Torres del Paine National Park: Majestically Magnificent

In the span of three months Paul and I have experienced once in a lifetime events. We dived with sharks in Galápagos, paraglided over Medellín and went on nocturnal excursions in the Amazon jungle, yet none of those prepared us for what Torres del Paine National Park had in store for us. Trekking the O-Circuit in Torres del Paine pushed our limits time and time again, it broke and transformed us mentally and physically.

The total trek consisted of 85 miles with each day averaging about 10.5 miles, longest stretch covering over 16 miles. Even though we are accustomed to hiking long distances, the continuous strenuous hikes built our resilience and strength to a level we didn’t realized we possessed. We were especially nervous about Paul’s Achilles tendon, yet despite the intensity it grew stronger with each day.

Even though the multi-day trek is physically demanding it’s all worth it for the panaromas. On the first day alone we experienced different ecosystems and microclimates. And as the days went on the variation intensified. In fact, the views of the O-circuit side are more unique compared to the busier W-Trek especially because for long stretches of trail we frequently admired glaciers and Patagonian steppe in solitude.

As each day brought new panoramas our packs gradually felt lighter. And yet each day seemed to exceed our exhaustion threshold making our evenings and downtime in the refugios pleasantly rewarding. Even more so by the fact that each campsite, or refugio, was equipped with designated camping areas, lodges, restaurants, bathrooms, and some even provided warm showers. Each night in camp we exercised a restful ritual; Paul prepped water for dinner in the designated kitchens (Quinchos) while I set up our tent. Our dinners consisted of delicious and hearty Backpacker freeze dried meals. Dinner was also the time to meet new friends and share stories of the day. Over the trek many of us became friends and sought each other when we reached the more popular areas. We met people from California, Spain, England, Germany, and inspiring group of high-school students and chaperones from a high school in Utah.

After a dose of socialization and a replenished dinner our nightly routined continued with stretches and back massages before bed. Our routine worked flawlessly for the days on the trail and the main reason we could sustain energy day after day.

Over time we grew comfortable on the trail since it was the first time on the trip we had established routine. We enjoyed hiking with new friends, finding a pace that helped our injuries (my knees and Paul’s tendon), but mostly because it was a time to admire both the beauty around us and our physical endurance.

Perhaps the greatest endurance test came on the 4th day — Gardners Pass. Under normal conditions it’s the toughest section of the O-trek. The hike consists of 11.7 miles with a 3780 ft elevation gain and a 5,374 ft descent. However, coincidently Mother Nature gifted us with the first snow storm of the season just as we were ascending the pass. It started with light snow but it quickly became a blizzard with rough windchill. As expected we were unprepared for the frigid surprise. The few layers worn instantly soaked and froze. Add to this heavy backpacks and poor visibility and it becomes our most intense hiking experience to date. We could barely see three feet in front of us, the trail markers disappeared and our feet were covered in feet of snow. It felt like skiing up a 14’er during a snowstorm but in spring clothes and a heavy backpack. It was one of the few moments in my life where I knew that if I didn’t push through the discomfort, the fear, and pain our lives were in serious risk. We had no choice but to move forward, thankfully in company guidance of other great hikers. It was hard to focus on anything else but it push ahead, we don’t even recall the steepness of the path. Our only thoughts were to push ahead - to push fear aside. After an excruciating long trek we reached the summit.

Once on top we had only minutes to enjoy the most beautiful view of Grey’s Glacier. It still remains as one the most rewarding views. The glacier field was massive and deep aqua blue. It was breathtaking. Our awe-struck soon grew into fear as we realized the high risk of hypothermia. We started feeling dizzy and Paul’s hands started to go numb. We descended quickly but that too presented it’s own challenges like steep and slick descents with sludgy snow and hanging bridges. After hours of hiking we arrived to camp exhausted, in pain, and overwhelmed by our perseverance. We were so proud and joyous by the fact that we beat the estimated trail completion time. On average the section of the trail is done in 12 hours (in good conditions), and yet we tirelessly completed the trail in 10 hours, in less than desirable conditions.

The rest of the days after this section of the trek seemed easy. We even had a little mantra to help push through hard sections “No Blizzard, No Bags”. In other words, the trail might be steep but at least there were no blizzards or at time we weren’t hiking with our heavy backpacks. In some of the sections like the French and British Valleys we left our bags at the trailhead while we hiked with a day bag. Even though Gardner’s pass was short compared to other days, it became the litmus test to our endurance capability. It’s become a great motivator for us on other hikes we’ve completed since then.

The rest of the trip can better be summarized with photos and so I’ve added some of our favorite ones below. This experience rekindled the love for our bodies, our passion for nature, and helped change our perspective on what we’re capable of achieving. It granted us the virtue to focus on challenges as the means to a rewarding outcome.

After completing the trek we returned to Puerto Natales for some well deserved down time. We spent a few days decompressing and enjoying some of the best ice-cream cones from a shop with a huge Barney logo. I don’t think I’ll ever forget their Dutch chocolate ice cream. Yum!