TORRES DEL PAINE DAY 4

Mirador Condor, Salto Chico, Hotel las Torres area, Hosteria Pehoe sunset.

Woke at 5am before the alarm, bitterly cold outside with a heavy frost.Left the cabin around 6.15am in pitch darkness and did the 90 min , relentless drive on the bumpy, potholed road to the Amarga Visitor Centre. The drive was unpleasant but do-able – Chris did brilliantly well, having much better night sight than me.

Dawn was breaking as we parked outside the visitor centre/café, used the loos then began the walk to Hotel las Torres .We could make out the 3 towers from here too.

We were now seeing the other side of the Park but I can’t say it impressed me very much.It had none of the spectacle of the Pehoe area, no wow factor.

The hotel was really smart and classy inside.

Off we headed along the track signposted Torres Mirador – there were already plenty of groups with guides heading up too.In fact, as we climbed the stony track, the sheer numbers of people was incredible.A bit like Ben Nevis at home! The track was very easy to follow, the ascent was fine but my heart just wasn’t in it.It was an absolute cracker of a day and I wanted to be back at the views that had drawn me to the place, not slogging up into a rocky corrie which had never particularly excited my interest.

https://flic.kr/p/2qXcr8u

We stopped at an outcrop and decided what to do.Chris as ever was leaving it up to me but I was itching to get back to the real wow stuff and the mountains here didn’t hold my interest at all.Tomorrow was due to be overcast and dull, flat light and then we were leaving the park.

Originally, we were staying in TDP till Sunday and driving out Sun morning to the airport for a 1pm flight back to Santiago.But we realised this was too risky given the poor roads and had told our hostess that we would be leaving on Saturday morning instead.It meant losing a night’s accommodation and incurring that extra cost in Puerto Natales but it gave us peace of mind and in fact, it turned out definitely to be the right decision given what happened.

So – walk abandoned! I wanted to go up to Mirador Condor to enjoy the views over the whole range from this high viewpoint and this is what we did.

We scuttled back down having walked out for about 1hr 20 and immediately went into the hotel for coffee.No, they didn’t serve non residents! Yikes! Not again.

But a chap who was working at the bar gave his female colleague a bit of a look and she relented and said no problem…two café con leche it was! Relief!

A lovely place, the Hotel las Torres…very upmarket though it doesn’t have the views of the other side of the park.

Took us 45 mins to drive back to the start of the Mirador Condor walk near Lago Pehoe.

Neither of us was particularly taken with the views on the return until the road began to reveal the Cuernos/Horns and Paine Grande from a better angle.

Back at Lago Pehoe…

One other car in Mirador parking area, nice and quiet so off we set.The little top that is the Mirador below…

It was a very good track which climbed the hillside, a mild slog but very short.

We were on the top within 30 mins and wow, what a view.

Sat here with our sandwiches and snacks and it was just delightful. No wind, slight breeze, pleasant temperature…how lucky was this?

A Hawk flew over…

Then a Caracara…

Met an American couple at the top and chatted to them.They’d driven from El Chalten in Argentina where they felt the scenery was lovely though not quite as dramatic as here.However, they thought there were better hiking trails at EC giving longer but easier day walks.They were a little disappointed in what was in TDP, as they had no interest in multi day treks.They hadn’t fancied the crowds or the distance/ascent of the Torres walk.

Back down we went after 40 mins or so…

Time for another stop for coffee at Hosteria Pehoe which was becoming a favourite place. That view!

The Hosteria’s accommodation…

Spotted an elegant Grebe…

Drove 5 mins to the upmarket Explora Hotel and had a peek inside.

Then off for a stroll along the very short Salto Chico trail beside the hotel and signposted.

Decided we’d drive back here after dinner and see the sunset; there hadn’t really been a sunset to speak of so far despite decent weather.Clouds always came in at night.

Some beautiful light at sunset around 7.30pm when more serious photographers were out in force.

We walked up to the viewpoint at the top of the little island and watched the sun hit the Cuernos and also the wonderful sight of a half Moon appearing between the Horns too.