Patagonia, Torres Del Paine, W-Trek (Part 2)

Introduction

Days 2 involved us walking in the eye of the storm, moving at a brisk pace to remain out of the rain. Highlights included several tranquil lakes and glorious autumn colours, keeping us in good spirits throughout the trek. While we had to deal with plenty of mud and food stealing mice, we still found little comforts and good conversations to occupy us between the highlights.

I Love Autumn

Day 2

We started day 2 in the rain, passing along flat areas till we crossed the first hill. At this point, the rain stopped, and the sun rose, presenting a golden moment where the sunlight struck the lake area. Spine-tingling raw beauty was at work here (see the picture above!).

Master Rock Hopper

As I alluded to in my previous post, trekking in autumn involves crossing several rivers and streams. While I eventually lost count, I easily crossed rivers ten times on day 2. Which kind of makes me want to create fake certs for my team to certify us as master rock hoppers. Ok, i’m lame, i get it, but to be more serious, trek poles to help you maintain balance here would be a big plus. Also, if the river does not get you, then the small ponds and steams likely will. So don’t get to upset over plunging your foot into the river by accident.

Lunch with a view

Just like day 1, we had a picnic lunch around mid-day. We found an excellent spot that overlooked the lake, while be sandwiched between two storms. Which provided a sharp contrast with the tranquility of our location.

The Walk to the French Camp & Italian Camp

The next part of the trek features some cool sights such as the horns and a little ‘beach’ walk. With the storm enclosing on us, we walked at a brisk pace to get through this section of the trek.

Reaching Camp Italiano

We reached Camp Italiano around 3 in the afternoon, a fairly good time for a group. Here, we kicked back on wooden chairs to have tea and eventually a simple dinner in a hut. We retired to comfy tents for the night, which were highly cozy. Through the night, it rained on us, soaking my boots, while my food which I had hung on a tree, were attacked by mice. Nonetheless, lying in the tent with rain beating down all around, provided a relaxing experience.

Up Next

Day 3 is up next, which involved an ascend to the French lookout as well as our trek to Paine Grande.

Stay tuned!