Day 1 - W Trek, Park Entrance to Refugio Grey (7 miles)
Torres Del Paine National Park, Chile
Catamaran awaits
We entered the park on Monday from Puerto Natales via a 3 hr bus ride with a couple stops. On the bus to the park we encountered guanacos, flamingoes, and a few Chilean Condor siting´s amongst the patagonian steppe, or the vast plain areas immediately surrounding and building up to the sharp tusks of black sedimentary (granite) peaks that make up the Torres Del Paine or Towers of Paine area within the park. First stop was the catamaran (boat) across Lago Pehoe to the Paine Grande lodge where we would begin our 35 mile hike. Good spirits and free hot chocalate aboard the catamaran. The weather conditions proved to be windy with a good chance of rain throughout the day on Monday. Overall the trail was in good condition this day.
Map of Torres Del Paine NP, Chile : 
We completed the W circuit starting at Pehoe (western end of Lago Pehoe) and ending up at Los Torres (northeast of LagNordenskjold). We stayed at refugios (hostels offering bunks, showers, and meals) for three of four nights, and camped one night in a tent. We needed to carry sleeping bags, snacks, and dry clothes on our backs, but it was not as heavy as it would have been if we were moving an entire campsite around with food for five days. Water could be procured at each refugio, or stream, along the way.
Above: 3 views from the Catamaran. Central and East Cuernos Del Paine in the background here.
Above: Four pictures from the beginning of our hike to Refugio Grey and the Grey Glacier from Lago Pehoe.
Above: The trek to Refugio Grey included gaining elevation over a small ridge to one side of Lago Grey and encountering the Grey Glacier near the Refugio (last picture). It is hard to describe this glacier in pictures as it was quite massive; completely encompassing one end of the lake, as it faded into the distant mountains beyond the lake. Large chunks of the blue glacier were also found abundantly floating in Lago Grey, often disappearing (slowly melting) or floating downwind throughout the day.
