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Taking it Easy & Hiking Hard – Torres del Paine Day 5-6
At Camp Grey, Maggie and I only had 31 miles of trail left on the O circuit. Our itinerary split that nicely into two halves: seven miles to Paine Grande Camp, followed by twenty four miles to the car. We leaned into the relaxation on our easy day, then pushed hard to finish the trek…
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A Trek Around the Mountains/A Lap Around the Sun – Torres del Paine Day 2-4
After a busy first day in Torres del Paine National Park, Maggie and I started making our way into the backcountry along the O trek. It didn’t take long to find some solitude, which was a welcome change and nice surprise. Fresh views were found around every corner as we wandered deeper into Patagonia. 29…
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Towers and Traffic Jams – Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine Day 1
One of Chile’s many crown jewels – the Torres del Paine massif – is tucked away near the southern end of the continent. It is far from just about everywhere, yet it has become a destination for backpackers and big wall climbers from around the globe. Maggie and I made our way to this remote…
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The Things We Do For a View – El Chaltén
After three strenuous days romping around the mountains near Cerro Castillo, it was time to settle in for two days of driving to El Chaltén, Argentina. Home of the iconic Mount Fitz Roy/Cerro Chaltén massif, we were anticipating this stop for quite some time, and it’s safe to say the mountains there did not disappoint……
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A Tough Hazelnut to Crack – Torres del Avellanos
Ad·ven·ture (noun): an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity… Maggie and I were heading into the mountains on a suggestion, a trip report translated from Spanish to English, and a low resolution screenshot of the route. We weren’t entirely sure what to expect, but we knew we were in for a big adventure… ***UPDATE JANUARY…
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A Castle of Rock and Ice – Cerro Castillo National Park
Well into Patagonia by this point, Maggie and I were eager to explore the mountains. We continued south to a small, but epic national park where we got out for a full value day hike. 18 January 2023 Maggie and I got our day going on the Dolphin Rocks just off the Carretera Austral. We…
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To Argentina and Back Again – Entre Lagos to the Carretera Austral
In order to avoid a few ferry crossings on Chile’s Carretera Austral, Maggie and I chose to drive through Bariloche, El Bolson, and Alerces National Park in Argentina. Customs, cash, and camping all presented new challenges, but we were excited to carry on with our south bound road trip… 15 January 2023 After a scrambled…
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‘Yaking, Laundry, and Taking the Wheel – Pucón to Entre Lagos
On a recommendation from a friend, Maggie and I stopped in Pucón, a cute tourist town on the edge of Lake Villarrica. We had originally hoped to climb Villarrica volcano, but with grand goals to continue south, we didn’t make time for the hike. Instead, we explored the lake and the town, and made plans…
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Puzzles in the Mist – Curacautín & Conguillío National Park
The Andes were calling. Volcanoes, lakes, and bizarre trees were just up the hill from us in Curacautín. Without a car, we enlisted a local eco-tourism outfit for lodging and transportation, but first we had to prepare for a night out in the mountains. 9 January 2023 Maggie and I had wanted to go to…
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On the Trail Again – Concepción
After a couple of flops and lots of time in urban centers, Maggie and I were feeling motivated to explore the outdoors. We finally got out on our first South American hike after spending a week in Chile. 6 January 2023 We were up and out of bed at 7 am. Our next destination was…
Boldly going nowhere in particular