Patagonia Adventure - Part 2
Chris Cimino
4/6/20256 min read
Day two began a little more optimistically after hearing the pounding rain and wind overnight. The one thing you quickly learn in Patagonia, the weather changes with the blink of an eye. The first picture below made us think it was going to be a nice day, despite the forecast, as the morning greeted us with some sunshine. The second picture reveals, that didn't last long, as rain moved back pretty quickly. Not long after, the third picture shows yet another rainbow in the wake of the rain that had quickly moved out.
Bottom line is, you just have to go with the flow of the weather and be prepared to pivot quickly in your plans.
With the weather in mind we were holding off on the hike to Los Cuernos. Keep in mind there are several hikes to be had in Torres del Paine National Park. The W circuit is the longest in which the "real" hikers like to take on. We were told this was a two to three day hike.
Bottom line is, we know our limits in hiking when it comes to choosing between pleasure and pain. This is a blog for those of us who like to be a little adventurous, but not tortuous to ourselves.
The Los Cuernos Lookout trail seemed to be our speed. The hike in total would be about 3 hours or so, depending on pausing for pictures and just taking time to absorb what is before you. A little more on that later.
The weather was still not cooperating so we decided to take the car out and trek around the park. We had heard of Laguna Azul(Blue Lake), Lake Nordenskjöld, Laguna Amarga as well as the Great Falls and the Grey Glacier. Keep in mind we now have only two full days. We were disappointed to discover the boat excursions to the Grey Glacier were booked until the following weekend. Word to the wise. If there is something you want to do or see that's on the top of your list and requires a reservation, book it well in advance.
Laguna Amarga & Falls
Laguna Azul
While the roads around the park are primarily not paved and rough, they do take you to various lookout points and connect you to various hiking trails at different locations. In addition, we often had to drive around what amounted to small ponds and lakes that were forming on the road from the days of rainfall.
Our first stop was Laguna Amarga & Falls. Due to the heavy rains it was running quite impressively high and fast. You can see from the pictures above, the sun briefly came out, although accompanied by strong winds. It was still worth getting out and looking around this awesome display.
Our next stop was Laguna Azul. I have to say this was not as blue as advertised. The reason of course was due in large part to the grey skies and rain that had returned.
The interesting thing about this stop, when we parked and began walking into the brush and narrow path toward the lake, we encountered a puma. Apparently pumas run wild throughout the park. We were told they do not attack or confront humans. They are not fans. Edmi spotted the puma, probably about 100 feet in front of us, moving through the brown brush making it tricky to see. By the time she got my attention without screaming, all I was able to catch was a glimpse of the top of the puma slinking away. Nonetheless, it was pretty cool to see one, as they specifically have tours you can pay for in search of a puma sighting.
This image is as close as we made it to Laguna Azul
As I find from feedback, people love pictures more than reading about things describing what they see. So, I will now post some of the images of what we encountered over the last couple of days in Patagonia.
I will add some links to maps and tours that are available at the end of this blog, if you are looking for more specific information.
Torres del Paine - Estancia Cerro Paine
Nice view for breakfast before hitting the trails.
My girl....looks great in front of and behind the camera
Some of my more "artistic" shots....
That iridescent blue water is Mirador Lago Nordenskjöld
The view of our stay at Hotel Las Torres Patagonia
Lenticular (flying saucer) cloud.
I could go on and on with photos and describing the incredible beauty that is Patagonia in Chile. Everywhere you looked a naturally painted landscape jumped out and overwhelmed your senses. It is one of the most beautiful and peaceful journeys I've ever experienced.
You don't have to take on the "W" trail, or any too difficult hike, to enjoy the experience. If you want to, and are capable of taking the tougher trails, power to you and have at it. I just want folks more in my age range and capabilities to know they should not shy away from journeying to this part of the world. You won't regret it.
I would recommend a minimum of 5 days and this is where we miscalculated, as they weather can wreak havoc on your plans. Always be ready to pivot and have the proper footwear and clothing to combat rain and wind that can randomly whip up out of nowhere.
I have included some links below to our hotel, the park itself as well as a map of the various trails and sights to enjoy in Torres Del Paine National Park.
If you've gotten this far, thank you and of course Sunshine Always!!!
After waiting out a squall of rain & wind we made it to the Great Falls. Spectacular.