We went to a great free info session given by the legendary Bill, the owner of Erratic Rock Hostel on the hikes and found out the refugio´s or shelters on the back end of the circuit were still closed from winter as there was still a lot of snow on the mountain. The snow would also mean we´d have to carry a tent in case we didn´t make the next shelter. There were also 3 ravines that had no bridges over them as winter avalanches had taken out the bridges and seeing as the circuit was not open yet they hadn´t been replaced so Bill advised us to tackle these first rather than go 5 days and find we had an uncrossable ravine between us and the boat home and have to backtrack 5 days.
We were up for the challenge so we went into town and bought food for 8 days. I know I eat a lot but if you´ve ever looked at 8 days food in a pile you´ll be shocked. No way it was going to fit in my 65 litre rucksack, I´d need to hire a 90 litre, plus Paul had only brought a 45 litre rucksack so we were only going to be able to carry 5 days food at best as we needed space for the tent, sleeping bag and warm clothes.While I had cycled in my leather hiking boots since ushuaia Paul had bought a pair of trekking shoes that weren´t going to be up to 4 days in the snow. The north face fancy dan lacing system had already started to fail. All things considered we opted for the shorter circuit with a bit added on; this would save us 4 days that we´d use to go hiking round mount fitz roy in Argentina and also give us two days to have a go at the ravines and get to the top of the paso gardner, the toughest part of the big circuit with the best views.
We took a catamaran across a windswept lake to the back of the park, ate a quick lunch and hit the trail to the back end of the park passing lago grey on the way where huge blue icebergs calved off the glacier were all parked up at the end of the lake by the wind. With Lago grey living up to its name because of the minerals in the water and the blue icebergs because of compressed glacial snow the view was stunning. At the opposide end after 5 hours fast hiking we got to the free campsite and sat for half an hour watching glacier grey, egging it on to calve off a piece of ice into the water. No luck, the glacier has been receding for the last few years so there wasn´t much happening though we didn´t mind as there were plenty of glaciers ahead on the route north.
Next day we left the tent pitched and packed light for an assault on the paso John Gardner, taking essentials plus a days food as we planned to return that evening. First we had to cross the 3 ravines, the first of which looked like a snow alley an indiana jones rock had rolled down. Winter avalanches had carved out a toboggan run for themselves here so we find a level section to cross where we can see solid rock and the rangers had left a rope to help us up the opposite side. We crossed some snow banks on the bottom of the ravine, feeling for more solid sections with my big boots making good sized foot holes to keep Pauls shoes dry.
At 30 metres wide and 20 metres deep there was some scrambing but nothing too hairy and we climbed up the bank and into the thick forest to find the trail again.
One thing that was really great about the park is that you can drink the water from the streams, glacial water running straight off the mountain tastes great and saves you hauling another kilo or two so after the hard work of the ravine we sat by a stream and drank a bit.
After two easier ravines across rivers we reached the ranger station. We´d passed a "track closed" sign before the ravines so when the ranger appears from his hut and asks us what we´re up to we reckon the game might be up, but once we tell him he chuckles and invites us in by his wood stove for coffee. Inside his hut we meet a spanish couple who´ve just came over the pass, they say the snow is waist high, I guess that´s thigh high for me but still tough going.
After a chat we hit off up the pass through a forest, hitting the snowline where thin powder becomes deep snow and eventually we´re walking on snow the height of the smaller trees. Some steps I just sink down to waist height, other steps I´m lucky and hit a frozen bit of snow and it can support my weight, tough going but good craic, don´t know how the poor spanish couple got down with their loaded packs.
We hit the top of the 1280m Pass, it´s higher than Carauntoohil! and the view of the icefield behind glacier grey is spread out before us with huge crevases and trails of rock on the top. We eat a bit of celebratory choclolate but can´t stay up too long though as the wind is harsh and the we see the weather approaching, time to get below the snowline before our trail gets blanked out and we have to use the gps to get back. On the way down through the deep snow it´s great craic, we take huge steps as if on the moon or walking on sponge and even toboggan down a bit without our packs for a laugh. The thinner snow in the forest is more difficult as it´s started to melt during the day and the going is tricky with slush and mud making for bad footing. It´s getting late as we recross the ravines and reach our tent for some grub and chat to the other hikers. A good days adventure.
For the next two days the weather was a bit Irish, we backtracked for one day and then tried to go up the valle frances, the middle part of the W shaped trail, crossing our first proper rope bridge over a glacial stream roaring below. Strong winds and a pelting mix of hail and rain stopped us half way up Valle Frances so we sat under a tree for an hour watching glacier frances up the mountain. At night in our tent at the campsite we´ve heard it rumbling away, from 7 in the evening on you hear a loud whoomph and the snow avalanche would rumble down the valley opposite us but today there´s no show. The lower valley is still worth having a good look at till the cold gets the better of us and we run out of biscuits.
Later Pauls North Face hiking boots give up the ghost. They have cleverly decided that rather than laces, which have worked for centurys they should use some nylon wire and a click system at the hheel of the shoe. These were marketed as proper hiking shoes but after the lacing system stops shutting and the laces themselves break in the middle of the hike the two of us get our camping stove and using red hot stove legs burn holes in the shoes to fit some laces. A month later the laces are still holding but no joy from north face in terms of replacing the shoes.
We take up the tent and head on to the next campsite in the hopes that we can dry all our soaking gear and boots. We´re pretty tired and damp and the thought of staying at a refugio in a warm bed is appealing only everyone else has the same idea and the place is packed. We nip in for a quick shower, leave our boots and gear by the fire to dry and walk barefoot out to the tent in the rain to cook dinner in the small porch of the tent rather than pay the outrageous money they are charging to use the gas hob, not to mind the price of a cooked dinner. A few friends we´ve made along the trail including Paddy the Cavan man try sparking up a stove to cook but are harshly dealt with by the staff so we don´t mind the outside too much.
Next day we ht the trail with dry boots and gear and cross into the dryer part of the park, making good progress and after 7 hours hiking we reach the torres themselves. It´s clear and we can see the torres themselves and then I don´t mind missing the valley frances the day before. People we´ve met have seen only 1 out of 3 highlights due to cloud so we´re doing well. We´d planning on bivying the night up there at the lookout to see the sunrise and it´s supposed to be spectacular so w e´ve hiked our full kit all the way up as the refugio staff refused to hold our tent overnight. Some of the privately owned refugios are not all that well run or friendly.
Anyhow it´s very cold up there and I guess after a long hike we´re a bit wrecked so we opt to hike down 50 mins to the campsite rather than stay up. It´s good craic at the campsite and we share some Vino Tinto with some welsh, american and israeli hikers. In the morning we get up at 4.30 and hike up with the stove and porridge and eat breakfast at the torres lookout at 840m or so, the porridge tastes great but the cloud cover is in and there´s no red sunrise for us.
After a wellearned beer and the best tasting can of pringles ever on the grass outside the small tienda at the bottom of the trail we hike out to the bus and then head into town to do some damage in the restaraunts eating two main courses in two different places, making short work of steaks and calzone´s and then heading for a few beers with Paddy from Cavan and Timo from the Black forest who we met on the trails.
Some pictures of the glacier and the hike are here.
Next stop El Calafate.
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