This place is off the charts! Typically, when people talk about Patagonia, they´re talking about a few of the national parks down here. We just drank in one of the classics. Some believe one of the best hikes on earth. 9 days, 8 nights, 98 miles, 12 pounds of salami and cheese, and 10 bags of pasta later.... we completed a trek of the entire Torres del Paine National Park. The scenery we saw along the way was varied and elaborate - glaciers, jagged peaks, thick forests, snow-capped mountains, roaring rivers, glacial lakes, ice bergs and more. Truly a life changing trip. Along the way, we battled mosquitos, intense wind, rain, sore feet, an awful cold for Lindsay and some very unappealing bathrooms. As you can see from one of the photos, (no doctoring needed) the weather was as unpredictable as the next turn of the trail. But there were also some moments of luxury with hot showers and hot meals to balance it out. Some folks do what´s called the ¨W¨ while some folks do the longer ¨Circuit.¨ Of course, Brent and I decided we should do the longest trek available, called the ¨Q.¨ This is the entire Circuit surrounding the park with an added approach trek. This portion of the trek really gives you the feeling of walking out of the wind blown prarie into this amazing mountainscape... a ceremonial entrance into wilderness beyond imagination. Goosebumps as I write this!!!
(Busse, I know you´re a little busy with a new son right now, but you gotta get your tail down here. We´ll discuss soon.)
Needless to say, we are thoroughly enjoying a day of rest in Puerto Natales before we head North. Our celebratory dinner included our new friends from Canada, Australia, Scotland and the United States (Oregonians, actually!)... making the trip all the more unforgettable.
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Jamie and Keith Krejci
jamieandkeith.blogspot.com