South America - Chile Torres del Paine, Azul y Gris (Blue and Grey)

I was kind like having a trip that is being a tourist and a backpacker the same time.  After the day tour, I was to stay for two more nights.  My Chileano guide kept asking me - what are you going to do there?

I smile, of course, the plan was to trek up the trail to Mirador Los Torres to see Los Torres - Cleopatra's Needles as described by Lady Florence Dixie. Well, I know I don't exactly look like I am capable of, but I never fail to get to where I wanted to go before ;-).

The guide dropped me off at the junction of Refugio Laguna Amarga after the full day hiking around the national park.  The rest of the 6 visitors were heading back to El Calafate, except me. Due to low season, I had to get my own transportation to Refugio Los Torres in which I ended up paying a local with a whooper USD20.


When I got to the refugio, the day was cloudy and very windy.  It was getting really cold and I didn't really eat for the whole day.  Thus, with other visitors, I decided to have some steak for dinner.  There, on the table, the realization of being a solo travelling Asian Chinese lady had always raised many questions, as my/our capability is always in question!

It was a very very cold night and all the people decided to tuck in early as we all prepared to trek up to see Los Torres the next day. I wanted to start trekking early as 8am so set my alarm at 6.30am.  Little that I forgot Chile is 1 hour earlier than Argentina time and didn't reset my watch, I was up early at 5.30am and didn't feel that bad as I saw a French was up and going at 6am.


After breakfast, I set off for a trek that I had little confidence I would get there as I had heard all the stories about the difficulty in the last hour's scramble up the boulders.  It was a long walk before the ascent starts.  The trail is winding up the valley with medium gradient.  I was alone and it was quiet without any living things around. Then, I saw Los Cuernos around the corner.

Los Cuernos - Torres del Paine
Chile, Apr 2010.

Tehuelche legend has it that the two peaks of Los Cuernos were their two strongest warriors stolen from their tribe by an evil anaconda who caused a huge flood to wipe-out the tribe.  After the flood, the anaconda stole the dead bodies of the two warriors and turned them into the granite spires that made-up Los Cuernos.

Whether it was a legend or not, you can see that it is not important as Los Cuernos are standing straight and high.

Los Cuernos - Torres del Paine
Chile, Apr 2010.

As a national park since 1959 and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1978, Parque Nacional Torres del Paine considerably is still a very young national park.  The government does allow the pre-existing residents who have been there before the declaration stay there since. On my way, the weather lives up to its reputation. It shifted erratically from yesterday cloudy day with drizzling cold rain to cloudless skies in the mid day as I hiked, further to a snowy day the day after, while the only constant being the gusty southerly Patagonia wind.

After 19KM, I was already out-of-breath, out-of-energy and stopping almost every 10mins, out-of-feeling from my toes to my thigh.  But the trail becomes even more difficult that I had to use my hands to scramble up boulders, stopping at every turn to catch my breath. It took me two long hours trek for the last hour of 3KM trail.  At closed to 2pm and 22KM for 6 hours after, I was completely stunned when I started descending to the Mirador Los Torres.

Los Torres - Torres del Paine
Chile, Apr 2010.

I was not prepared to see what I saw - the iconic Los Torres.  For it is the best-known and spectacular summits in this cordillera, the three Towers of Blue - Los Torres del Paine are granite monoliths shaped by the forces of ice glacier.  It is gigantic and makes me look so tiny! They are identified as the South (left), Central (middle) and North (right) Tower of Paine.
Again, I did my usual - sit down and had my lunch.  This time was more than apple+biscuit, the refugio had prepared me a packed lunch with apple, juice and sandwich. It was one hell of a good lunch after the distance and the height that I hiked. I needed that for the energy to get back to the refugio, same distance and same difficulty! But the view there for 30mins was priceless!
Up on the mirador, I saw a skinny guy from Hong Kong, practically running up the whole way.  He asked me to help him to take a picture and less than 2mins he wanted to leave.  I asked why such a rush, he told me he was running the 5 days trail in 2 days to beat the time as his transport was waiting for him at the other end. I was speechless!

I headed back after my lunch.  On the way back, I crossed many hikers coming up late.  It was so cold and all the refugios on this side of the trail were closed and they had to camp.  Some hikers were in really bad shape.  I was so glad I did a day hike.  But the journey back was not any easier, the same distance and the same height winding up and down.  It took me the same amount of time to get back.  By the time I saw my refugio in distant,

Torres del Paine - Chile, Apr 2010.

I had never felt so alone like before as I practically couldn't walk anymore.  I reached where I started around 8pm.  One secret I had is I always bring my favourite Chinese TeDaJaiu (Wood Lock Oil) everywhere I go.  I used quite a lot that night as I couldn't feel my legs completely.

For once I wonder - should I explain why the post title is Azul y Gris.  The park consists of hectares of subpolar forest, however, you will see two colours - Azul y Gris whenever you raise your eyes or  your camera! The lakes are all with different kinds of Blue; the peaks are all with different kinds of Grey!  However, the most amazing sight is one of those summer nights - when the peaks are shined upon by the moonlight, making it Los Torres del Paine (The Towers of Blue)!