Categorie: W-trek

Date: 20231104

Time: 8:00 – 15:35

Distance: 15,2 km

Overnight stay: Hotel Big Bang Patagonia, Puerto Natales

Walk

I start the day with packing my stuff so I can start walking immediately after breakfast. Breakfast is sober but ok and one of the girls brings me scrambled eggs.

I leave the backpack at Chileno and head towards mirador Base las Torres. The first part I walk through the woods and it goes up steadily but not very steep. I drink a lot, directly from the streams because I didn’t bring my water bottle. I am travelling light today, at least the first part that is.

During the first kilometers, my TwoNav has problems with measuring the altitude. It thinks I am above 3000 meter. I removed that part of the elevation info from the GPX track.

There are quiet some people coming down already, they must have started early. I also meet Renate and the girls on their way back. They left at 4 am!

At some point I reach an open space, near to a ranger station, at least that is what the sign says but I don’t see it, probably hidden in the forest.

From here on out it goes up more steeply. It is very well doable, it is mostly rocks where you have to make big steps. After a short section that is not very steep the real scrambling begins a the side of a rock field and then through the snow. Now a section follows were I scramble over a rock field. Somehow I get a little off the path and end up in a part where all the rocks are loose and have the tendency to slide down. Not good. I consider my options and decide to go straight up where the path is. I do so very slowly to avoid sliding down with rocks and all. That would be a pity, I would have scrambled up here for nothing…

Once back on track the rocks are more stable, as expected. I continue over the rocks and snow and finally reach my destination, mirador Base las Torres, I did it in a little more than 2 hours. It is a little colder up here, but not too bad. The lake is frozen however. The three granite peaks look very spectacular with some moving clouds around their tops.
The three peaks are named, from left to right, Torre Sur (2500m), Torre Central (2460m) and Torre Norte (2260m), not very imaginative. They were formed about 12 million years ago.

There are not many people up here, two couples and a solo hiker. One of the girls asks if I want my picture taken so today there are again pictures with me in it.

After watching the clouds move around the tops for a while I start my way down again. This is easier than up and I do it in a little more than 1.5 hours. On my way down I meet a lot of people who are going up, sometimes groups of 10 to 25 people. Boy will it be getting crowded up there. I am glad I started early!
Giving the amount of other hikers, it is clear that this is the most popular hike of the W-trek.

Back at Chileno it’s time for something to drink. No beer yet, I still have to go down to the park entrance with my backpack. So it’s a Coke, or actually 2.

I pick up my backpack and start my way down. I arrive at Hotel Las Torres Patagonia where I ask for a transfer to Laguna Amarga. They tell me that I have to walk for 15 more minutes to reach the welcome center where I can get a transfer. Since I have time enough and since they have a bar, I decide to first have a beer. The bar is called Pionero and they have a beer with the name Pionera, so that is what it is gone be. The beer is served with a hopbel in it. According to the info on the placemat they are the only beer and gin producers within Torres del Paine National Park, so I picked the right location.
It is a very fancy hotel and restaurant, I get a small bowl of nuts and raisins with my beer, everybody wears a cap and they are all very friendly. I am wondering what the beer will cost me…
It’s not too bad, a little more than 15000 pesos.

After this very nice rest, I continue through very flat terrain for about 20 minutes to arrive at the welcome center. There are not too many people here, yet. I drink another beer and have an Empanada.

They tell me the bus to Laguna Amarga leaves at 7 pm, which is fine since the Bus-Sur arrives there at 20:15. So I wait…

After 17:00 it is getting more crowded, all hikers who want to go back to Puerto Natales.

The bus trip to Puerto Natales is uneventful and a few minutes from the bus terminal is my hotel, Big Bang Patagonia. I can still check in and the first thing I do is a shower, no not a beer.

Since it is already late, I go and get some take-away sushi. When I come back I ask the girl from the hotel if they sell beer or anything else to drink. They don’t… So sushi with water it is. But then, just when I want to call Ada, there is a knock on the door and the girl brings me two cans of beer, which makes my day!

Weather

Cloudy but with a pleasant temperature. At mirador Base las Torres it was a little colder because of the height, but not really cold.

Songtext of the day

The Torres were shrouded in mists, so here is Nebel by Rammstein.

Sie stehen eng umschlungen
Ein Fleischgemisch so reich an Tagen
Wo das Meer das Land berührt
Will sie ihm die Wahrheit sagen

Doch ihre Worte frisst der Wind
Wo das Meer zu Ende ist
Hält sie zitternd seine Hand
Und hat ihn auf die Stirn geküsst

Sie trägt den Abend in der Brust
Und weiß, dass sie verleben muss
Sie legt den Kopf in seinen Schoß
Und bittet einen letzten Kuss

Und dann hat er sie geküsst
Wo das Meer zu Ende ist
Ihre Lippen schwach und blass
Und seine Augen werden nass
Und dann hat er sie geküsst
Wo das Meer zu Ende ist
Ihre Lippen schwach und blass
Und seine Augen werden nass

Und dann hat er sie geküsst
Wo das Meer zu Ende ist
Ihre Lippen schwach und blass
Und seine Augen werden nass
Und dann hat er sie geküsst
Wo das Meer zu Ende ist
Ihre Lippen schwach und blass
Und seine Augen werden nass

Der letzte Kuss ist so lang her
Der letzte Kuss
Er erinnert sich nicht mehr

[English translation:]

They are standing in a tight embrace
A union of flesh so rich in days
Where the sea touches the land
She wants to tell him the truth

But the wind eats her words away
Where the sea is at an end
Trembling she holds his hands
And she kissed his forehead

She is carrying the evening in her breast
And she knows she must leave now
She puts her head in his lap
And asks for one last kiss

And then he kissed her
Where the sea is at an end
Her lips weak and pale
And his eyes wettened
And then he kissed her
Where the sea is at an end
Her lips weak and pale
And his eyes wettened

And then he kissed her
Where the sea is at an end
Her lips weak and pale
And his eyes wettened
And then he kissed her
Where the sea is at an end
Her lips weak and pale
And his eyes wettened

The last kiss has been so long
The last kiss
He doesn’t remember it anymore

Fotos

Date: 20231102

Time: 8:10 – 16:30

Distance: 18,9 km

Overnight stay: Chileno Camping, Torres del Paine

Walk

No big breakfast today, only some cookies and chocolate nuts, with water. I save the can of Fanta I bought yesterday for later today when I need a sugar shot.

Today I am not only blown away by the scenery but also literally by the fierce winds. I already think the wind is strong, man am I in for a surprise later today.

And then you are ‘on the beach’, that is if you count big pebbles as beach. I walk a small section very near to the water. The wind is so strong that the water gets blown from the lake.

I meet the couple from Utah again, they stayed at Cuernos and are now going up to Britanico. They made it to the first suspension bridge at glacier Grey.

After about 3.5 kilometers, and not 2.5 kilometers as is shown on all the signs, I reach Cuernos. Time for coffee, Nescafé but better than nothing.

Before I leave, I put the rain cover on my backpack because there are some dark clouds in front of me. But luckily they drift away from me. I only feel some drops. This is good because the rain cover comes of the backpack, probably because of the shrubs and trees that are growing over the path.

I take regular stops when going up, this is good to take in the view and to catch my breath. I remember when doing the South West Coast Path this was not necessary, but then again that was almost 6 years ago…

Just like yesterday I take a break after I cross a suspension bridge, here I notice that I am off track, but given the amount of other hikers I don’t worry. There is also a horse track here and I think Gaia took that one when it created the route. A little bit later I am back on track again.

I see sparrows catching the gusts of wind and flying away at very high speed. Looks like a very good adrenaline rush (do birds have adrenaline? I checked, they do).

I decided to have a big break when there are less than 7 kilometers to walk. When I do there are 6 kilometers left and I sit on a rock and have my sugar shot and a protein bar. A couple passes by that I already met a couple of times today. The guy asks if he should take a picture of me. So today not only scenic pictures, but also one or two with me in it.

Then it goes up to Chileno, a steep section of a few kilometers and exposed to the wind. Here I learn that the fierce wind of today was nothing but a breeze. At some sections going up the wind gusts are so strong that I am glad I have my hiking poles, otherwise I would have been blown from my socks (sorry for the literal translation 🙂

Raindrops are falling but not too much and they are welcome to bring some extra cooling.
At some point I see a lot of people coming from another path to the left. I think they also come from Cuernos, I probably could have taken another route, maybe with less height differences. But then again this was a nice trip.

I made it! Before half past four I am at Chileno and check-in for my tent. While checking in I also order my first and very well deserved beer of today. First things first.
At first I sit outside but with these winds that is not very nice. So I go inside the overcrowded restaurant and I find a spot to sit. Here I meet Renata who is walking the trek with here two Brazilian friends. I passed them a couple of times today and she asks if it was easy for me because it looked like I was walking the trek without any difficulty. I assure her that it wasn’t as easy as it looked. Renata is originally from Brazil and we talk about al lot of things. Sitting with Renata and her friends is a couple with a woman from Peru. She tells me to go to Peru, like Lise and Sven did last year. She also tells me to go to restaurant Central in Lima, the number one restaurant in the world. Expensive but worth it. I checked it and in 2023, it earned the No. 1 spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking.
They are making plans to go up to Tres Picos tomorrow and they want to leave at 3 am! They ask me to join them but this is really too early for me. I am having breakfast at 7 am, my first decent meal in two days.

After taking a shower I go back to the restaurant to have another beer and to type my adventures of the day.

Weather

Today it was mostly cloudy with some short sunny periods, some drops of rain and a lot of wind.

Songtext of the day

The sparrows were flying fast and high today. Here is Flying High by Captain Hollywood Project.

We ‘re flying high
We ‘re flying right up to the sky
We fly so high
We’re flying right up to the sky

We fly so high, we fly so high

Yes I don’t need no stress
‘Cause that’s the kind of stuff that makes a mess
Breakin’ me down and takin’ me to the test
Keepin’ me brother from givin’ my best
Gotta chill gotta chill gotta gotta kill
Before I cannot feel anything that’s goin’ down
Turnin’ my head around and around
Takin’ me to the highest level
Diggin’ my own grave with a shovel
Many boss remain in my brain
Cover me truly and sing.
I cannot speak, I cannot speak
I wake up sweatin’ up in my sleep
That’s why, that’s why I’m flyin’ high.

We’re flying high (We’re flying high)
We’re flying right up to the sky
We fly so high (We fly so high)
We’re flying right up to the sky
With an extra station from the ground
The stars are shining round and round
So high we’re flying right up to the sky.
We’re flying high (We fly so high, we fly so high)
We’re flying high.

Yeah that’s the way I got to go
When everybody’s singin’ my mo and mo
Pickin’ up the record in a record store
Hollywood, Hollywood on the radio
Jammin’, jammin’ forty people bang me
It’s me and gets his slam in right
So why don’t you play all night
Puttin’ on the jeans and the jeans all tight
Gotta go gotta go gotta go now
Try to relax and I don’t know how
Listenin’ to the sound I like to hear best
The sound that makes me cheer
I’m gettin’ away from a everyday cry
Runnin’ away from hardcore lie
I’m flyin’, I’m flyin’ high.

We’re flying high (We’re flying high)
We’re flying right up to the sky
We fly so high (We fly so high)
We’re flying right up to the sky
With an extra station from the ground
The stars are shining round and round
So high we’re flying right up to the sky.
We’re flying high (We fly so high, we fly so high)
We’re flying high.

We’re flying high (We’re flying high)
We’re flying right up to the sky
We fly so high (We fly so high)
We’re flying right up to the sky
With an extra station from the ground
The stars are shining round and round
So high we’re flying right up to the sky.
We’re flying high (We fly so high, we fly so high)
We’re flying high.

Fotos

Date: 20231101

Time: 8:35 – 17:50

Distance: 22,8 km

Overnight stay: Francés Camping, Torres del Paine

Walk

After breakfast I pack backpack and leave for Britanico. It is a bit of a puzzle how I have to start. They changed the paths. But I find my way.

The good news is that I am not completely daft. I found my sun glasses, they were hiding in the upper compartment of Sven’s backpack. This is good because when I start walking I have the sun right in front of me.

With the heavy backpack, walking sticks are definitely a good idea. Yesterday I had them with me, but didn’t need them. Today I do!

After walking for some time I check my TwoNav to see where I am on the route. The answer is simple, I am not. I am off track, a few kilometers back the path split and I followed the sign Italiano, which is the next camp I will reach. I check the map on my TwoNav and I am quite sure this path, a new path?, will also bring me to my destination and I continue.

I see again a lot of dead trees.

When I cross a river, I take a break at the other side of the bridge. I already filled my bottle from a stream earlier on. Just before the bridge the other path, the one I planned, joined my path. I am on track again. It now also gets more crowded. The other path is shorter but less scenic and most hikers apparently take the short route.

Campamento Italiano is only a short distance away and I have a break there as well. My shirt and the inside of my coat are soaking wet.
At Italiano I leave my backpack and continue with only a water bottle and my walking sticks up to mirador Britanico.

I follow the river that I crossed before and I pass a campsite where they warn you not to drink the water from near the campsite…

It goes up and up and I have nice views on the mountains, the river and glacier Frances. It is a touch hike up. I would have never done this with the backpack.

Finally I reach Britanico, a bunch of rocks protruding from the landscape and giving perfect 360° views on the Frances valley and the mountains in all directions.

The way down is slightly easier. I hear a thunder, it is snow breaking free up on the mountain. I can still see the snow cloud where it happened.

I reach Italiano again, pick up my backpack and walk the rest to camp Frances where I booked a tent. It is a tent on poles and I have one whole tent by myself, which is nice. Yesterday I got an email that they upgraded me. No idea what that means, but I do have the tent closest to the reception and not one all the way down or up.

One minor thing is the shower, after some warm water, it soon falls back to only cold water. So a cold shower it is.

The restaurant is also not very much. First of all I have to walk about 1 kilometer down and if you didn’t pre-book a meal, like I did, you cannot sit in the restaurant. You can buy a beer and take it with you or drink it outside, like I did.

So not much to do here, which means I will go to bed early. This is no problem because I am very tired after these two days.

Weather

It was warm and sunny today. Fine walking weather, even a little too warm at times in the sun.

Songtext of the day

Today, with all the dead trees, I walked through the valley of death which reminded me of a song by Coolio, Gangsta’s Paradise that has a songtext that begins with this:

As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I take a look at my life and realize there’s nothin’ left
‘Cause I’ve been blastin’ and laughin’ so long, that
Even my momma thinks that my mind is gone
But I ain’t never crossed a man that didn’t deserve it
Me be treated like a punk, you know that’s unheard of
You better watch how you talkin’ and where you walkin’
Or you and your homies might be lined in chalk
I really hate to trip, but I gotta loc
As they croak, I see myself in the pistol smoke, fool
I’m the kinda G the little homies wanna be like
On my knees in the night, sayin’ prayers in the streetlight

Been spendin’ most their lives livin’ in the gangsta’s paradise
Been spendin’ most their lives livin’ in the gangsta’s paradise
Keep spendin’ most our lives livin’ in the gangsta’s paradise
Keep spendin’ most our lives livin’ in the gangsta’s paradise

Look at the situation they got me facin’
I can’t live a normal life, I was raised by the state
So I gotta be down with the hood team
Too much television watchin’ got me chasin’ dreams
I’m a educated fool with money on my mind
Got my ten in my hand and a gleam in my eye
I’m a loc’d out gangsta, set trippin’ banger
And my homies is down so don’t arouse my anger
Fool, death ain’t nothin’ but a heart beat away
I’m livin’ life do or die, what can I say?
I’m 23 now, but will I live to see 24?
The way things is goin’ I don’t know

Tell me why are we so blind to see
That the ones we hurt are you and me?

Been spendin’ most their lives livin’ in the gangsta’s paradise
Been spendin’ most their lives livin’ in the gangsta’s paradise
Keep spendin’ most our lives livin’ in the gangsta’s paradise
Keep spendin’ most our lives livin’ in the gangsta’s paradise

Power and the money, money and the power
Minute after minute, hour after hour
Everybody’s runnin’, but half of them ain’t lookin’
It’s goin’ on in the kitchen, but I don’t know what’s cookin’
They say I gotta learn, but nobody’s here to teach me
If they can’t understand it, how can they reach me?
I guess they can’t, I guess they won’t
I guess they frontin’, that’s why I know my life is out of luck, fool!

Been spendin’ most their lives livin’ in the gangsta’s paradise
Been spendin’ most their lives livin’ in the gangsta’s paradise
Keep spendin’ most our lives livin’ in the gangsta’s paradise
Keep spendin’ most our lives livin’ in the gangsta’s paradise

Tell me why are we so blind to see
That the ones we hurt are you and me?
Tell me why are we so blind to see
That the ones we hurt are you and me?

Fotos

Date: 20231031

Time: 7:30 – 17:30

Distance: 30,7 km

Overnight stay: Paine Grande, Torres del Paine

Walk

I am up at 6:15 to get breakfast at 6:30 and have an early start. It froze last night.

I follow a rocky path. Early in the day I don’t meet a lot of people. That changes when it gets later.

It is sunny, blue skies all around. I realize that I forgot my sun glasses. They are still in my other backpack that I left with Ada. I am so focused on the stuff I normally don’t need, that I forget half of the stuff I normally have. I also forgot my hat, but that is still at home in Baarlo. The sun glasses are no problem today, I have the sun in my back when I walk up to Grey as well as when I return. And after Refugio Grey I walk under the trees.

It is warm in the sun, but chilly or even cold in the shade. That also changes during the day. In the afternoon it is f*cking hot in the sun and there is almost no shade.

All the dead trees make the scenery a little spooky. Today I walk a few times through the woods, especially the last part after Refugio Grey. Probably the fire did not get here. If it wasn’t for the fire, I would have walked a lot more through the woods. As bad as I feel about the fire, I do like the different scenery it created.

At Laguna los Patos I take off my vest, it’s getting too warm.

I made GPX tracks of all the planned routes but they are not really necessary. One cannot get lost here because there is only one path. However, I get other useful information like where I am and what altitudes to expect.

The path continues down through a small stream, I walk in the water.
Now I enter a section that is very steep. I have to use my hands and I really have to watch out because it can be slippery when wet.

I meet two Australian guys and talk a bit to one of them. He has a good tip, at the end of my route I have to continue for about 5 minutes after the 2nd suspension bridge to get good views on the glacier.

After a little more than 3 hours I reach Refugio Grey, time for a coffee. At first they scare me, the bar is closed for cleaning. However they also have a minimarket where I can get a decent coffee that I drink outside at a picknick table.

When I continue, I first make a detour to a mirador (viewpoint) to watch the glacier from afar. The I continue my route for 3 more miradors. At the first mirador I hear thunder, a piece of ice breaks of the glacier, I didn’t see it, but I heard it.

I fill my water bottle from a stream. I read and they told me the water is drinkable and I believe them. Still I bought a bottle with a filter, just to be sure.

I pass two suspension bridges. The first one crosses a small stream that probably can get bigger. The second one is longer and higher and has its own private glacier coming down from the mountain. Probably a temporary glacier.

Finally I reach my target, which was also the tip from the Australian guy. Good tip by the way. From this mirador you have a fabulous view on the glacier. I stay a short while to take in the view and eat a protein bar.

The way back to Refugio Grey goes way faster than the way up. I meet the couple from Utah again. They are on their way up but they don’t know if they have enough time. They also have to go back to Paine Grande. I tell them how far it is and that there are some steep sections. I am afraid they are not going to make it.

At Refugio Grey I have a well-deserved beer, a Torres del Pain by Austral.

I meet two girls with devil horns and I make the sign of the horns with my hand and they wish me happy Halloween! I totally forgot that it is Halloween. In Santiago and Valparaíso you cannot forget, but here that is no problem.

Everybody keeps shouting ice-cream at me today and I keep shouting back Ola. This joke probably doesn’t work for people outside of the Netherlands but I am not going to explain…

The rest of the track back to Paine Grande is rather uneventful. I refill my water bottle once more and I don’t stop at all the viewpoints, I did that already the first time around.

I notice in several parts that there are multiple parallel tracks to choose from. I have seen this in my other walks also. If there is room, people tend to make their own path if there is a reason. For instance water on the path, too hard or too close to the edge. It is sometimes hard to tell what the original path was. If there is a hard section, then that is probably the original path. Otherwise it is the longer path.

The last part up is hard, I already walked 25 kilometers through harsh terrain and I feel it in the legs. Once I start going down, the last kilometers, it gets better. Even though I am tired and my pace slows down, I still overtake a lot of people. That means their normal pace is less than my tired pace…

In total I walked 30.5 kilometers today. A bit more than the 28 I planned.

Weather

The weather was very good today, sunny and dry, even a little too warm in the afternoon.

Songtext of the day

Lots of ice today, a whole glacier of ice! Therefore I have picked Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice.

Yo VIP, let’s kick it

Ice, ice, baby
Ice, ice, baby

Alright stop, collaborate and listen
Ice is back with the brand new invention
Something grabs a hold of me tightly
Flow like a harpoon daily and nightly
“Will it ever stop?” Yo, I don’t know
Turn off the lights, huh, and I’ll glow
To the extreme, I rock a mic like a vandal
Light up a stage and wax a chump like a candle
Dance, rush the speaker that booms
I’m killing your brain like a poisonous mushroom
Deadly when I play a dope melody
Anything less than the best is a felony
Love it or leave it, you better gangway
You better hit the bullseye, the kid don’t play
And if there was a problem, yo, I’ll solve it
Check out the hook while my DJ revolves it

Ice, ice, baby
Vanilla Ice, ice, baby
Vanilla Ice, ice, baby
Vanilla Ice, ice, baby

Now that the party is jumpin’
With the bass kicked in and the Vegas are pumpin’
Quick to the point, to the point, no fakin’
Cookin’ MCs like a pound of bacon
Burnin’ ‘em if you’re not quick and nimble
I go crazy when I hear a cymbal
And a hi-hat with a souped up tempo
I’m on a roll, it’s time to go solo
Rollin’ in my 5.0
With the ragtop down so my hair can blow
The girlies on standby, wavin’ just to say hi
“Did you stop?” No, I just drove by
Kept on, pursuin’ to the next stop
I busted a left and I’m headin’ to the next stop
The block was dead, yo, so I continued to
A1A Beachfront Avenue
Girls were hot wearing less than bikinis
Rockman lovers driving Lamborghinis
Jealous, ‘cause I’m out getting mine
Shay with a gauge and Vanilla with a 9
Ready for the chumps on the wall
The chumps acting ill because they’re full of eight ball
Gunshots raged out like a bell
I grabbed my 9, all I heard were shells
Falling on the concrete real fast
Jumped in my car, slammed on the gas
Bumper to bumper, the avenue’s packed
I’m trying to get away before the jackers jack
Police on the scene, you know what I mean?
They passed me up, confronted all the dope fiends
If there was a problem, yo, I’ll solve it
Check out the hook while my DJ revolves it

Ice, ice, baby
Vanilla Ice, ice, baby
Vanilla Ice, ice, baby
Ice, ice, baby

Take heed ‘cause I’m a lyrical poet
Miami’s on the scene just in case you didn’t know it
My town that created all the bass sound
Enough to shake and kick holes in the ground
‘Cause my style’s like a chemical spill
Feasible rhymes that you can vision and feel
Conducted and formed, this is a hell of a concept
We make it hype and you want to step
With this. Shay plays on the fade
Slice like a ninja, cut like a razor blade
So fast, other DJs say, “Damn!”
If rhyme was a drug I’d sell it by the gram
Keep my composure when it’s time to get loose
Magnetized by the mic while I kick my juice
If there was a problem yo I’ll solve it
Check out the hook while my DJ revolves it

Ice ice, baby
Vanilla Ice, ice, baby
Vanilla Ice, ice, baby
Ice ice, baby
Vanilla Ice

Yo man, let’s get out of here
Word to your mother
Ice, ice, baby (Too cold)
Ice, ice, baby (Too cold)
Ice, ice, baby (Too cold)
Ice, ice, baby (Too cold, too cold)
Ice, ice, baby (Too cold, too cold)
Ice, ice, baby (Too cold, too cold)
Ice

Fotos