Patagonia W Trek - The Towers

Sitting at the dinner table the night before our hike to The Towers, the completion of the "W" and the far right leg, we had a discussion about the weather. Our guide prepared us for the forecast, the worst possible case... rain and high wind! That night we said a prayer and went to bed hopeful that a better scenario would play out.

At first light, I awoke to silence, no rain or wind. Our hike began with the sun shining, and continued to follow us for most of the day. We expected to have wind as we crossed "windy pass" but we were surprised to find the pass to be calm.

For most of the hike we followed the river gorge, winding up and around gaining in altitude (low altitude compared with my other hikes - 3000 ft). The fall colors were really evident and vibrant as we climbed higher. Snow also found us at the higher elevation, and was incredibly beautiful against the yellow and orange leaves.

To get to The Towers, it's necessary to ascend some rocks and wind around a rock field before making the final approach. A glacier lake is nestled at the top and partially surrounded by mountains and The Towers. The Towers are famous for climbers, but their approach is done from the opposite side because of the winds. It's a magnificent sight regardless of which side you're viewing.

In the high season (their summer), there can be over 300 people surrounding the lake and taking in the view of The Towers. So while we had snow, I think traveling during the off season is worth a more solitary view of the lake and The Towers. The trail to the top is also narrow, so slow movers can hold up the entire line, both up and down.

On our return the weather began to look ominous, but we only experienced a few sprinkles. We made it back to the EcoCamp in the early evening. Just in time for a shower and a rest in the lounge by the fire to dry my hair and chat with fellow hikers. We had a leisurely dinner for our last night at the EcoCamp. We packed a lot of sights into three days of hiking, but it was well worth the trip.

Patagonia and Torres del Paine is definitely worthy of a visit, or at the very least, a picture journey through the National Park!