Torres del Paine (Patagonia) trip planning

[Onestepmore]

The weather I think is is always like this. This may be the norm for Patagonia. I may have been naive in expecting fairer weather for midsummer and not so much snow and mud? I know below ten is average summer temp. We may have been around 5 -8? So not atypical. I was just not prepared for the amount of snow bashing. Maybe just blame not being fit enough, being older (47) dunno. Just seemed I found it harder than what others have reported.

[wayno]

an NZ climbing expedition was down there for several weeks, they might still be there. They were held back by bad weather a lot...

[bigkev]

Hey Onestepmore welcome home,

I just read your report and found myself chuckling at some of your adventures, the board walk through the swamp where the funding seems to have run out, wet feet on the way to Dickson, camp dysentery at Los Perros, waist deep snow climbing John Garner Pass, rickety ladders held on to loose rock by bits of twine, spending more time on my bum than my feet descending the pass, being absolutely stuffed after walking from Perros to Grey in a day (but the cerveza's went down well!!).

It's a shame about the weather, but what can you do. I'm 47 as well and I found it hard work braking a track through the snow on the way up to the pass (the pass was also officially closed when we went over,which give us plenty of hiker cred with the walkers on the W). I hope your knee is OK. You've got me worried now, I'll have to re read my report to make sure I didn't gloss over the harder bits, I'm sorry if it mislead you.

I'm really looking forward to seeing your photo's if you put some on line

By the way, how good are those refuges on the W!!

[JohnDaly TakeAWalk]

Hi there,
We are organising another hiking trip to Chile and Patagonia in November 2014. We'll climb Villarrica Volcano and several others before heading south to complete the Torres del Paine Circuit. We are using local guides that we have used previously and the trip will cost around 60% of what you would normally expect to pay. The cost also includes the internal airfares.
You can check out the itinerary on our website at http://www.takeawalk.com.au/TakeAWalkAdventures.htm
Regards
John Daly

[deadwood]

I've only just got to reading this because we've been back to Patagonia for another visit. That is sooooo different from our early March 2013 stroll around the Torres circuit. If you want to get away from the crowds for your next trip to Patagonia and walk across a glacier, see some beautiful beech forest, glaciers and virtually tame huemuls and no people except for you and your guides, check out the Aysen Glacier Trail. Like Torres, we had awesome weather there as well. I think our guides were getting tired of me saying "Another perfect day in Patagonia".

[JohnDaly TakeAWalk]

Yes, you often experience extreme conditions in Torres del Paine but when we were there in November, the weather was great except for extremely strong winds on John Gardiner Pass. One person in our group was blown off the track when the wind filed his pack cover and it acted like a parachute. But once we started the descent, the wind died down and it was a great day. We are organising another trip for November this year. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us again.

[sef]

TdP is a total mess, to the point where it's hard to recommend it to anyone interested and capable of carrying a tent (being that there are scarcely any other refugios in Chile that aren't hanta hellholes).

In peak season - it's expensive to enter, crowded beyond belief and CONAF have given up on both managing the free sites and governing the behavior of the concessionaires elsewhere (ignoring the north-east side of the 'O', which is privately owned so I guess you can't complain).

No bueno.

[protik]

Hopefully doing the circuit next March! OP I had a few queries regarding gears/tour company; I might send you a PM if that's okay? Cheers

[JohnDaly TakeAWalk]

The Torres del Paine circuit is definitely one of the most stunning walks in the world! Yes it gets crowded in peak times, but so do most other world class walks.
We are organising a guided trip to Patagonia again in November this year and we'll definitely include the Torres del Paine circuit - not just the W's where most of the tourists go. To check our itinerary, just go to our website. www.takeawalk.com.au.
We deal direct with a reputable local guiding company and the cost is about 60% of what you would normally expect to pay!
John

[Floatingbivvy]

Hi, I'm a newby to the site, so apologies in advance if this is not in the right place. I'm doing the Torres del Paine 'o' walk in Feb 2015, if anyone could help by answering some questions I would be grateful.
1. Do you need to book the bus Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales in advance , or just rock up and catch it? Looks like there's a few going.
2. Any difficulty getting gas cylinders for a jetboil in Punta Arenas?
3. Planning to camp the circuit, but I was wondering if it's possible to be a camper and buy meals at the refugios at this time of year (I realise its going to be crowded)
4. Any advice on dividing up the walk - It looks like it could take anywhere from 7 to 11 days, wondering what the optimum is ( I'm thinking 10 days). I need to plan my internal flights.

Thanks

[deadwood]

1. There are a few bus companies, so you may need to wander between them to get a bus without waiting too many hours, but we didn't book last year and had no issues.
2. Don't know about gas in Punta Arenas, I assume there should be a few places, but you can get it in Puerto Natales as well.
3. Just let them know at the refugio as soon as you make the campsite and you should be fine. We were there 9 nights and ate in refugios on 3 nights when camping.
4. It depends on the weather.