{"id":12083,"date":"2019-04-27T09:19:08","date_gmt":"2019-04-27T01:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/?page_id=12083"},"modified":"2019-05-03T09:38:10","modified_gmt":"2019-05-03T01:38:10","slug":"two-seniors-hike-patagonia-the-hard-way","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/?page_id=12083","title":{"rendered":"Two Seniors Hike Patagonia the Hard Way!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trekking in Patagonia Independently<\/span><\/h1>\n
\"Karen-and-MaryAnn-on-W-Trail\"
Karen and MaryAnn (right) stand ready to conquer Chile\u2019s W Trail.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From Argentina to Chile<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span><\/div>\n

Story and images by MaryAnn (Castoria) Gerst<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cYikes, I\u2019m turning 75 this year,\u201d declares favorite Travel with a Challenge<\/em> author, MaryAnn Gerst! She goes on, \u201cI needed another adventure so my long time hiking buddy, Karen Kemeys, and I decided to create our own Argentina and Chile itinerary and travel to Patagonia to hike the challenging W Track<\/a> in Chile\u2019s Torres del Paine National Park.
\n\u201cKaren and I had hiked Europe\u2019s Tour de Mount Blanc and the New Zealand\u2019s Milford Track together, each documented in Travel with a Challenge<\/em> articles, (Tour du Mont Blanc<\/a> and Milford Track<\/a>), so we were well acquainted with each other\u2019s hiking styles, even though Karen is 9 years younger and hikes faster!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Argentina-Mount-Fitz-Roy\"
The top of Mount Fitz Roy in Argentina\u2019s Patagonia region. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After landing in Buenos Aires, Argentina we traveled to the village of El Chalten. While there, we did the strenuous hike to Mount Fitz Roy, located in the Southern Patagonia Ice Field, touted to be one of the most scenic hikes in the world. The last half mile is a 1,200-foot ascent with a 40% grade which certainly got the heart rate going! Young and old, everyone wanted to hike to Mount Fitz Roy as the winds were down, the sun was out, and there was a breathtaking view waiting at the top worth every elevated heartbeat! It is not unusual to have winds gusting above 70mph and have the peaks shrouded in clouds, making this hike undoable and unsafe. People often have waited in El Chalten for days to get a clear, non-windy day, but not us!<\/p>\n

\"Hiking-Argentina-Mount-Fitz-Roy\"
Hikers climbing to the top of Mount Fitz Roy looked like ant people from below. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Still in Argentina, our next stop was the small town of El Calafate where we took a spectacular five-hour boat tour through the tour company \u201cTurismo 21 de Mayo<\/a>\u201d to see several glaciers in the Los Glaciers National Park, the best one being Glacier Spegazzini. The boat tour was excellent and we got amazingly close to a couple of glaciers. Once again, the weather cooperated as the glaciers showed off their blue ice colors while plunging into turquoise glacial lakes.<\/p>\n

\"Argentina-Glacier-Spegazzini\"
Argentina\u2019s Spegazzini glacier viewed on our five-hour boat tour was the most impressive glacier we saw. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chile\u2019s W Track<\/h2>\n

The next day, after a five-hour bus ride, we crossed the border into Chile keen to start our hike on the W Track, so called because it is shaped like a W on a map. We would be hiking from refugio<\/em> to refugio<\/em> (small huts that provide beds and meals) over a four-day course on a hike of about 45 miles. We opted to plan this trip on our own, saving around US$2,000 per person, rather than taking an organized tour. We enjoyed being on our own time frame to rest and take pictures, feeling quite safe along the well-marked trails.<\/p>\n

We carried water, snack food, emergency kit and clothes in our backpacks, weighing around 18 pounds [see MaryAnn\u2019s Backpack Tips<\/strong> below]. Doing our best to keep the pack weight down, we knew we would be wearing the same clothes for multiple days! The day before, we had said \u201cgoodbye\u201d to our suitcases, filled with clean clothes at a local hostel. We would stay there on our return.<\/p>\n

\"Patagonia-Cloud-Formation\"
Weird cloud formation caused by wind. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Checking in at the Torres del Paine National Park<\/a> entrance, officials verified our reservations which we made six months ahead because they fill quickly. This park receives 250,000 visitors annually but not everyone is there to do a multi-day trek. Our first refugio<\/em> was only a six-mile hike away. While we were there in January, Chile was experiencing some of the hottest weather on record but we still had with us two base layers, hiking clothes, wind jacket, rain gear, down vest, coat and gloves, and wool hat. We soon had to strip down to bare necessities putting the rest of our clothes in our packs. We ended up carrying more water and applying tons of sunscreen! <\/p>\n

Our goal was to hike up to the Paine Towers that afternoon, a famous spot that is a steep five-mile round trip from the refugio<\/em>. But they closed the trail an hour after we got there. No admittance after 3pm. We both admitted we were glad not to do more hiking in the heat. Instead, we rose at 6am the next morning and started the hike to the towers. It was awe inspiring once we got to the top, but a hard, rocky climb, following red marker dots the last half mile. A couple of times I heard Karen in the lead yelling, \u201cI can\u2019t find the next dot painted on the rocks. I\u2019m lost!\u201d and then a couple of minutes later, \u201cOh, here it is!\u201d I just tried to keep her pink shirt in view. At the top we were rewarded with the deepest of blue skies, towering peaks and a crystal clear glacial lake. <\/p>\n

\"Towers-on-W-Trail\"
Hiking up to the Towers on W Trail, looking for red marker dots. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next day, we vastly underestimated how long it would take us to get to our next refugio<\/em>. The scenery was magnificent, delighting us with every curve of the trail. We were greeted with rugged snow-covered peaks and rushing glacial waterfalls and streams, that we crossed over on suspension bridges. We heard the thunderous sounds of glaciers calving into the water while the glaciers pushed their way down steep mountain canyons. <\/p>\n

After walking about four hours and thinking our next camp would be right around the bend, we saw a mileage sign saying 11km\u2019s to go. \u201cWhat!\u201d, we both yelled, \u201cSeven more miles, that can\u2019t be right,\u201d as we trudged on. Walking a few more miles, we started asking hikers coming towards us \u201cHow much further\u201d?\u201d \u201cAbout an hour away,\u201d the first person told us. We walked another 50 minutes and asked again. \u201cAbout an hour more,\u201d was the cheery response! A half hour later, the same response. It got to be funny and we started asking every person we passed. The response was always the same, \u201cAbout an hour!\u201d We were trapped in a time warp! <\/p>\n

\"Patagonia-Top-of-Towers\"
Reaching the top of the Towers on a completely clear day was a huge bonus. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finally, we struggled into camp about 7:30pm. Luckily, since it was summer, darkness did not fall until around 10pm. We figured we\u2019d hiked around 18 miles, which included our \u201cjaunt\u201d up to the Paine Towers that morning. When we checked in, they asked Karen if we were allergic to anything and she promptly replied, \u201cYes, snoring!\u201d With a smile they put us in our own private room which was pure heaven!<\/p>\n

The weather turned and for the next couple of days we hiked in 60 to 70mph head winds with rain and sleet. Needless to say, we wore every stitch of clothing we brought with us. <\/p>\n

\"Chile-Patagonia-Suspension-Bridge\"
After inspecting this risky-looking suspension bridge, we declined to cross! <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We arrived at our last refugio<\/em> and decided to take a side trip to the famed suspension bridges, noted for their length, height, precariousness and views. \u201cYou must do this,\u201d several hikers told us. Arriving at the first bridge, I\u2019m not sure if we were tired or scared but we blurted in unison, \u201cNo way am I crossing that rickety old bridge!\u201d We just watched other brave souls venture across!<\/p>\n

Back at camp we celebrated our W Track completion and relived our adventure looking at hundreds of pictures we had taken. \u201cHere\u2019s to changing into clean clothes,\u201d we toasted each other with an excellent local Chilean craft beer. We both agreed this was one of our harder hiking adventures compared to Mount Blanc and the Milford Track. We blamed it on the unexpected heat which forced us to carry all that extra clothing weight and water in our backpacks!<\/p>\n

\"Patagonia-Domes-Hostel\"
We spent one night in an 8-person dome at W Trail\u2019s Rifugio Domos. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Follow Up Facts<\/span>Hiking the \u201cW\u201d Track with a tour group can range from US$2,000 to $5,000 per person. We paid less than US$1,000 by doing it on our own, which included our entrance fee into the park, 4 nights lodging and 3 meals per day. This hike can be easily put together by using this website with great information<\/a>. Best time to visit is between September and April.
\nRefugio choices and lifestyle:<\/strong>
\nWe mostly stayed in wood-structure refugios<\/em> that supplied us with bunk beds and three meals per day because we wanted more amenities and less pack weight. We chose not to sleep in any tents available for rent at each refugio<\/em> though they were much cheaper price than the bunk rooms sharing with 6 to 8 people. We did spend one night in an 8-person dome at Rifugio Domos<\/strong>. Breakfast and dinner were sit-down meals, consisting of eggs, meat, bread, potatoes and juice, served at long tables in each dining room. Lunch was a picnic bag of assorted \u201cto go\u201d food to eat along the trail. If you decide to use refugios<\/em>, plan your route and call each refugio<\/em> directly, making your reservations six months in advance.<\/span>
\nHabla espa\u00f1ol? <\/strong>
\nNeither Karen nor I speak Spanish, but the people were so friendly and so willing to work with us that we had no problem. If we started to ask a question in English someone standing at the bus station or restaurant would always be able to refer us to one of their friends who spoke a little bit of English. We used sign language a lot and always got what we were looking for. It was pretty amazing that we didn\u2019t need to know the language to do this trip! We both loved the people in this southern part of Argentina and Chile!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"End-of-W-Trail-Patagonia\"
Celebrating completion of W Trail with local beer … \u201cWe did it!\u201d <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

MaryAnn\u2019s Backpack Tips<\/h3>\n

(Estimated weight = 18 pounds\/8 kilos)
\nFirst line the inside of the pack with a strong plastic bag to keep everything dry.<\/p>\n

* Rain gear\/pack rain cover
\n* Clothes layers (base layers, hiking clothes, wind shirt, down vest and coat, change of underwear, extra socks)
\n* Gloves and hat
\n* Hiking poles\/head lamp
\n* GPS and map
\n* Sunscreen\/sun glasses\/insect repellent
\n* Wash cloth and personal items
\n* Water (it is safe to drink out of glacial streams)
\n* Emergency kit
\n* Snack food
\n* Hiking boots and comfy shoes for evening<\/p>\n

Based in New Mexico,U.S.A, MaryAnn Gerst<\/strong> is a retired Public Relations professional after a 30-year career in the utility industry. MaryAnn is a member of the Albuquerque MeetUp Hiking Group and enjoys hiking several times each month with her hiking companions. Email: gerstmaryann@gmail.com<\/a>.
\nWe recommend more of MaryAnn\u2019s adventurous feature articles<\/strong> in our publication\u2019s Travel Article Library: Colorado\u2019s Pike\u2019s Peak or Bust<\/a>, A Trekking Tour of Europe\u2019s Mont Blanc<\/a>, New Zealand\u2019s Milford Track<\/a>, and Trekking Africa\u2019s Highest Peak, Mt Kilimanjaro<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Also recommended in our Travel Article Library is an article by another regular contributor about exploring Patagonia in more luxurious style<\/a> with a guide, all ground transport, accommodations and meals. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Trekking in Patagonia Independently From Argentina to Chile Story and images by MaryAnn (Castoria) Gerst \u201cYikes, I\u2019m turning 75 this year,\u201d declares favorite Travel with a Challenge author, MaryAnn Gerst! She goes on, \u201cI needed another adventure so my long time hiking buddy, Karen Kemeys, and I decided to create our own Argentina and Chile […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12083"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12083"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12083\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12141,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12083\/revisions\/12141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelwithachallenge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}