TREKKING IN PATAGONIA

Written By: CPO Drury

Travelling to Chile was a long and tiring experience arriving after many hours at our first destination, Santiago, for an overnight stop before completing the 4-hour flight to Puerto Natales.

From here it was hiking, buses and a catamaran of all things to arrive at our campsite, in Torres Del Paine National Park. The site had everything we needed, including spectacular scenery but unlike Santiago which had been a very pleasant 30ºC, our campsite was a mere 6 ºC, a sign of things to come.

Day 1 was a shake-out hike to Britanico Lookout covering 29Km and 1420m of climbing taking a little over 8 hours. Carrying light packs with food and warm clothes a fast pace was maintained throughout the day with the group acquitting itself well. The varied weather (wind, rain and limited visibility) did little to dampen everyone’s spirits but nevertheless tested people and equipment in equal measure with some considering the wisdom of their footwear choices.

Day 2 dawned bright and clear and heralded the start of some serious walking. We would not be returning to Paine Grande for 5 days so having broken camp we headed into the hills with fully loaded packs to begin our trek. With terrain similar to the Lake District and the weather warm and bright the team once more set a brisk pace. As the day progressed the effects of carrying the additional weight began to take its toll, people began to tire, feet became sore and towards the end our night stop could not come soon enough. With persistently strong winds we made camp in a sheltered spot and attended to the inevitable blisters and aching limbs. Discomfort was soon forgotten though as the clear night sky delivered breathtaking views of the Milky Way.

Over the next few days, as we climbed higher, the walking become more demanding, and the temperature began to drop lower. Forestry tracks made way to open land and amazing scenic views and the weather kept us on our toes with our Gortex never far from hand. Waking to snow on the ground at Camp Dickson the challenges of cold weather trekking focussed everyone’s attention, frozen tents had to be packed and personal admin become tougher in the wintry conditions.

It was freezing when at last we moved onto the glacier but, after all, this was why we had come here, the scenery was simply spectacular, and you could see why people from all over the world come to visit Patagonia and Torres Del Paine. The deep snow and fatigue made for a slow climb, but the summit was more than worth the effort, most if not all were still smiling, and it provided a spectacular backdrop to reflect on our expedition.

The descent proved to be one of the most challenging afternoons of the entire trip, if only we had thought to bring skis. As the deep snow made way to solid ice many lost their footing, slipping and sliding down parts of the trail. Suspended walkways took us across high traverses until the western edge of the trail opened up and we could begin to feel the warming effects of the sun. The campsite beckoned and the opportunity for hot food and a hot shower quickened tired legs.

Our final day was a short 12Km walk back to where it all began, spirits were high as we recalled our achievements of the last few days. I will alway s remember this adventure as one of the highlights of my Royal Navy service and if you should ever get the opportunity to travel here yourselves, grab it with both hands. With images and memories of mountains, glaciers, and Condors our thoughts inevitably turned to the journey home to the UK by Planes, Buses and Catamarans!