Patagonia: Mirador Las Torres Hike

Located in the southern Chilean Patagonia Region, Torres del Paine National Park offers an array of breath-taking views that pictures don't do justice. We spent five days in the park, exploring various trails, viewpoints and taking in the remoteness and purity of this natural land. 

Our first hike was an 11.2 mile (roundtrip) hike to the Base of Paine Towers. We left around 8 a.m. from our eco-friendly yurt at Patagonia Camp, and headed into the National Park. It was a 2 hour drive through bumpy graveled roads, but the scenery was breathtaking and a good distraction from the nauseating ride. 

Our hike started in a flat prairie land, with wild horses and guanacos, running in the distance.The first hour and a half of the hike we worked our way up a series of switchbacks over Ascencio Valley. Below the Ascencio River flowed, as we followed its through the valley. The trail was well maintained and went along a rocky ridge. It was manageable, though some parts were hilly. There was no tree cover on the first part of the trail, so be sure to wear proper sun protecting gear. A little more than halfway of the hike, we stopped at Refugio El Chile, where we were able to stop and rest. They sell snacks and had bathrooms we could use, as well, which was nice. After the rest, we continued on up the hill to the towers. This part of the trail was very lush. We walked through a forest of beech trees, the shade providing us nice shade from the sun. We made our way through the forest and came to a gravel trail - this is where things get a little more challenging. We rock scrambled for about 40 minutes until we made our way to the base of the towers. The northern tower stands at 8,530 feet above sea level, the central tower at 9,186 feet and the southern tower at 9,350 feet. At the base of the towers was the most pristine turquoise blue glacier lake that was absolutely gorgeous. The hike was moderately hard, but totally worth the scenery!