11/03/13 - 15/03/13

Day 1 hotel las Torres to campamento Torres and to the towers.
9.5km and 2km return to camp = 11.5 km

We took a very cold bus from town to Torres del Paine, register and change to a smaller bus to get to hotel Torres del Paine on the eastern side. We met up with a German couple and Eric, all which we met at lili patagonicos on the first day in puerto nutalis. The 9.5km upto the campsite with full bags was really difficult, I understood both the towers and Paine parts of the name. The others stopped at an earlier camp and set up, agreeing to meet at the towers. The extra kilometres just the two of us with the bags was hard. Into camp and setup the tent for the first time and have a quick look around before heading up to the towers. A basic but postcard worthy campsite (which we took no photos of), under a canopy with sunlight rays visible, a crystal clear stream through the middle and three huts, a open cooking area, park ranger house/office and 4toilets. A 1 hour scramble over loose rocks and small creeks upto the base of the towers. The funny part of this day is that it lightly snows, with no clouds above us..... This may indicate how cold the air is.
As we arrived and for the next freezing 20 minutes the clouds cleared to present the three towers looking back at us. Amazing view with the massive verticle towers above interesting rocks leading into a tourquise lake below. Unique, but freezing. Back down for dinner and one of the coldest nights in my life. I was wearing icebreaker thermals, pants, explorer thermals, singlet, 2 shirts, a jumper, beenie, gloves, -7 sleeping bag, tent. This sleeping bag had a thinner part you tie up to stop the draft over your shoulders and a hood you could do up. I slept in the body of the bag with the top of my beenie in the hole my neck should be in as the air was that cold!!! About 1-2hours sleep max. Turns out the camp the Germans and Eric were at was that cold as well.

Day 2 campamento Torres to campamento Los cuernos.
13km + 4.9km =17.9km

We started a little tired and cold, not feeling ourfeet until after 45minutes of walking. The walk was to be a shorter day of backtracking down the mountain for an hour or so and then a shortcut that we were told took around 3 hours and is undulating but mostly down hill.
We left around 10am, back to the next camp at 11am and on track. We really didn't expect the shortcut to be over 6 hours long, with some rude parts as we got closer to campamento Los cuernos.
We arrived 45 minutes after the others (who started 45minutes down the road at the same time) and saw very similar things. The highlights were some funny conversations over red goon bags, and dinner including a sauce. The staff dancing ganam style was funny, even though we were out in the cold watching over their dinner.

Day 3 campamento Los cuernos to campamento Italiano and up the French valley
5.5 + 2(5.5) + lookout 4km= 20.5 km

A short day with the packs, 5.5km to the Italiano where we set up the tents and walked up the valley with just a day sack. So much better with no extra weight and this track was steep. Sitting at the lookout watching avalanches occur and a glacier that is thick and small, like a small three sided lake. The sound through the valley when a big avalanche occurs is unexplainable! The hike to the top of the valley produced a 240* panorama.
That night we had a couple during the night camp within our tent, almost. Loud and so close we could feel the vibrations through the ground as they hit the tent pegs in, around 30cm..... And there was a big area to choose from.

Day 4 campamento Italiano to refugio grey
7.6km + 11km + 2(6) = 30.6km

Ouch. Amazing change of vista but much steeper and harder than we thought it would be. Up early to get past the glacier at the end of the day, high level lake with a glass top surface, glacier field running on forever, massive icebergs and turquoise lakes. Hard but rewarding and the best place to camp to finish the trekking.

Day 5 refugio grey to refugio Paine grande
11km.

Last time to rise from the tent, all in the dark, don the wet boots and socks and into the cooking room. smashed out the 11km with one stop in the middle, easier than expected with the knees holding out. Met a few travelers for a cold beer while waiting for the boat and busses back to p-nutty. We arrived back in time to return our hired gear, have some dinner, book the bus, a shot of goodbye calafate liquor and repack.

11.5 km
17.9 km
20.5 km
30.6 km
11 km
Total = 81.5 km /50 miles