Trekking in Patagonia?

[Lambone]

My wife and I are flying into Punta Arenas and will have about 2 weeks to do a cool hike through some big peaks.

 

Any recomendations? Looking for all types of info from where to go - logistics.

 

Also, we'd be keen on a short sea kayaking trip if anyone knows a good outfit to hook up with.

 

Thanks!

[W]

Matt,

It's the most popular and obvious, but might as well go hit the Torres del Paine Circuit. You won't be disappointed. If it's still too snowy or you're not up to the high winds and such, there are infinite shorter hike possibilities in the park. Check out the Valley of Silence, and definitely hike up to Glacier Grey and to the Torres del Paine lookout. But the whole circuit is awesome and not to be missed if you can manage it. It will take you anywhere from 3-5 days. Allow a full week for weather days and for taking side trips to the various valleys along the way. You can get great maps of the park in Punta Arenas and in Puerto Natales, where you will have to bus (3 hrs) to get to Paine.

There are a couple of sea kayaking outfits in Punta Arenas, but I didn't check them out. Puerto Natales might be a little better for kayaking. Also, if the penguins have returned, go check out the Penguin Colony near Punta Arenas. Cool way to spend a day.

Keep your rain and wind gear handy at all times. Have fun- but then, it is impossible not to in Patagonia.

[Lambone]

cool

 

does it seem feasible to visit both Torres Del Piane and the Fitzroy area in 2 weeks including travel days?

 

any good web sites out there? al I can find are stupid guide services...

[cj001f]

You headed at peak season (Nov-Jan?) or some other time? From all I've heard the road to Fitzroy takes a 1/2 day - and there aren't many flights to El Chalten.

[Lambone]

it will be around the 1st of December

[dylan_taylor]

You headed at peak season (Nov-Jan?) or some other time? From all I've heard the road to Fitzroy takes a 1/2 day - and there aren't many flights to El Chalten.

 

There aren't any flights to Chalten. There are, however, flights to Calafate, a three hour bus ride from Chalten, where you start hiking. To my knowledge, they don't operate international flights to Calafate, mainly just domestic flights on Aerolineas Argentinas out of Buenos Aires.

 

Lambone, you can certainly hit both Torres Del Paine (Chile) and Los Glacieres (Arg) in two weeks from Punta Arenas. Try to get a bus to Puerto Natales as soon as you get off the plane in P.A., thus avoiding the need to spend an unneccessary night in "puta anus". Its about 4-5 hours to Puerto Natales via bus. In Puerto Natales, there is everything you need logistics-wise for some trekking. You can get maps, groceries, and beta. Go hang out at the cafe Indiglo. It used to be the Amarindia. And is or was owned by Hernan Joffre, who also runs Bigfoot expediciones. Bigfoot does sea kayaking and light mountaineering excursions in the torres and among the fiords near Bernard Ohiggins. You'd probably be more interested in the sea kayaking stuff that they have to offer.

About half the people who do the TDP circuit love it, and about half hate it. THough beautiful,. some people find the "backside" 2-3 days of the circuit a bit bland. These type of people are more suited to hikin the "W". It is the circuit minus the long stretch from gardner pass stretching east and then south on the other side of Valle Ascencio.

 

In 5 days, you can easily see a lot of the park by starting at Lago Grey/Refugio Grey (a couple hour boat ride from near the park admin center), and hiking/camping at Campo Italiano, day hiking to the french valley, and continuing to Refugio Paso Cuerno. You can day hike up into the Bader Valley - still sweet climbing options await, and few people go there- and return to Paso Cuerno. Then hike to Refugio Chileno, where you have two days of day hiking options, before heading to Hosteria Los Torres and catching a bus back to P.N., where you can get organized and get a bus ticket for Calafate.

 

Enjoy.

[lancegranite]

I told my wife that if she divorced me, send my mail back, I'm going to Patigonia and not coming back.

[Lambone]

dylan, nice beta dude! this exactly what I'm looking for! especialy specific places to stay and eat. thanks!

[dylan_taylor]

No Problem.

Let me know if you need any other info as december approaches.

As far as places to stay and eat in P.N., I can't really remember. There are a lot of little Hostels and Pensiones, like Casa Cecilia, for example. P.N. is a small town, and easy to look for accomodations. There are a lot of hotels on the waterfront if you have more of a budget, and I think the Indiglo serves food too, along with the standard pisco sours and the like. Cool slideshows too. When eating down there, you can't beat the salmon. Pizza and steak are good too, esp. in argentina. And don't forget to fill your extra baggage space with lots of wine when you fly back.

[Lambone]

We leave for Mendoza on Oct 27th. We'll be spending a month there doing launguage school amongst other things. I'd like to hike up towards Acancagua while there...

[Jim]

I would agree with Taylor above, the back side of the Paine circut was ok but you're out in the valleys away from the peaks. His suggestions to explore the interior valleys is much better. But don't ignore some day hikes around the big lakes looking for guanacos. A hike up to see the Moreno glacier is worth it.

 

You would be spread too thin to try and get to both of the big parks in two weeks. We met some nice local in Puerto Natales, but it's a pretty small place. Great small town to sharpen your Spanish skills. Pick up "Trecking in the Patagonia Andes" if you haven't already - it was useful

Have fun!

[ryland_moore]

I disagree with Jim. I did both in less than two weeks although I was down there for six months. To get back to Mendoza, try the Navimag boat up to Puerto Montt, catch a bus from Puerto Montt or go climbing in the Lakes district, Bariloche area. Head up to Santiago and catch a bus or car shuttle over the pass (start off point for Aconcagua) and head down into Mendoza. There is a really cool hostel in Mendoza that caters to climbers. They havea cook out once a week, cool porch out back, and everyone signs their names on the walls. They also guide up Ac. out of there. Close to the parks and fountains, and can find beta of cool obscure climbin g around Mendoza. If in Mendoza, you have to go to a restaurant that opens around 10pm and has the best food I have ever had. It looks really ritzy from the outside but the best tenderloin I've ever had was $8! They have a picture of Brad Pitt and Gweneth, who ate there every night during the filmin of 7 years in Tibet. Do the circuit, going up into the valleys as side trips and do it counterclockwise to avoid a really steep pass day. if going the other way.

[Jim]

Well, just a preference. I was there for several months and if I had only two weeks I would explore one park. But that's my bias - I'm the slow and savor type. I hate barnstorming travel.

[Lambone]

I think we'll see how it goes. We're not particularly hard or anything, so doing another hike into rough country might not be appealing after the first 5 day adventure. We might be more inclined to more touristy sightseeing, maybe kayak to some crumbleing glaciers...

 

I've got a couple more specific questions,

Footwear: Burly boots or no?

Trail Food: Did you bring it, get it there...how hard was it to pack food for the whole hike?

Stoves and fuel: can you get regular butane there?

[Jim]

I thought lightweight boots were fine off the glaciers. I wish I would have taken some items for camp dinners, lightweigh stuff like bean flakes or such to supplement the staples that we found available. That said, we bought all our food down there for trips up to 12 days. Some were not the greatest. Maybe someone has been there recently and has a suggestion for purchases?

 

Fuel - we just used white gas.

[dylan_taylor]

If you can hit only one park, I think I would suggest heading straight into Argentina from Puerto Natales, and cruising around Los Glacieres for a few days (Cerro Torre, Fitz Roy, etc...). Not that I don't like the Torres, they are indeed spectacular, I just thought that the Chilean Style of over-developing every campsite, charging lots of $$ and putting refugios all over the place was kind of a turnoff. Argentina is a bit more low key, and you just can't beat the exchange rate.

 

 

Don't take big boots unless you actually want to get out on glaciers. And even then, take sneakers. I made it up the Torre glacier to Polacos camp in my running shoes, the glaciers are dry low down anyway...

 

I forgot to mention before. Even for just trekking you might want to take climbing shoes and a chalk bag. There is world class bouldering surrounding Chalten and up around campo bridwell. There is also bouldering in the Torres Del Paine, but it is more obscure and scrappy.

 

Regarding fuel, you can get white gas (benzina blanca) in all of the main towns in both Chile and Arg. Or you can just burn unleaded in your whisperlight or XGK and expect to have a few more cleaning sessions. Or you can get gaz cylinders for a canister stove at lots of the trekking supply shops in either Puerto Natales or Calafate. I noticed that it is very hard to find threaded gas cylinders, but possible. Most of the cylinders are the un-threaded kind (e.g. won't work on MSR pocket rocket but will work on MSR superfly).

 

Take lots of peanut butter if you like it. Its hard to find down there. Take your normal favorite snacks, like power bars or balance bars or whatever. Regular candy like snickers or milky ways can be found down there, but are subject to random acts of supply chain disruption...

 

All the rest of your food, soups, pastas, grains, sauces, deserts, drinks, fruits, veggies, etc... are easy to find in the towns.

Edited September 13, 2004 by dylan_taylor

[Lambone]

"And even then, take sneakers."

 

I guess that is what i was wondering, if I could get by with light hikers. but then I read somewhere about deep mud and lots of rain, so I was wonddering if a midweight leather would be necesary...if that's the case I need to go shopping, cause all I have are light boots or full on mountain boots.

 

Bummer about the gas, cause we love our MSR Pocket Rocket. haven't used that damn whisperlight in years...

 

thanks for the help guys

[dylan_taylor]

Take two pair of sneakers! If there is deep mud (which there is sometimes) you are going to get soaked anyway!

 

I encountered the most torrential rain I have ever seen there in 1998. It washed out bridges, drowned a couple of people, and put the hiking trail under knee deep water. Sometimes you just get wet...

[Lambone]

bump?

[cj001f]

Regarding fuel, you can get white gas (benzina blanca) in all of the main towns in both Chile and Arg.....I noticed that it is very hard to find threaded gas cylinders, but possible. Most of the cylinders are the un-threaded kind (e.g. won't work on MSR pocket rocket but will work on MSR superfly).

Threaded cylinders are now easier to find than Benzina Blanca

[rbw1966]

Thats cause all the coca growers have a corner on the white gas market.