hugged them like a cloak. I had plenty of time, so thought I could wait to see if it improved. However, it was freezing! I ate my lunch with my gloves on and had to start moving to warm up. After a little while I decided to return as it didn’t look like the cloud would move.
The return to the camp went pretty fast, but then came the check in drama. The line consisted of perhaps 10 to 12 people, but it took an hour before it was my turn. They had problems with meal bookings and took ages to find reservations and explain the campsite to people. It was painful. Eventually I left with a tag to put on my tent and instructions on where to find my platform. The first time pitching a tent on a wooden platform was interesting. This one had some nails I could use and other people had left some heavy rocks. Luckily the wind wasn’t too bad today. Perfect practice!
I had booked dinner at the refugio today. At 7pm my slot started and I sat with a bunch of Americans, who coincidentally came from the same region. We got lentil soup with the most delicious toast slices, chicken and rice, and a lovely dessert. Even though it was early and light until late, I went to bed. It was super cold and this was actually the only night on the trail where I couldn’t sleep well because of it. Despite this, I think Chileno was my favorite campsite.
