Circuit- Day 4 Perros to Paso

       This 6 hour day begins climbing out of Perros campground through forest. Shortly after, navigating the trail becomes a tedious task.  You must negotiate through a labyrinth of paths running through an incredibly muddy section. It’s littered with fallen trees and gnarled protruding roots so watch your step, this is the perfect concoction for a twisted/rolled ankle. Once you’ve made it out (hopefully unscathed), leave the forest and mud behind as you enter a realm of rock and ice.

         Ascending out of the forest landscape shifts from lush to barren, save a few bubbling springs that you come across while making your way to the foot of John Gardner Pass. The pass winds up a trail of talus with a faint switchback or two, but all in all isn’t  as difficult as it’s hyped up to be and takes under an hour to reach the apex. If the Patagonian weather god favors you this day, upon reaching the top you’ll be overwhelmed by the sheer enormity and vastness which lies before you. The Southern Patagonian Ice Field takes up an almost 180 degree panorama, with looming mountains further to the West that lay enveloped in the relentless ice. This is personally my favorite view within the park and the highlight of the circuit, although when it comes down to it everything’s relative. Whatever it may be that you believe in, while you’re up here overlooking the phenomenon of nature you feel ever closer to that one thing.

     
         After picking your jaw up off the rocky floor you start the descent to Campamiento Paso which is longer than the ascent to the pass, and consists of rocky trail mixed with rutted out dirt steps. Doing this during a good rain would be treacherous as most of the crucial hand railing is broken down, and the dirt path would become a “slip n’ slide”. Once the trail “flattens” out you’ll eventually arrive at Campamiento Paso. It’s tucked away in a mountainside forest overlooking Glacier Grey with phenomenal vantage points. The camp is free, and has a restroom and cooking area available as well as a creek running through camp that allows water access. Most of the campsites are level and manageable, although some spots leave you a mere five feet from your neighbor. Overall Paso is a great campsite, and for being free you really can’t beat it.

Circuit- Day 3 Dickson to Los Perros

        This 4.5 hour trek begins leading out from Dickson and quickly climbs a rock strewn path through forest.  The trail then levels out and very gradually climbs, dips, and winds on the mountainside through a cathedral of green silence. The majority of the trail never strays too far from distant roaring of the river beneath you, and almost the entirety of the trek is shrouded within depths of forest. This is the epitome of a pristine environment frozen in time, and you can sense it in the purity of the air you breathe.

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         Keep wandering through the woodland and you’ll eventually come across a large bridge composed of tree trunks stretching across the narrow canyon with boiling river below. From this point you’re about an hour from Los Perros campground. You climb a little bit more up and out of the forest to find a landscape of rocks with Perros Glacier hanging before your visage, forming a lake at its foot. This is a fantastic place to snap some photos and turn around 360 degrees to find yourself surrounded by a rich and dramatic landscape at all angles.

           Perros campground is located in a riverside forest with level campsites and has water, showers, and restrooms available. If you get here early a must is making your way to Puma glacier for a day hike. The trail leads from Perros and starts right beside the river, from there you hike up about an hour and twenty minutes to the glacier. This is a highlight of the back side of the park as you can actually get within striking distance of the glacier. Peering inside its depths and witnessing the power and enormity first hand is an experience unlike any other. The cherry on top is being able to drink some of the purest water on the planet straight from the heart of the glacier, this is something you shouldn't pass up.

Circuit- Day 5 Paso to Grey

       This 3.5 hour day begins trudging your way through thick forest going up, down, up, and down again for quite some time. You then reach one of two large metal ladders that lower you into a ravine, and have you on your way to do some more climbing and descending. The trail begins to seem more like an obstacle course as you come across the second ladder, then after this you reach a fantastic cable bridge that sinks and sways with each step as you peer out at the ravine below.
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        From here you continue on through the forest eventually coming to a wide grassy clearing that signals the Refugio Grey campground. All the spots here are unprotected and located on semi-damp grass even when the sun is out and not the flattest of places either. All the amenities and then some are available here at Refugio Grey. Showers, restrooms, camp-store, along with a bar and comfortable dining area are all at your disposal. If you’d like to get up close and personal with Glacier Grey and the iceberg monoliths, guided kayaking tours are available. The refugio is a great place to stay, but before hiking the last 10 minutes to get there you should brave an icy dip in Lago Grey to lounge on some of the near shore icebergs.

Circuit- Day 2 Seron to Dickson

       This 6 hour trek begins with a brisk jaunt through the valley alongside Rio Paine, and then abruptly climbs up a hillside which requires a steep ascent of around 35 minutes. Upon reaching the top, landscapes open wide and far before you with mountains on the horizon, lakes and rivers beneath you, and the trail winding into the fertile valley below. From here until the river valley floor the path snakes downhill and allows for plenty of fantastic vistas and photos.

      

        On a bright clear day this stretch can be quite humid and the sun relentless, forgetting sunscreen will be a costly mistake. You wander in and around woods, brush corridors, swamplands, and meadows until you reach the steady but subtle rise in land that offers a view of the Dickson Refugio. From here you see Rio Paine in the foreground with mountains and Dickson Glacier on the horizon. This is one of the most picturesque refugio locations in the park, however during summer months you may have to pay the price with hordes of mosquitoes being the norm.

          A mosquito mask wouldn't be a terrible idea here, and the swarms seem to abate down on the lake shore if you’re looking for a refuge outside of your tent. Refugio Dickson has basic accommodations and is an incredibly beautiful site; the main thing here is managing to avoid being eaten alive by mosquitoes.

Circuit- Day 1 Laguna Amarga to Seron

Heading along the road from Laguna Amarga to Las Torres, cross the bridge and continue on until you hit the Lago Dickson sign on the right. This trail is fairly different from the majority of the park as it winds through spacious dry grasslands and skirts alongside Rio Paine, while offering up views of the Torres’ peaks on a clear day. From the trailhead all the way until the campsite of Seron, the path remains pleasantly flat with no notable climbs. Along this trail you’ll encounter meadows, grasslands dotted with burnt sections of trees, and fertile areas of pampas which hang near the banks of the river.  

 It’s not uncommon to encounter less than a handful of people on this trail as the majority of trekkers start hiking to Seron from Las Torres. On a sunny day a generous application of sunscreen is a must as you’ll be completely exposed to powerful UV rays the entirety of the trail. Overall getting to Seron is a very peaceful walk with plenty of wide meadows and valleys that look out upon mountainsides to the East and West. Seron campground, located in a meadow with a bubbling creek to the rear of the grounds, has a scattered grove of trees with flat camping sites. A restroom, shower, and water faucet is available; along with a plentiful supply of mosquitoes once dusk approaches. This beautiful grassland campsite has a nostalgic feel to it, and is vastly different from any camping encountered on the W-Trek. 

Torres del Paine full circuit

What to pack for Torres del Paine, Patagonia

Day 4- Paine Grande to Refugio Grey

This three and a half hour trek to Refugio Grey takes you through a corridor of jagged rocks leading up to a ridge where you dip and rise till you are overlooking Lago Grey. If weather permits you will also get your first glimpse of glacier grey, however if it’s cloudy you will hardly know the glacier is there aside from the floating icebergs scattered across the lake. The trek to Refugio Grey is not difficult and maintains a steady elevation once you’re overlooking the lake. Grey has the same options as the other refugios, either stay indoors or camp outside it’s up to you. The sopapillas at the cafeteria are delicious after a day of trekking, these are highly recommended and surprisingly inexpensive. Stay the night here then decide to either head back and catch the catamaran at Paine Grande, or head to campamiento paso for a day hike or overnight stay. Paso provides a phenomenal vista overlooking glacier grey and is the closest you can get to the glacier, however isn’t considered part of the official W so once you’ve made it to refugio grey you have survived Torres Del Paine’s W Trek. Viewing the source for the surrounding dramatic landscape really brings together the raw nature of the park, and is a perfect example of how all life on earth is interconnected one environment affecting the other.

Torres del Paine, self guided W hike

Torres del Paine W

Day 3- Cuernos to Paine Grande

The trail begins heading towards the opening of French Valley, wandering through a lush landscape along Lake Nordenskjold. This area is relatively flat allowing you to make good time to Campamiento Italiano.  Italiano is located at the mouth of the French Valley next to a river, and is where you have the option of leaving your pack or push onward to Campamiento Britanico. Beyond this point the terrain of the glacial moraine becomes mountainous, and is quite demanding. This section lasts about an hour and a half and leaves you in the valleys interior where you are surrounded by granite peaks and massive walls. You also have a view of the hanging French Glacier which produces massive blocks of falling ice that roar through the valley. Depending if you want to stay at Britanico or not the choice is yours to continue on and spend a night in the valley, or head back to Italiano to grab your pack and make way towards Paine Grande. From Italiano to Paine Grande you’ll maintain a steady elevation with only a few climbs that are all fairly easy. You’ll encounter the portion of park which was hit by wildfire and the landscape becomes unrecognizable with scorched earth and trees everywhere you look. This section of trail really makes it apparent how destructive careless actions can become when in the backcountry and is a tangible reminder of how delicate life in such a pristine environment can be. From this point it’s about two hours to Paine Grande and the trail remains flat more or less the entire way. Paine Grande campsite is fairly exposed being near the shore of Lago Pehoe and has no natural barriers from the elements and will essentially be camping on a barren grassy field. Here you can choose to stay at the refugio, stay in a tent that’s already set up, or make your own camp. There is a cooking area and restrooms available, as well as a cafeteria inside the refugio if you don’t feel like cooking. This spot is crowded however the majority of the campsites are equal in quality and a little bit more spread out than Cuernos, but not by much. Paine Grande is a good place to grab a post trail beer and catch up on your favorite book but again is one of those campsites you’ll want to be in and out of. Torres del Paine W, trekking in Patagonia

Day 2- Torres to Cuernos

Departing Torres for Cuernos the trail begins with a descent down the mountainside and provides panoramic vistas of the valley and horizon. This section is very enjoyable however it’s also a prime location to roll an ankle so watch your step carefully. Opposed to clambering down the path you came up, there’s a short cut trail leading to Cuernos that follows along the sloping foot of the mountains. Following this path you’ll come across low lying shrub lands, pampas, bog like areas, and a wooden cable suspension bridge. There’s less than a handful of steady inclines, none of them taking longer than 15 minutes to ascend. Once you reach Cuernos there’s the option of staying at the refugio in a dorm style room, getting a private cabin with access to a hot tub, or to pitch a tent at the campsite. This area is crowded and arriving late usually means you’ll be sleeping on a slope amongst rocks and protruding roots, so plan on an early arrival. The view is pleasant overlooking Lake Nordenskjold and the mountains to the rear, it briefly takes you away from the encroaching mob of people. An experience unlike any other however is laying in the tent at night listening to the roaring thunder of massive ice blocks falling off glaciers and crashing on rocks hundreds of feet below. All in all Cuernos is nice but crowded and one of the places where you’ll want to get in and get out early.http://www.dittmaradventures.com/hiking-w.html

W-Trek, East to West

Day 1

 Your first day in Torres Del Paine will be spent making the climb to Campamiento Chileno or Campamiento Torres. This depends on if you’re willing to pay for camping at Chileno or hike the extra hour and a half to Torres for free camping, which is also much more scenic (in my opinion) as your campsite is nestled in a forest. The hike starts in the valley and quickly rises up a massive hill, which in turn materializes into exposed mountainside. The trail becomes deceivingly steep and unrelenting, but after about an hour and a half tops out and you’re left overlooking the windy trail ahead. This downhill section gradually meanders to Campamiento Chileno which is about 30 minutes from the apex of the climb.

 From here you can decide to pay and camp, or push another hour and a half to Campamiento Torres. Chileno lies alongside a river and is nice, but also small and doesn’t need a very large group to make it feel crowded.  The trek to Torres is a cake walk compared to the initial climb up the mountain and much more enjoyable as you wander through windswept forests, unexpected meadows, and skirt alongside a river. This section has quite the “Zen” experience with miniature waterfalls trickling down the mountainside finding their way through rocks and roots, not to mention the outstanding greenery of the forests. It’s an ecosystem that's unique along the W, and the trail itself really immerses you in the surrounding biodiversity. There are a few gradual inclines heading to Torres, none of which very serious and are broken up by pleasant sections of flats. It makes this portion a great place to “take it all in” and be present with the moment, not having to worry about exerting yourself. Emerging from a primeval Lord of the Rings-esque forest you find Campamiento Torres settled on a subtle dip in the contour of the land that creeps towards the river. It's personally one of my favorite campsites along the W. 

 This lichen clad forest campsite is free, however if you arrive late you may find it difficult to locate a manageable spot for your tent. The earlier you arrive, the better. The site has restrooms and communal cooking area available, as well as accessible water but make sure you retrieve it above the campsite not from below. Stay the night under trees and stars, and be ready for an early start to catch the sunrise and changing shades of the Torres peaks. Checkout from Torres is at 10AM, be sure to break down camp and pack up before then. Leave your mochila and scamper up a steep trail strewn with loose rock and gravel for about an hour until you’re dropped at the base of the magnificent towers. Pick your prime spot on any of the hundreds of boulders, cozy up in your jacket, and enjoy the spectacle nature provides. If you really planned ahead you’ll have a thermos of coffee ready to warm the bones, but either way you can’t go wrong here. A perfect blend of beauty and power; the Torres peaks leave you nothing less than awe inspired. 

W Trek, Off the Beaten Path

By far the most popular route in the park, the "W Trek" offers up some of the greatest scenic and dramatic landscapes on the planet. That being said however this also means it's the most crowded section of the park, especially during peak season between December and February.

From Paine Grande to Las Torres you are sure to encounter trekkers from across the globe, each having their own personal style, technique, and philosophy towards backpacking. Aside from the array of: trekking poles, tents, packs, boots, camera's, sleeping bags, and clothing you encounter; the one thing which impacts your trek the most besides weather, is people. It is beautiful here, even the most elitist and "trendy" outdoor enthusiast will agree on that. But when you're ascending the incline to Las Torres or heading to Glacier Grey, one thing that takes away from the surrounding beauty is the noise and presence of other humans a mere four feet ahead. It gets crowded, some move like the surrounding glaciers of the park, some move like the puma, and some move like a guanaco. The trekkers here proceed on all spectrum's of the speed scale and inevitably sooner or later you too, will be stuck going at a comatose like pace. 

To remedy this sense of "human claustrophobia"  it's highly recommended trying a detour off  the W-Trek's beaten and well trodden path, but only with an APPOINTED GUIDE of course. Bader Valley lies between the Cuernos Del Paine and Paine Chico, and in between Cuernos and Las Torres, leaning closer to the Cuernos campsite. What looks like a mere game trail soon becomes a steep scramble and soon find yourself crawling over loose rocks, thinking twice about the decision to escape the hordes on the trail below. The route won't be sugar coated, it is tough, but absolutely achievable by anyone in moderate shape who's willing to tough it out. Take a breather and you're instantly reminded why you made the journey up Bader. A sweeping panoramic view of Lake Nordenskjold and the glacial shaped landscape of the park, with distant snow capped mountains on the horizon makes the view unbeatable. The camp lies in a pristine windswept grove of Nirre trees next to a makeshift hut used by climbers, which is quite cozy inside comfortably fitting 10. From the camp you ascend to the base of  Cuerno Norte and are left at the foot of a glacier with a glacial melt lake at your feet. 

You've made it, turn around 360 degree's and you have one of the best views in the park, along with something else. You're not surrounded by people like ants on a hill. It's just you, your friends, your guide, and Torres Del Paine in one of its purest and most tranquil states.