Tuesday, 7 February 2012

Torres del Paine Day 9 February 1 2012

We are on trail a little after 7:00 AM, we want to be sure we are at the dock when the Catamaran departs at 12:30 across Lago Pehoe to take us to the bus....

Lago Grey trail
The trail is excellent all the way, well maintained even with the fire. Evidence of the fire is everywhere as soon as we leave Refugio Grey. Not complete destruction, but substantial areas burned... The fire seemed to jump from area to area, missing large areas here and there, apparently forgetting to return to consume them.

Glaciar Grey and Nunatak
The wind is very strong again today, difficult to stand up in at some of the exposed Miradors. Views of Lago Grey and Glaciar Grey are fabulous. Icebergs are piled up in the south end of Lago. We are happy we are traveling downwind as some ash from fire is blown about by the wind and stings the eyes a bit, worse heading into it according to few travelers we meet later at boat dock.

Icebergs on Lago Grey
Fire remnants approaching Paine Grande
Between Lago Grey and Lago Pehoe


We arrive at Paine Grande Lodge, it is an impressive looking facility, evidence of major fire are everywhere, trees, grass, out buildings, the camping area are completely burned. We had been figuring we would have a celebratory cerveza in the hour we wait for the Catamaran. We find a welcoming message on the chalk board at the main door, but the door is locked and no sign of life inside.  I see some folks in a gazebo behind the lodge and go under the rope to see what status of catamaran is..... A parque da guarda intercepts me and scolds me in spanish for being in restricted area, good thing I don't understand spanish.... He tells me all is closed, but that catamaran will be at dock at 12:30... I hope this is true as have heard it doesn't run if wind is bad.... and it seems to me that wind is pretty bad as gusts over 100 kms/hr making it difficult to stand erect.




Paine Grande Lodge




















We are done the walking part of the trek, yes we didn't quite complete the entire "O" circuito as we missed the 5kms from Paine Grande to Italiano camp.... But we are happy with what we did and delighted that we had such good conditions...  In all, we walked over 125 kms of trails through some of the most awesome landscapes on the planet...we are truly just lucky to be here...

In hindsight the impact of the recent fire is small for trekkers doing the "O" or " W" walks, possibly even a positive aspect as they see first hand the natural regeneration process of fire...

Paine Grande Lodge
A number of other folks arrive from Los Cuernos  to queue up for the Catamaran, they complain of ash blowing in their face in the walk from Italiano camp. We see the Catamaran coming across Lago Pehoe, apparently this is not bad wind enough to keep it docked, we wonder what weather bad enough to cancel the boat might be like, frightening I expect... We board the boat, trading places with new fresh faces arriving to start trekking....we are delighted to pay $12000cl each for this pleasure cruise... The alternate being a 20 km walk back to Los Torres...not a happy thought....

Lago Pehoe Catamaran
The water is very rough, but the Catamaran is sturdy and we are excited to ride the waves in it. We observe from the boat that the fire has burned a lot of area around the Lago. At the dock on the east end of Lago Pehoe, more fire damage is evident, the banos are still good to go, but most vegetation is scorched. The wind is extreme, hard to stand up in, pack covers and hats blow away, we are glad to escape the wind and board the bus back to Laguna Amargo.

Torres del Paine is not done with us yet, we travel maybe one km on the gravel road, I am marveling at the enormous waves on the lake, we are the furthest back passengers, a couple rows from the back of bus.... A gust of wind blows the back window into the passenger compartment, bits of safety glass everywhere.... Absolutely amazing....

Lago Pehoe crossing
The remaining 15kms or so back to Laguna Amargo are in a bus cabin filled with dust to add to the scattered glass motif.... Rear windows it seems are not overrated... Some folks were concerned that we would have to ride all the way to Puerto Natales in this bus...however it turned out to be a local shuttle....we are delighted to board Bus Gomez heading back to Puerto Natales.....
  



And just like that it was over....





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