Day 4 on the W Trail: A Lone Wolf's Epic Detour (and a Waterfall Faceplant Almost).

            Day four dawned, and after a hearty breakfast at Refugio Paine Grande, the receptionist offered a little detour that piqued my interest. Instead of heading straight to Grey Refuge, north on the main W Trail, they suggested a shorter southern loop: Paine Grande to Las Carretas.  Just 5.2 kilometers (3.2 miles) there and back in a breezy 2 hours and 20 minutes? Sign me up!

This little jaunt took me right past the Pehoé Lake lookout, where I feasted my eyes on a panorama fit for a king.  There was the mighty Cerro Paine Grande, all spiky peaks and glaciers, its highest point a dizzying 3,030 meters (10,006 feet) above sea level.  And nestled between them, the gateway to the French Valley, its horned brother, Cerro Cuernos del Paine, stood guard, its highest horn, Cuerno Central, reaching 2,600 meters (8,530 feet).  And nestled between them, like a turquoise jewel, lay Peho Lake, a massive 22 square kilometers (8.5 square miles) fed by the Paine and Nordenskjöld Rivers.

Let me tell you, that detour was worth every step.  And guess what?  I had the whole trail to myself!  The rest of the crew opted for the Grey Refuge after breakfast, lunchboxes in tow.  Smart move for them, because what awaited me next was a doozy.

The trek from Refugio Paine Grande to Grey Refuge was a whole different beast: 16.77 kilometers (10.4 miles) of pure Patagonian adventure, clocking in at a solid 7 hours and 30 minutes (with plenty of photo breaks, of course!).  Think setting up and breaking down my tripod more times than I care to admit, all to capture the mind-blowing scenery.  The elevation gain wasn't too crazy, just 427 meters (1,401 feet), but the real challenge came in the form of climbs, descents, and one particularly…memorable…section.

Imagine this: a super steep climb followed by a blissful plateau with jaw-dropping views.  Then, bam!  The descent.  Not just any descent, mind you, but a slippery rock slide disguised as a waterfall stream.  Here's where things got real – hands and feet all came into play to navigate this treacherous terrain.  Honestly, the first day on the W Trail, which everyone hypes as super difficult, didn't even require this much manual labor!

After that heart-pounding scramble, the rest of the hike was a (relatively) gentle series of ups and downs.  Sure, it was long, but the scenery was pure triumph.  Two nights at Grey Refuge awaited, and let me tell you, after that slippery slope surprise, I was more than ready for a well-deserved rest. Stay tuned for what awaits on Day 5 and 6!

***

With its four peaks, Cerro Paine Grande is a stunner, easily one of the most gorgeous mountains on the planet.  The tallest peak reaches a whopping 3,050 meters (10,000 feet), making it the highest in the Macizo Paine Massif and the technically most challenging climb in all of Torres del Paine National Park.

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Taken in: Chile / Region of Magallanes / Torres del Paine / Estancia Pudeto (show map)

Taken on: April 22, 2024

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Sets appears in: • The W Circuit (Day 4): Refugio Paine Grande to Refugio Grey, las Torres del Paine National Park, Chilean Patagonia.

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Camera: Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, f/1.8, 1/2700 sec, 6.8mm, ISO 80 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Lens:	iPhone 15 Pro Max back triple camera 6.765mm f/1.78
Aperture:	f/1.8
Exposure Time:	1/2700 sec
Focal Length:	6.8mm
ISO:	80
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Lightroom 7.4.1 (Windows)
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