Date of Entry: March 22nd 2016

Date of Writing:  May 6th 2016,  Search House Hostel, Barra de Lagoa, Brazil.

First off, I’ve gotten Instagram so if you want to follow y adventures and some of my favourite photos please add me.  My name on instagram is awearoundtheearth.  Now onto the main attraction:

So for those who follow the blog you know three things.  One, I love hiking, Two I’ve never really been in good enough shape to properly perform multi day treks, and three I’ve recently lost about 50 pounds and am in better shape than I’ve been in for quite some time.  While there’s tons of other reasons for this last one, one of the biggest reasons for it is Patagonia.  I want to trek, I want to enjoy it, and my modified W trek to add an extra day is going to be my biggest challenge yet. I’ve never carried my own gear on a multi day hike before, but I’m eager to try, and Torres Del Paine National Park is a perfect place for it. So beautiful I’m sure to give it my all.

The effort begins in Yagan house, one of the best hostels I’ve ever stayed in, located in Puerto Natales, the chilean gateway to Torres Del Paine National park.  Here I am mulling my options of how to get the most out of Torres Del Paine without killing myself, as well as enjoying this incredibly cozy hostel and too many Barros Lucos Tocino from Masay Sandwiches, my favourite restaurant in Puerto Natales. If you need help deciding which hike is for you I’ll be writing a post about that very thing later this year so be sure to check it out.

In the end I decide the O circuit (8-9 days including one hard day over a pass) is too much for my first multi-day trek especially as I’m still having foot issues after my passage back from Antarctica on board the spirit of Sydney.  But the W (4 nights 5 days) is too basic and people keep showing me the views above glacier grey which isn’t really on the W.  In the end though I decide to do a modified 6 day W, staying two days at Grey campsite to allow me to head up above the glacier without my big bag on the second day of the trek.  Reflecting now, It was a good decision, but the O would have been a better one, as I think I could have done it.

Eventually I’ll get around to writing a post about how to pack for the treks in Torres Del Paine but for now let’s focus on the adventure.  Still a basic rundown.  I rented all my gear  (a 2 man tent, a camp stove and dishes, two trekking poles (never used them)  and a sleeping bag.)  from Yagan house hostel which has reasonable prices and good quality gear.  (Details coming soon.)  But for now here’s a picture of me packing my bag which ended up weighing about 22 kilos as I brought way too much food.

Yeah. I told you too much food.  But trekking makes you hungry and I didn’t want to be out in the mountains without any food.  At any rate the day after packing I head out of Puerto Natales on the 730 am bus (15,000 CLP  return trip.) and head to the park, about 3 hours away.  I’ve done all this before so I doze on the bus knowing what’s coming and gathering some energy for this trek which I’m more than a little nervous about.

We stop halfway to the park and I stretch my legs in the cold winds of Patagonia opting not to buy anything at the tourist roadside stop and then I’m back to dozing until we get to the park entrance where we get off the bus pay our park entry fee of 18,000 CLP  (Good for 3 consecutive days of entry or as many days as you remain in the park without leaving)  and then are herded into a room and made to watch a video about park rules and safety.  It’s mildly annoying to do it again but it’s for a good reason as a handful of years ago a wildfire set by stupid tourists accidentally ravaged the park, the ruined forests are still very much visible to us now.

Once the video is done we head back to the buses, listen to the drivers to find out where to go and then board another bus shifting our bus to get to Lago Pudeto where the catamaran ferry (12,00 CLP one way or 19,000 CLP return trip) (will take us to where I recommend starting the W from.  As we drive through this now familiar park my excitement starts to grow, as I know that this time I’m going to be able to spend a lot more time in these stunning mountains.  I even take a few photos out the dirty bus windows despite needing to preserve my camera battery for the trek.  But these photos are better, taken from just outside the park entrance.

We get to Lago Pudeto and I find I have just over an hour before the Catamaran leaves and decide that since we have been absolutely blessed with a beautiful day I’m going to take advantage of the extra time and run over to Cascada Grande, one of the biggest waterfalls in the park.  It’s a bit of a rushed climb but it’s totally worth visiting this place, especially since last year I wasn’t so lucky with the weather visiting the falls and couldn’t feel the full effect of the massive mountains lurking behind the falls.

I run around the whole area amazed by the long valley of cascading glacial waters with the massive mountains that will be my home for the next 6 days behind them before reluctantly turning back and all but running back to the catamaran.  I get there long before it leaves, but I’m very lucky as I get in line just in time to get on the first journey, as today more tourists than normal have showed up.  Lucky me. I had my cake and ate it too. (I have just ordered a piece of cake with the awesome Lydia, a german girl I am currently travelling with.)

We get on the ferry and I remember the pictures I took last year with my amazing father, brother and his girlfriend Clara, the water so calm that the reflections in the mountains were almost too perfect.  Today is not like that.  Today theres winds gusting up to100 km/h and today the boat ride is rough, especially up top where I choose to stand for the benefit of you the readers. I get a little wet, and stumble towards the edge of the boat a few times, but it’s such a beautiful place it’s worth the adventure, and a cool way to start my multi day mountain adventure.

Getting off the ferry and finally paying for my one way passage as I do I head out past a long line of weary trekkers who have finished there time in the park and am surprised to find Matt form Antarctica and Katie from Ushuaia standing in line for the ferry. They’ve just completed the Q trek (9-10 days but I believe they did it in 8).  I stay and chat for just a minute or two though as my 22 kilos is weighing on me,it’s already after 1 PM and I have about 12 km of up and down walking to complete before I get to Refugio Grey my home for the next two days.  So no time to waste I guess and the winds are going to make it difficult.

I walk quickly past Paine Grande refugio and  take the left path towards refugio grey gradually winding up a narrow valley and over some small hills along side the massive mountains of the park,heading away from Lago Pudeto and towards some others, including the tiny gem Lago Sarmiento a deep blue lagoon nestled in the nook between some hills, the rough winds creating some impressive waves considering the size of the lake.

Here I pause and eat some lunch, eager to get some weight off my back at least for a while.  The hike hasn’t even gotten hard yet but the weight is wearing on me and the winds tossing smaller people around are still something of an impediment to me in terms of easy walking.  22 kg is a lot, and while I’m in better shape, I’m still not in good shape, though I’m starting to think i might be by the time I finish this trek.  Woosh, always out of breath on those trails.

As I continue onward and upwards I finally crest one of the bigger hills and get my first glimpse of Lago Grey from above, and a few chunks of the still unseen glacier floating in the water too.

I keep going now, my feet starting to find a rhythm and music in my ears helping me on.  I mean we’ll be honest this section of the walk is just that a walk.  There’s some up and down but it really won’t be that hard if you’re in good shape,still the difference 22 kg on your back is much more serious than I thought it would be.  It’s a lot, but it’s rewarded as I come around another corner and get to the best mirador of Glacier Grey.  And the massive ice field is shining bright blue in all it’s splendour.

I ditch my bag and head out into the ridiculous winds which at least have kept the mirador pretty empty of trekkers eager to just carry on and not be buffeted by the winds that do make the rocky mirador a little bit dangerous.  I also meet Brianna who takes some photos of me as I do of her, though I still need to email them to her.  (Sorry Briana)

I move back to the main trail to collect my page, sling it back on sore and tired shoulders and keep going.  I’m more than half done the days trail but I’m pretty tired, but second and third winds come quickly enough and carry me onwards, and much closer to the end of the first days hike.  I can even see the campsite down in a valley below the trail.

It seems t take longer than it should but I reach the refugio with lots of daylight left and walk into the reception/small convenient store for the camping area to pay for my space ticket. For those worried about carry in gear you can rent it in the campsites but you will pay more than twice the price you’ll pay in town and a reservation in advance is a good idea (a must in january-february).

Once I’ve registered and paid my fee I go and find a decently looking flat patch of grass out in a clearing and get to setting up my tent, though it almost blows away a few times under the heavy winds and a stranger has to help me holding the tent in place until I get enough pegs in, but it get’s done and doesn’t actually take too long.

Once I have my tent all set up I take a short little rest before deciding to make the most of the next two hours of sunlight heading out past the campsite closer to the glacier unsure what awaits me. My legs are tired but it’s amazing what taking more than 20 kilos off you will do and iIm at least partially re-energized.  I head out towards the glacier through a forest emerging out onto some rocks and climbing up to explore the incredible views of the glacier, the ice cold water of Lago Grey, and a special if unspectacular sunset.

Eventually I head back to the campsite and beg at the little convenient store to charge my camera battery before deciding to have a cold dinner as I still have sandwiches left and am not feeling cold at all.  It’s tasty and the campsite is full of socializing but my body is tired and I head into my tent glad of the extra space a 2 person tent grants and pass out before 9 pm.  It’s been a tough but rewarding first day and I’m pleased with how I’ve done.  Tomorrow I head up above glacier grey with just my day pack and try to catch some glimpses of the Patagonian ice field behind glacier Grey.  The W is going to be one hell of an exciting journey.