Third Time Lucky: Trekking in Torres

Day 5
Disappointingly the weather had changed again to rain and very low clouds – not good news for getting a closer view of the Torres. From Chileno it was an hour up to Campamento Torres, just under the lookout. The weather seemed to be improving, but when we headed up steep track to the lookout it was still clouded in, with the occasional shape in the clouds that had to be the famous Towers.

Damp and cloudy - nothing for it but some reading, hoping that the weather would improve

Up at the famous viewpoint, sadly lacking in views

Ah, optimism! Waiting under a bivvy rock, but no luck

Day 6
We were optimistic that the weather would change again overnight and clear off the low level clouds and rain, but sadly it wasn't meant to be. We did head up to the lookout again (setting a scorching time of 35min up and 25min down) but visibility was about 20m!

Ah well, by this time we were pretty damp, almost out of food and ready to head back to civilisation. The tent was a good kilo heavier with water but we still made good time back down to Las Torres.

The low level cloud had blown off in places and we could see period glimpses of the Torres from down by Refugio Las Torres. The shuttle bus took us back round to the park entrance, which was bathed in sunshine and covered with wet trekkers trying to dry everything out.

The views back towards the Paine Massive were gorgeous, even with the clouds coming and going. The Torres seemed so much more immense from further away.

Back in the bus to Puerto Natales, with time enough to clean and dry all our gear and have a great parrilla (Patagonian bbq) dinner.

Lovely waterfall

Pack horses taking supplies up to Refugio Chileno

While waiting for the bus Ben had time to stalk some guanaco, relatives of the llama

Cute baby guanacos

Guanacos posing under Torres del Paine

Torres del Paine - though we waited and hoped, this was the best view we had.
They were still beautiful and imposingly large, all the more so from a distance