Day 1
An early start to catch the 0730 bus from Puerto Natales to the National Park, a 3 hour journey. Near the park entrance I spotted several Patagonian Llamas (known here as Guanaco), and caught a glimpse of a Condor overhead. After being dropped off on the Eastern shore of Lake Pehoé, a Catamarán took us over the cold, windy lake to Refugio Pehoé, where I would be staying tonight and the starting point of my trek. An ambitious start today, leaving my bags at the Refugio I headed up to Grey's Glacier, quite a tough trek with the wind against me and mainly uphill, although I only took 2 1/2 hours, less than planned. The effort was rewarded with beautiful views of the clear blue ice-breaks washed up on the shore below me, and the magnificent glacier ahead of me, rising over 50m above the water of the lake, Lago Grey.
The way back was easier, the wind behind me, although it was raining I still made it back in one piece and before dusk. Back at the campsite, cooked myself some canned beans. Some Americans offered me some of their vegitarian rice, and eyed up my beans eagerly until I mentioned they had meat in them. We got on to a conversation about vegitarian food, apparently in the USA there are high-tech veggie products and even veggie-bacon that looks like real bacon. I suggested that they could genetically modify cows to grow soya instead of meat. Luke suggested to genetically modify trees to grow meat. Being a vegetarian in the future could be interesting...
Day 2
Another early start, left the refugio at 0740 in a huff as they had refused to let me heat some milk for my coffee. Made good going against the wind arriving at Campamento Italiano (The Italian Camp) by 0930. I took out some provisions for lunch, then hung my bag on a tree - apparently there are rats in the Italian Camp. The trek up the Valle de Los Franceses was quite steep and rocky until arriving at a large river flowing back down the valley behind me, the falling water making a very loud noise. Then through woodland between two rivers until reaching a clearing where I could see the mountains to my East, shrowded in clouds, and the lakes past the valley behind me. A bit further on, it started hailing, a cold wind was blowing, I appreciated the shelter the last bit of woodland offered me before heading on to Campamento Britanico (the British Camp), where I stopped for lunch, Cheese & Tuna rolls.
My 10 minute stop for lunch was long enough for me to become nearly hypothermic, and as the visibility was fairly poor, I decided to head back down instead of risking another hour up to the top. Looking back from the clearing on the way down, the weather had cleared up and become sunny, c'est la vie. In any case, my knees were aching by now and I was eager to get to Refugio Los Cuernos to rest. After what must have been one of the most strenuous days of my journey, I arrived, tired and aching, by 1500, had a shower and heated up some milk for my coffee. By now I felt human enough to play a couple of games of chess with a guide at the hostel, the first game was a draw, I lost the second game after stupidly losing my Queen, although I put up a valiant fight.
Cooked myself some dinner, and enjoyed a bit of wine, chatting with other trekkers arriving at the Refugio.
Day 3
Left around nine (O'Clock) towards my next stop, Refugio El Chileno, according to the maps a 6 hour trek, but today my pack was a lot lighter after having eaten most of my provisions. After 90 minutes I was about half-way there and was confronted with a grassy slope of cows, looking at me intimidatingly. When I approached, however, I realized that they were scared of me. By midday I'd arrived at the Refugio, leaving me the afternoon free. Over lunch I met a couple of kiwis staying at the refuge, and decided to join them in the afternoon for the climb up to Las Torres. Quite a steep climb, but by now I was feeling fit and it wasn't too tough for me. At the top our efforts were rewarded with a beautiful view of Las Torres, a natural arena surrounded a lake of melt-water below, the afternoon sun lit up the 1500m towers with a majestic light.
After enjoying the last rays of sun, we made our way back down, passing "the german team" heading the other way, they'd have to trek down in the dark later. Back at the refuge, we enjoyed some fried salmon, a bit of wine, and I found out the results of the Champions Leage matches, Madrid and Milan eliminated - what a result! Set my alarm for 0445, intending to catch the sunrise at Las Torres.
Day 4
At 0445, checked out of the windows, and no stars were visible so I assumed it would be a cloudy day, and decided against the trek up to Las Torres again. Instead, rested until 0915 then got up for breakfast, had a chat to the german team, packed and headed back down to the park entrance, a mere 3 hour trek. On the way down, met a couple of Irish people who I'd met previously in Lençois (Brazil) and in Buenos Aires... it really is a small world! I was hoping to get some photos of Llamas on the way back, but didn't see any until right near the park entrance, and had to feed some positive energy to my camera battery until it allowed me to take a couple of photos.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment