Torres Del Paine (Patagonia)-3rd Day of O Circuit

So after surviving the night, I awoke the next morning to some sunshine--finally.  My plan for that day was to hike from Serrano campsite to Dickson campsite, about an 8-hour hike.

This would be the first day I would actually see direct sunlight, although it kept peeking out and ducking behind the clouds.  But I would take what I could get at this point.

On my way out of the campsite, I did see some odd-looking and odd-acting birds . . .

Because various parts of the established trails were flooded, I found myself wandering around and through some fairly heavy brush and bogs, relying on my google maps to make sure I did not wander too far from the trail.  It would be difficult enough to negotiate this terrain, but with a 40lb backpack strapped to my body, it made it especially difficult, as it kept getting hung up on the brush.

I was actually missing the highlands at this point, but soon enough, the trail rose above the lake to some great views of the surrounding areas, and alas, I began to start seeing the true beauty of Torres Del Paine.

The great thing about hiking near natural springs and glaciers is that you do not have to carry a water filter or a large supply of water.  You need only carry a small bottle, and really you do not need to carry anything at all, as you can take the water directly from the streams.

As I continued my hike, the really awesome part of Torres Del Paine came into view, and now I was in the thick of it.

This next picture makes me homesick for Orange County . . . I do not know why . . . 

. . . and I could have definitely used this walkway when I was walking through bogs on the other side when I was forced to detour through some rough terrain . . .

. . . as I looked towards the center of Torres Del Paine, I started to notice rock outcroppings that Torres Del Paine is known for, and it was at this moment that I realized that the dull rocks that I had previously seen at Mirador Las Torres was not actually the Torres, but something else.  So I knew at that moment that if the last day of my trek was a sunny one, I was going to make every effort to hike up to Mirador Las Torres yet again.

. . . one of the many tasty streams that I had crossed . . .

About a kilometer from Dickson campsite I saw a surreal backdrop, and when I say surreal, I mean that it did not look real at all.  It was something that I have never seen, and that it was at this moment, that I came to realize that Torres Del Paine was something special.  It is interesting to note that this is on the back side of the park--and most who trek Torres Del Paine do not get to experience this as they only do the W circuit.

When I got to the campsite I set up my tent, and had a gourmet meal of tuna fish . . .

And I am not kidding.  I have been feasting on peanuts, cookies, granola bars, and Pringles the entire time.  When you are burning a ton of calories trekking, your body naturally craves protein, so this definitely hit the spot.  And it was the kind that was soaked in oil, rather than water, so that was a bonus, as my body was craving fat as well.  As you can see from the picture, I forgot to pack a spoon (really the only thing I needed, but didn't pack), but I fashioned a piece of wood into one, and made do.  It worked perfectly.  

That night, I stripped down to my tighty whities as promised, and yes, these sleeping bags are designed to be more efficient when there is a lot of exposed skin.  I could feel the heat billowing out from the sleeping bag.  However, the problem is that it feels like you are sleeping in a plastic trash bag, as you soon start to sweat.  So that night, I did not sleep very comfortably, but it was okay, as it was a great day of trekking, and I was looking forward to the morning to experience more of what was to come. 

#torresdelpaine #patagonia #Chile