Patagonia 2025: A Bachelor Trip Paradise

Editor's note: Upon receiving reader feedback, I have opted to consolidate all Patagonia blog posts into a single trip report for ease of content consumption. I also would like to take a second and explain the numbering scheme - since the trip is centered around the O Circuit, I used day t-0 as the marker of the beginning of the hike. So negative day numbers correspond with days before the hike, and positive indicating days after the start of the hike. 

Day t-3: travel by fire

I'm pretty nervous; I am completely out of my element when it comes to international travel. So it’s safe to say that I’ve pored over my packing list and visualized the trip many times through. On top of that, I really want to document the trip through photo and video, which adds elements of precision, creativity, and diligence to the already tenuous equation. 

Of course I arrived quite early to Sacramento International Airport (SMF). With the speed and efficiency of their TSA checkpoint I’m through to my terminal in mere minutes. 

Waiting for my flight out of SMF. A loooong day of travel awaits me.

More waiting, more long exposure practice.

My journey to Patagonia is quite convoluted; I fly out of SMF to LAX, hop on a LATAM flight to Lima, Peru, then transfer to meet the boys in Santiago, Chile sometime Saturday afternoon. It’s not over there either. We then hop on a smaller flight the next day which ferries us to Puerto Natales, the closest airport to Torres Del Paine, our ultimate destination. 

I guess I should back up a bit and explain why I am going to Patagonia. 

Austin, one of my closest friends, is getting married in May 2025. Given his penchant for rugged areas, it was no surprise that he chose Patagonia as his bachelor party venue. Aside from Austin and I, we are joined by Patrick, Ishan, and Alvin, more of our close friends. 

Left to right: Alvin, Ishan, Austin, Forest, Patrick

Our plan is to hike the famous “O” circuit in Torres Del Paine, which is located in Chilean Patagonia. As far as I understand it, Patagonia (in addition to being a clothing brand) is a region that is more or less distributed between Chile and Argentina. Hence the location qualifier of “Chilean” or “Argentinian” beforehand. 

The O circuit is about 70 miles and 17,300 ft of hiking between a combination of refugios (shelters) and camps. We plan to cover the 70 miles over a total of 6 days, which is considered a faster than normal timeframe. 

We'll start at Hotel Las Torres and move through the O Circuit (red line) counterclockwise. 

This hike isn’t like the normal backpacking that I’ve experienced; we’ve paid to have the majority of dinners provided and we are staying at pre-determined camps. Not only is this convenient, but it also means less gear required. Although despite the lack of tent, stove, and sleeping pad, my media kit (composed of camera and accessories, including a carbon fiber tripod!) is about the same weight as my clothing and sleeping bag. I’m lacking a shelter, sleeping pad, stove, bear canister, and significant amounts of food. A far cry from the long days in the Sierra I’m accustomed to. 

The full spread of my Patagonia kit. Note the media kit in upper center.

I’m also running this trip quite light. Since I’ve got so many transfers to catch before Santiago, I’m carrying just my Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 3400 in addition to my Alpaka Go Sling Nano. So just one pair of shoes, a few pairs of socks and underwear, and a couple of outfits. I hope I packed for the weather correctly. 

Packed kit, ready to be thrashed.

Speaking of weather, Patagonia’s differs from my normal by quite a bit. While technically peak summer, the weather is known to be severely mercurial. For the first time in my life, I’ve packed Gore Tex shoes, rain pants, and a heavy duty rain jacket. I even purchased a weatherproof cover for my camera. 

So, sure I’ll miss my paddling friends and yes, I’m completely intimidated and out of my element on this trip, but I see it as a challenge and a great way to celebrate a momentous occasion. 

Thanks for bringing the challenge, Austin! Life’s never boring when you’re there. 

As boarding call was announced at SMF, I was called up to the front counter. I’ve never been called up to the front. Turns out I just needed to have my passport scanned, which also provided me the opportunity to meet someone who was dressed similar to me. Fleece jacket, hiking shoes, hiking pack etc. basically a walking ad for REI. Ron, as I learned, hails from Grass Valley and is traveling to Cairo for non profit work. What an adventure, apparently it’s 70F and sunny there. We both commiserated at the long flight time we both were about to face but eventually got the all clear to board. 

Once past the boarding platform, I was faced with a full plane of faces staring directly at me. You see, while I was at the counter scanning my passport, the rest of the flight was able to board. Great for them, but not so great for getting my pack into the overhead compartment. I’m already pushing the dimensional limits. With great skill acquired from years of backpacking (stuffing as hard as I could) my pack barely fit into the meagerly allotted 3 cubic inches of the overhead compartment. 

Alright, onto my connection of LAX to Lima, Peru. Due to the immense size of LAX, I barely made boarding call with all the walking between the terminals and the inclusion of a long dinner line at Panda Express. $20 a plate and drink, sure why not. 

My LAX to Lima leg was quite eventful to say the least, they’ve asked for a doctor once (don’t know why) and now there’s a woman receiving the Heimlich maneuver. Thought other than that the flight proceeds as normal. 

Day t-2: Santiago

I’m in Lima right now and just spent many panicked minutes rushing through a foreign airport trying to make my connection. To make matters worse, my Apple Wallet boarding passes list my flight numbers in their Delta Airlines equivalent. Since these are Delta/LATAM partnered flights and all flight boards in this airport show the LATAM flight number equivalent, I have to basically guess which gate I’m going to based on departure time and destination. To make it even worse, the Apple Wallet boarding passes only show the boarding time and not the departure time, leaving me further guessing. So far they let me on the plane from Lima to Santiago, so I guess that means I guessed correctly? 

Phew, finally with the boys! One stressful bag retrieval and an Uber ride later I’m here. I couldn’t figure out how my SIM card worked until I got to the hotel but thankfully Austin just happened to pop out into the lobby the same time I arrived. Good thing too because my Spanish is not good enough to check into a hotel or ask where my friends are. 

Stepping out of the elevator to 90F and sun in Santiago.

After getting settled, all 5 of us took an Uber to a popular viewpoint in the city then to a nice omakase-style dinner. A 6 course dinner with three drinks included cost about $70 US, not too bad. 

A short uber ride through the city.

At our omakase style dinner. Wine pairings anyone? 

Awaiting food, catching up.

These four met at Harvard - it felt only appropriate to stop and take a photo by an aptly named bar.

Obligatory street cat photo.

Viewpoint details.

Overlooking Santiago.

Reflecting on the day, it was an interesting one. Days 1 and 2 seemed to have blended together into one. It was a good reminder of being in a city when we were warned by locals not to leave our bags unattended not once but twice. Once at the touristy viewpoint and then again inside the expensive gringo restaurant. 

Caitlin sent photos of our new cat, Toph. She’s adapting well to the new environment and I can’t wait to meet her when I return. 

Toph Beifong-McKan, the blind bandit.

Returning to the hotel and all of us can barely keep our eyes open…

Day t-1: Puerto Natales

Waking up today in Santiago was simultaneously difficult but also very exciting. We’re onto Patagonia today! Meeting up with the rest of the crew has made this a lot less stressful as they’re more seasoned travelers than I. 

I’d wager a bet that last night we all slept deeper than we expected. Air travel just has that way of wearing folks down. 

We all woke around 6am and picked up an uber to the airport, cruising through Chilean security pretty seamlessly. At this point, our matching-shirt-surprise plan was put into action and we revealed our “Austin Shirts” to much acclaim. 

"Austin Shirts" in action. Shirts courtesy of Jenny.

Shortly after like true Americans we snagged a Big Mac and coffee for breakfast. Perfect. 

Once on the flight to Puerto Natales, the captain’s announcement noted that it would be rainy at our destination…our first hint at what’s to come. 

Off the plane and directly onto the tarmac in Puerto Natales. A lot of us spent the next few minutes scrambling for warm layers.

Stepping off the plane was a shock, very windy and cold at 50F, contrasted with the summer heat of Santiago. The hostel is fairly nice and relaxed and the town of Puerto Natales is less hustle and bustle of Santiago and more like a quiet sleepy tourist town. Our lunch was mediocre, burgers at a hostel restaurant, one of the few places open for business on a sleepy Sunday. 

The restaurant we were originally recommended was too full, but in hindsight we probably should’ve just waited for a table instead of waiting for our orders at the hostel. Though it was interesting to taste Guanaco, a Llama like local animal often raised for meat. 

For warm up and since we had nothing else to do, Austin, Alvin and I went on a 3 mile run around PN, enjoying the 30mph wind gusts and seeing the local sights. On the way, we ran past the Milodon statue, a prehistoric giant sloth that is the unofficial mascot of Puerto Natales. 

My first run in three months, cooked.

Milodon statue!

We followed that with dinner at one of the local restaurants where I ordered a beef, rice, vegetable, and papas fritas (fried potatoes) dish. This was quite enjoyable but what I’m learning is that food is enjoyed far slower here. Start to finish dinner took around two hours. 

We also learned about Calafate. Calafate has been a flavor that we could not identify or learn more about about. According to Google Translate the word “Calafate” directly translate to “caulker”. Turns out it’s actually a blueberry like fruit but not that sweet and probably a bit too bitter. But when mixed with something sweet like lemonade, it’s quite nice. 

A calafate berry. Photo credit.

I get the feeling I may not have packed appropriately for the conditions. First off, it’s way colder than I thought it would be. I almost didn’t bring a fleece midlayer but I feel that I’ll be living in this R1 fleece top the entire trip. Second, I went light on this trip, which means three pairs of underwear and three pairs of socks. Perhaps 4 would have been the magic number for both. So the consequences of my actions are that I’m stinking up the hostel room. Thankfully field laundry with backcountry soap worked pretty well for refreshing my one pair of socks. Sorry boys for the stank…

The weather here is really confusing to us northerners. It’s California cold but the days start at 5:30 and it’s light until almost 10:30. Plus it rains on and off, literally pouring one minute and then two to three minutes later, sunshine.

Our accommodations are pretty spartan, the towels are rough and the room is small and sort of falling apart. The beds are clean and comfortable however, so it’s not too bad. 

I easily drift off to sleep after the fatigue or travel starts to catch up with me. 

Photos from our exploration in Puerto Natales: 

Our man of the hour, Austin posing in Puerto Natales.

Local art.

A street named after Bernardo O'Higgins, a Chilean independence leader in the late 18th Century.

Street kitties.

Views from the waterfront.

Snow capped peaks juxtaposed with a graffiti'd skatepark. 

Day t-0: Torres Central

Today marks day 0 of the circuit. My plan was to wake up late at 8am and catch up on sleep, but it starts getting light at 5:30 so that’s out the window. 

I’m looking forward to today as we finally get to see Torres del Paine (which I learned is pronounced PINE-NEH). To be honest Puerto Natales so far has only been mediocre in terms of photographic quality so I’m excited for a change of pace. We don’t have much on the agenda today except for packing and getting ready by 14:30, our bus departure time. 

In my early morning haze, I did some research on the the terrain itself - there are steppes (desert), fjords, and the Andes. I think I’m most excited for the fjords, as I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it.  

If there’s one regret for this trip, it’s that I wish I spent more time learning Spanish. Turns out all the motivation that I need is being clueless in a foreign country (apparently referred to as “immersion”). So far, I’ve mastered the basics like gracias, muchas gracias, some numbers, how to ask for water/coffee without creamer or gas (carbonation), buenos dias, hola, credito, jugos (juice), and a few other basic phrases. It’s certainly motivation to return with better Spanish skills. 

As we leave for TDP, I get hit with a wave of drowsiness and drift off into a short power nap. As my eyes crack open, the outskirts of Puerto Natales have been replaced with the expansive Patagonian steppe, with towers of rock periodically jutting out of the barren land. The steppe is sparsely vegetated save for smaller low profile shrubs. I suspect the winds are too high for much taller vegetation to survive here. 

The Patagonian steppe.

The colors are vividly yellow and shades of green contrasting against the blue sky. Luckily we’re blessed with good weather but the forecast doesn’t appear to hold on for much longer. 

We round the corner of a valley and pass through a traffic circle. Suddenly to our left giant towers rise out of the steppe into the sky, intersecting the cloud layer in a dramatic fashion. The peaks are dusted in snow and Guanaco freely roam the surrounding plains. 

Our first glimpses of Torres del Paine.

As we pull into the Torres Central welcome center, it is more reminiscent of a Disneyland gift shop plopped in the middle of a windy desert than a national park. However Las Torres sets the backdrop, and it’s one of the most scenic places I’ve been. Best part is that the views are only going to get better. 

We dropped off our packs at our provided tents and found an outdoor table at the bar to wait for the dinner bell. Quite picturesque to sip beers below the Torres Massif. 

Dinner was quite the experience. I would venture to claim that it almost rivals some of the food I’ve had in the front country. Served cafeteria style, three courses arrived over the the evening. The first course of lentil soup with bread was followed by baked salmon over creamy rice, and topped off by banana mousse for dessert.  

With the sun setting so late it feels weird being in bed, but the body and mind are fatigued despite a low mileage count. 

…and two hours after falling asleep I’m back up. Torres Central camp is akin to a wildland festival, or at least it sounds like it. I thought I packed a pair of ear plugs but alas it appears I got sidetracked while packing and they never made it into my bag. 

After a few sleepless hours I finally catch Austin awake and snag some earplugs, eventually drifting off around 1am. 

The excitement is palpable as we check into our camp.

Our roof tent beneath the towering peaks.

Day t+1: muy fuerte

Contrary to the exquisite dinner we experienced last night, breakfast could hardly be called that. A couple of pieces of toast, a tiny bowl of eggs, then a cereal bar and some juice. Well, it’s what we have so we scarf it down and try not to think about how much we paid for the pleasure. Packing up was quick thanks to the provided roof tent but now it’s off to Refugio Dickson. Since we’re constrained on time we have to bypass Refugio Seron (the typical first day stop) and cover 20 miles and 4000 ft of climbing to reach our goal. The estimates on the Parque Nationale information boards indicate that it’ll take at minimum 11 hours. 

Today we'll be hiking from Hotel Las Torres, past Serón to Refugio Dickson. Today's stretch is normally completed in two days, but we don't have that kind of leisure time.

As we set off at 8am, we are quickly met with a meandering walk up the side of a valley, winding in and out of tree groves. 

Minutes from Torres Central and the views are already sweet.

Winding in and out of the treeline.

After some time, we reach Refugio Seron in a matter of three hours, even though all estimates said 5. We popped open our box lunches, consisting of sandwiches, fruit, protein bars, and chocolate at Seron. The break was quick and we were swiftly on the way. 

We covered the 13km to Serón in 3 hours.

Entering Serón.

A climb followed shortly after and we also received our first taste of Patagonian wind. At some points, gusts must have been close to 50 mph, slowing progress and nearly knocking all of us off the trail. 

Storm clouds on the horizon. Could this be a hint of the Patagonian weather we'd all been warned about? Not pictured: wind.

A climb following a quick lunch at Serón.

While the wind was quite the challenge, we were rewarded with stellar views of the slowly exposing peaks and gigantic lakes as we inched closer to our goal of Refugio Dickson. We all started to realize that the provided box lunch was not intended to provide enough caloric fuel for two typical days of hiking along the circuit, and our stomachs began to growl. 

All smiles as we saw the views and slowly forgot about the brutal winds.

Patagonian rain who? Ishan rocks the shorts with style.

A rare portrait of media-boy.

Patrick pausing to photograph the boys.

Today was our first introduction into the infamous “3km signs.” Along the trail, the elevation profile, current location, and remaining distance were etched into a wood sign to provide hikers a preview of the remaining trail. We would soon find that these signs indicated the hardest parts of the trail and that the remaining km counts often undersold the remaining distance. 

The infamous "3km signs."

Arriving at Dickson was a welcome relief as we were greeted by showers, a private room, and ample food. Luckily our dorm room was the perfect size for our group of 5. 

I went for a quick shower but unfortunately only had a small handkerchief sized camp towel to dry off. Thankfully it was still warm out and I dried out pretty quick. 

Overall, Refugio Dickson is quite nice. The dorms are clean and so are the sheets. It’s situated in a large grassy meadow and right now it’s sunny. There’s electricity and hot water, along with food and drink all purchasable with Apple Pay! What luxuries and a far cry from the normal backpacking trip for me. 

Today’s workload did hit me harder than I expected. I think it’s just the lack of time on my feet with a pack, but I am definitely sore and achey. With some dinner and stretching things got marginally better. I suspect the rest of the trip is going to be pretty tough. 

Thankfully we had dinner alongside a few guides and they gave us tips for the upcoming days. For one, tomorrow’s campsite isn’t very fancy, is quite cold and not very scenic. For another, the descent off of the pass will be the hardest part of the trip. So, we were advised to take our time on the hike tomorrow because there’s not much to do at Los Perros. 

It’s pretty difficult to describe the scale and magnitude of a place like Refugio Dickson. It really is a marvel of engineering. There are basically full front country amenities, including running hot water, flush toilets, hot meals, beer, refrigeration and a full mini market. All in the middle of nowhere. We were told that apparently the food and supplies are driven in almost all the way to the shelter (across the river along which we hiked) then floated across the lake where it is unloaded by hand. This probably explains why a bag of chips is $5.000 CLP ($5 USD equivalent)

Right before going to sleep, Patrick purchased one hour of WiFi to communicate with the wives and girlfriends. While it was quite the trip to have WiFi in the backcountry, our apparently giggling and hushed chatter annoyed our hiking neighbors as we would overhear at breakfast. So now the roles are flipped - we are now the loud neighbors. 

Day t+2: "relejado" day

As we rose from the depths of a deep sleep, the sound of rain pattering the metal roof drummed on. I woke with a headache and stumbled down the stairs for water. As I stepped outside onto the deck, I was greeted with stunning and dramatic snow capped peaks. 

Oops, reusing photos. A rare summer snowfall blankets the peaks surrounding Refugio Dickson.

Today, we hike from Dickson to Los Perros. About 6 miles and 1,500 ft of climbing. A nice rest from yesterday's mad dash.

Speaking to the local guides, this summer snowfall is fairly rare and doesn’t stick around very long. 

Our hike began with an uphill and we were exposed to a lush forest complete with moss and ferns. Every so often the views would open up to sweeping glacial and Mountain Views, but would then plunge into the forest once again. Occasionally we would be greeted with the odd river crossing. The scenery was understated and sublime. Huge, snow capped peaks formed a panorama all around us. The highlight was seeing the hanging Los Perros glacier in the midst of a snow storm. Absolutely stunning. 

Leaving Refugio Dickson and entering the tree cover on our way to Los Perros. 

A short day allowed for tripod deployment as the views opened up. 

Pat and Ishan searching for deals in the Patagonian woods.

Picturesque stream crossings on beautiful bridges. 

Short day + tripod + long exposure = ???

Patrick contemplating the aforementioned deals.

Well they're not all perfect bridges. This one is learning to lean into the hard times.

The hanging Los Perros glacier.

Lateral moraines and glaciers.

Our guide friends yesterday said this is one of his favorite days of hiking on the circuit and I can say I agree. Great views, protection from the wind, and vibrant glacial rivers. 

As we pulled into camp I estimate an air temperature in the 40s and it is actively snowing heavy flakes. There was a pretty big accidental fire in the mess hall and a subsequent response. Very dramatic to hear pounding feet pouring out of the mess hall with the shouts of “fire!” Layered within. Apparently a camp stove malfunctioned and sent flames towards the ceiling, triggering a stampede where one woman was trampled (but ok).

Everything the guides said about this camp is correct. It’s cold, not too scenic and pretty rustic. It’s more akin to Castle Black than anything I’ve seen. The mess hall is tiny, the wind is unrelenting, and the campsites are all situated in mud. The bathroom might be the toughest part; every single human cleanliness instinct in me screams to stay out. I’d rather poop in a cat hole than this bathroom.  

I’m sitting in my tent solo (three tents; five people) and thinking that it might be a cold night. My feet smell really bad and there ain’t much to do at the moment except write about it. But I can barely do that as my hands are so cold they lack dexterity. 

For dinner, we enjoyed some Mountain Houses, usually a luxury but this time a downgrade from our normal cooked dinner. We also stopped by the sparse minimart at check in and picked up some ramen, which was the only food they had. This camp is supplied by helicopter. Which means that the $36 in ramen we purchased was flown in! Even with the exorbitant prices they charge, I don’t think they’re breaking even given fuel prices.

Off to bed now for an early day tomorrow. We plan on waking up at 4:30 and getting on the trail by 5:30 if we can. 

Scarfing down al dente Mountain House breakfast meals at 5am.

Day t+3: Paso John Gardner

The alarm blares as I groggily swat at it. My first instinct is to snooze but I quickly realize that it’s John Gardner pass day. Today is the logistical crux of the trip as winds often cause problems on the pass if one does not leave Los Perros early enough. In fact, it's enough of a problem that the camp enforces a 7am checkout time to ensure people stick to the timetable. It's not a long day either, just 11 miles. But a punishing and challenging 11 miles, with over 3,000 feet of descending.

Today's hike is from Los Perros, over John Gardner pass, past Campamento/Guarderia Paso, then onto Refugio Grey (the first overlapped shelter with the "W"). 11 miles and 4,200 feet of climbing.

Condensed sweat from my drying clothes and breath coats my sleeping bag. I grumpily start packing up, cracking open the Red Bull I purchased the day before and start sipping. As I finish stuffing my belongings, I exit the tent to complete darkness. Not even the generators are running and the mess hall is pitch black save for a few headlamps. I enter the mess hall and soon am joined by Austin who starts to boil water for breakfast. By this time my Red Bull is completely empty and I’m starting to feel the caffeine rush. 

We're not alone; other hikers packing up alongside.

Austin ready for the trudge.

A sign with estimated time to completion. They weren't far off.

Breakfast is uneventful and some part way through the generator flicks on and so do the lights. We finish breakfast and I pop a 100mg caffeine pill. 

The morning is muddy, wet, cold, and windy. We start climbing mostly relentless inclines and make our way into the alpine. As we make the transition away from the tree line, we are greeted by even stronger winds and the rising sun. Occasionally we are graced by snow flurries as we push higher into the alpine. The pass is about 2,000 vertical feet from Los Perros and we make that in about 2 hours, an hour less than the commonly given time estimate. We are rewarded by incredible views of Grey Glacier and severe winds. 

A dark morning in a muddy forest. 

Popping out above treeline.

Questing up to John Gardner Pass. The trail is marked by orange colored stakes.

Los Perros down by the lake in the mid ground.

Pausing for a break with a glacial view.

Almost to the top of the pass.

Flurries the night before laid down a soft trail for us.

Topping out the pass and starting down towards the Grey Glacier.

Alvin leading the descent down from the pass. Too much wind to stop and take photos up there.

More descending with the terminus of the Grey Glacier in the background.

From the intel our guide friends provided the day before, the climb is challenging, but the descent is far more harrowing and steep. We come to learn that they’re right, of course. We descend steep unrelenting terrain for two more hours and arrive at Campomento Paso, a ranger station with a 14:00 leave cut off time for hikers. A quick lunch of ramen goes down easy and I experience one of the most gnarly toilet experiences to date. So bad I had to hover over the toilet seat and eliminate. 

All smiles as we see the Grey Glacier for the first time.

Two days of no showering and my hair is greased af.

Patrick echoing my sentiments on the Campamento Paso toilet situation.

Simpatico.

The rest of the day consists of 6 miles of severely undulating terrain punctuated by beautiful vistas of the Grey Glacier and the ocean. This was probably the best hike of the trip. As we wind our way up and down the trail, we come across a spectacular suspension bridge across a giant ravine. The suspension bridge sways and rocks as we cross. Not too long after there’s another suspension bridge that is just as stunning of an experience and view. 

Ishan questing into the unknown.

Incredibly picturesque.

Alvin preparing for the second bridge.

Austin packmuling two packs for the price of one.

So which one is it? 2 people max? Or 4 (underneath the paper).

As we get closer to Refugio Grey, we see more and more day hikers. Finally Refugio Grey materializes out of the forest and we are greeted by blaring music, a full bar, a clean dorm room and hot showers. I have trouble reconciling the stark juxtaposition of wilderness isolation and the luxuries of the Refugio. 

A Crested Caracara lounges on the railing of Refugio Grey.

Eventually we’re all showered and relaxing by the bar, chatting about the day and sending messages out via the WiFi to our partners. Dinner is a buffet luckily, capped off by a sweet dessert, sending us off to bed. 

The body is doing ok. My knees and feet took a beating today from all the descending but my spirits are high and I’m settling into an effort groove. 

Day t+4: "a muerte"

Yet again the alarm blares and I have to suppress the urge to snooze and go back to sleep. 

This time is a bit different in that I don’t remember where I am for a few minutes. Once I regain my senses the dining hall beckons and breakfast begins. We take a sneak peak at the topographical profile and surmise that today might be quite a tough day. Again, since we are on an accelerated schedule we are combining two typical days into one. 

Today, we're hiking from Refugio Grey, past Paine Grande, up the French Valley (not pictured; just north of Italiano), then to Refugio Frances. My watch metrics showed 20.8 miles and 10,800 feet of elevation gain.

As we exit Refugio Grey, we encounter wildfire burn scars. The accompanying infographic panels explain the frequency and extent of the fires. This explains why the fire and stove restrictions are so strict and enforced (and probably why the stove incident response at Los Perros was so swift). 

Regrowth within the burn scar. I believe these are an invasive species, though pretty nonetheless.

Making our way down to Refugio Paine Grande. We are starting to see an increasing amount of people on trail now that we have joined the "W."

Patrick and Austin enjoying the views beneath Paine Grande.

The locals patiently awaiting crumbs as we snack.

The trail winds its way down to Refugio Paine Grande, a beautiful modern shelter underneath its namesake peak. We raid the minimart for chips and snacks then keep moving. After a few hours of undulating terrain along the base of Paine Grande we end up at Campamento Italiano, a guard station where we drop packs and start the hike up Valle Frances to Mirador (viewpoint) Brittanico. 

A portrait of Austin backed up by the cool turquoise waters of Sköttsberg Lake.

Different angles of Paine Grande.

More bridges!

Fuel for the hike up to Mirador (viewpoint) Brittanico. This powder, aptly named "Go!" was provided to us in our box lunches. I can't find it anywhere in the states, but it was incredible. Though we all did wonder how much food coloring and sugar it contained...

After much struggle on rough trail and roughly 2.5 hours, we reach the viewpoint of Brittanico and celebrate. The views here are out of this world and the weather clears and allows us great photos. I don’t think there’s a single photo capable of capturing the stunning beauty of this valley. 

Austin sans pack, on the way past Mirador Frances up to Mirador Brittanico. Hanging glaciers abound.

All smiles as we reach the halfway point (Mirador Frances). 

Where's my kayak when I need it? 

Gore flexing on 'em.

Almost to Brittanico...

Patrick flexes his modeling pose-work.

A Huemel (South Andean deer).

At Mirador Brittanico, tired and hungry but graced by clear, beautiful weather.

Letting them puppies breathe.

A lotta Austin blinking photos.

Oh boy, save for the sieves, this looks like a sweet run given enough water.

After soaking in the view, we begin the descent which is extremely punishing on our joints even though we lack loaded packs. Descending brings storm clouds into the valley and we realize just how lucky our clear skies were. The descent takes almost as long as the ascent and we stumble into Campamento Italiano barely upright and moving. 

Just two more kilometers to camp at Refugio Frances, where we are promised domes, showers and food. In total, we racked up 20 miles and close to 11,000 ft of climbing over almost 10 and a half hours. 

Upon arriving at Frances, we are required to descend a steep hill to our shelter and it nearly breaks our spirits. But hey, at least we are dry and warm inside these domes. 

The hill descent that nearly breaks our spirits. 

Dinner is fantastic, lentil soup, ground beef with quinoa, and a cake topped with whipped cream for dessert (tres leche). Not only that but the dining room has floor to ceiling windows and overlooks one of the lakes here and it’s stunning of course. I’m able to make friends with the waiter and he hooks us up with a second dessert of tres leches, a cake topped with caramel and whipped cream. I barely finish the dessert and stumble up the hill back to our dome. 

The view from the dining room (morning).

What’s not stunning is the wind; I don’t think we have had more than a few minutes without wind this entire trip. I wonder why wind power isn’t more prevalent here as a drift off to sleep. 

Day t+5: "chill"-eno?

In our infinite wisdom, we left the heaters on in our dome. So at 2 AM I woke up in a pile of sweat and anger. Commence the angry termination of heater operation.

Our dome with attached shower, sink, and bathroom.

Breakfast was pretty filling and we slowly make our way out of Frances and leisurely plod down the path to Refugio Chileno. 

Hiking from El Francés to Chileno today - 12 miles and 3,800 ft of climbing. 

The terrain was quite enjoyable and we even stopped at a rocky beach to enjoy the frigid water of Lago Nordernskjörd, a refreshing highlight of the day. I can finally say that I have swam in Patagonia.  

Testing the waters of Lago Nordernskjörd.

Leisure pace? Tripod it is!

Stopping by Refugio Cuernos, about 1.5 km away from our camp at Frances.

Austin navigating the undulating terrain alongside Lago Nordernskjöld.

Our next goal identified - Refugio Chileno.

Windy pass, the highpoint before the descent down to Chileno.

Since Ishan’s knee has been bothering him, we decide to split the group up in hopes the faster 4 would be able to make it to Chileno in time to see Mirador Las Torres. In addition, the weather forecast is promising heavy cloud cover for tomorrow morning, further helping our decision to try and make it to the Mirador today. Ishan would decide whether to go to Central or Chileno based on how he felt at the junction. Going to Central would reduce the amount of climbing he’d have to endure with his injured knee. 

As we split up, we began the hot traverse on the Patagonia steppe towards Chileno and past the junction to Central. After a while we found ourselves checking into our accommodations for the night. Unfortunately the desk clerk informed us we would not be able to see Mirador Las Torres due to the rangers closing the trail at 3pm. So much for hustling.

Surprisingly as we unpacked our bags following our unfruitful attempt to see Mirador Las Torres, Ishan strolls up. We had partially expected him to go to Central given his condition. 

So now we’re chilling down by the river enjoying the cold water. I estimate it’s at least sub 40F and probably some of the coldest water I’ve ever felt. Dinner is probably the best of the trip; stuffed chicken with a pastry for dessert. After finishing that up, we drift off to sleep, knowing we have to wake at 3am for a sunrise bid to Mirador Las Torres. 

The main.

Dessert.

Patrick's consolation prize - chips and beer!

Austin happy though we missed the cutoff time for Mirador Las Torres.

Picturesque moments by the glacial river Ascensio.

Even at such a shallow depth the glacial silt obscures clarity enough to be noticeable. I could only keep my feet in here for a couple seconds before the pain began.

Day t+6: up and out

Yep, it’s early o'clock again and the alarm is blaring far too loud for comfort. Alas this is necessary if we want to catch the Mirador Las Torres sunrise. 

We weren’t even sure the sunrise shot would be worth it as the forecast was showing 100% cloud cover. I, however, was confident the weather would clear and allow us a good view of the Torres. Besides, most of the weather forecasts have been wrong so far. 

Down to the cafeteria we went for a breakfast that was already laid out for us. The breakfast was quite minimal and there was no coffee. So, down the hatch the caffeine pills go, and up the trail we ventured. 

A cold morning remedied by hard climbing.

Sweaty, but happy even though it's 4am and cold.

Rolling terrain slowly gives way to a steep climb up above tree line and eventually to an absolutely stunning view of Las Torres. Estimates told us that our trek to the Mirador would take us 2 hours; we made it in just over an hour. 

We setup camp and got some sweet colorful shots as the sun rose. Eventually the sun came up high enough to blow out the towers to monotone colors so we packed up and left. Besides, we needed to get back to Torres Central for our bus back to Puerto Natales. My camera metering mode was set based on highlights, but it luckily did not affect the crucial shots. 

30 minutes before sunrise - the best colors were witnessed here.

As the sun rises, we have a narrow window of alpenglow. No matter, we were the first here and we have the time!

The sunrise strike team.

A group shot carefully composed so as to not show the 50+ other hikers in the vicinity.

We left the Mirador and started downhill, passing by the straggling hikers after a morning view. At camp, we packed up our bags rushedly and set off to Torres Central, where our adventure on the O circuit began. 

After a punishing downhill, the trail flattened out and body odor was replaced by scents of shampoo and cologne as we passed entrepid hikers on their way to the same Mirador we just visited. At the welcome center and celebrated with beers, especially fitting for 9am. 

The smell of shampoo and perfume replaces body odor as we inch closer and closer to Torres Central, where this hike all began.

The crew relaxing at the welcome center.

Patrick demonstrating how we all feel at this point.

We unwind and take the short shuttle out of the park to Laguna Amargas, where Ishan and I part ways with Patrick, Austin, and Alvin. The trio are making their way to Buenos Aires by way of El Calafate and El Chalten, while us two are making the 20 hour trek back home. 

Our shuttle back to Puerto Natales passes by quickly, and Ishan and I hungrily devour lunch at a Hamburguesa stand, checking into our hotel to relax the rest of the day.

A picturesque ending to a legendary, once-in-a-lifetime trip.