It is another lovely sunny morning. Feeling relatively fresh as I head for breakfast. Make sure I fill my boots as well as making some mean sandwiches from the excellent spread. We hit the road around 9am, walking straight from the camp rather than being transferred in a van. Initially we are walking along a road for 30+mins, past the eyesore of a hotel that sits at the base of the mountain range. This hotel is on private land so there was no control over hotel design etc. Some people have no idea of style and integration into the environment.
We cross over a small river before the long climb ahead of us. There are quite a few people walking, many out just for the day but some with tents etc evidently doing the 8 day circuit or 5 day W routes. During our briefing last night, we were told that there was a long climb ahead of us to get up to a ridge. The climb starts gently enough then gets steeper. We take regular stops for water as it is getting pretty hot. It is interesting seeing the attire of a few people who have apparently come into the park for a day. We end up zig zagging for a while till we get to the ridge. The wind is blowing pretty strongly, so all the layers we stripped off as we climbed go straight back on. Ironically, after a further 5 mins along the path the wind drops and the sun warms us up again. From here it is pretty much a gentle undulating hike to our snack stop at a place known as the Chilean Refugio. This is a pretty busy place with people camping out the back of the lodge. This is understandable as it is the only accomodation/toilets enroute. One of the girls goes to check out the toilets and comes back saying she would rather use the bushes! Suffice to say, I decide to find a bush. We see some people coming up on horseback, not sure whether I feel jealousy or irritation.....
Roshenda is about 30 mins behind us. She joins us and decides that the pain from her boots is too much for her to go on. Impressed that she has got there, but can understand her decision to turn round and go back. After the 30 min break the rest of us continue on. The terrain changes rapidly as we walk along the side of the river. Whereas the intial scenery was open hillsides with a few bushes, after the ridge the path went along the mountainside, which was made up of dark volcanic type rocks and scree. After the lodge we are walking through dense trees, which line the sides of the valley. The river has that deep blue grey colour so characteristic of those eminating from snow capped mountains. The next 90 mins are an undulating gentle climb trough the trees to the base of the morraine, that leads up to the towers that dominate this part of the National Park. The Irish couple are still walking like maniacs at the front, they seem to be on some sort of mission. They have complained a little over the last few days about the photo stops. I have to wonder what they get out of the walks as they really don't seem to be appreciating the scenery/environment.
We get to a point where the route splits. To the right is a short walk that allows you to look up to the towers. To the left is the climb up the morraine to the bottom of the of the actual towers. Our female guide tells us at this point that she will not be climbing up the morraine as it is that time of the month. Mandy also knows her limitations and decides to just walk to the lookout. So we have a bite to eat. The rest of us then head for the climb up the morraine. For those not sure of what a morraine is, it is basically rubble made up of large rocks, formed at the front of a glacier that moved down the valley. The glacier melted many centuries ago, but the rubble is still there. Some of it is easly stepped up on, other rocks need you to clamber/climb up.
The sign at the bottom of the morraine says 45 mins up. Yea, right, if you are a mountain goat. It is now pretty hot and even though I am close behind the Irish couple, it still takes the best part of an hour to climb up. However, I can not complain as once you get to a ridge there in front is an emerald green lake with the towers behind - breathtaking. There are quite a few people up in the crater, but whilst we sit having a bite to eat, most leave, letting us savour the quietness for a while.
The clamber back down is more demanding on the knees, with more bouncing off rocks as we decend, but the sun is shining and I have a seriously well being feeling as we head back. The warmth means we are walking in t-shirts, surrounded by snow-capped peaks, green hillsides, with more dead trees and the odd waterfall. All very relaxing. There is a bounce in my step after the hard climb up. Doesn't take us that long to get back to the Chilean Refugio, where we stop for a snack. More fruit and nut mixes.
Tim and I hold back to take some pictures of some more people on horseback crossing the river before walking back up to the windy ridge, which isn't as windy as it was on the way up. The sky now just has a few clouds and we get to see another Condor. No easy way of getting a photo with the equipment I have :(
As we descend back to the flatness, along the still used Gaucho (local cowboy) trail we pass a few climbers on their way up to the refugio. They look seriously hot and sweaty, carrying heavy backpacks.
I end up walking at the back chating to Mima, about life, the universe and everything. We miss the path others are taking back to the eco camp and end up having to paddle through a stream, which is pleasantly cooling on the feet. It is the short steep climb up the bank at the back of the ecocamp that is sapping. In the end we have been out for 9 hours and I am feeling pretty tired. Am glad to get out of my gear, have a much needed shower and get into some clean clothes in preperation for our last supper, which is a BBQ. They have a large animal on a spit out back, with a nice smell waftting around. We head for the smaller communal pod for Pisco sours and nibbles. There is a newly arrived American couple in there who are slightly bemused by our presence. They are here not to even walk and help themselves to our nibbles and drinks, producing a little bit of an atmosphere. Eventually, they sort of realise they are intruding and head off. We head in and settle down for dinner. The others get BBQ'ed lamb and I get a nice piece of Salmon.
The wine and conversation flows, and the Irish couple provide me with details of a few places to visit whilst in Buenos Aires, as that is where they came from on their way here. at the end of the evening it is just myself, the irish couple and Richard sat drinking away. Stagger to bed after 10pm, although the sun hasn't quite set, it is getting dark. Sleep comes quickly.....
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