Hiking in Patagonia - Chile and Argentina
February 2-18, 2013
Part One - Chile
Page Five - Hiking the Paso Los Cuernos Trail
Early morning on February 7, we left Hosteria Las Torres to hike along the
north shore
of Lago Nordenskjold to Los Cuernos, along the Paso Los Cuernos trail.
We were each given a very small
bag to store items we would need for the next two days.
The small bags were carried by porters, along the same trails as we were hiking,
to each of the next 2 lodging spots
where we stayed. Our large duffel luggage
was transported from Hosteria Las Torres to the second lodge by van.
If we
wanted extra shoes besides our hiking boots, we had to carry
them ourselves on or in our backpacks.
Small waterfall along the Paso Los Cuernos trail
Almirante Nieto looming high above the trail with horses grazing below
The turquoise lake is Nordenskjold Lake
Some of our hiking group nearing Lago Nordenskjold
The long and very beautiful turquoise lake - Lago Nordenskjold,
named after a Swede who discovered the lake in the beginning of the
20th century.
Pat and Jeff in front of Lago Nordenskjold. We hiked a long way to the right of this Lake to Los Cuernos
that is a refugio that
also has cabanas, and a campground. We
spent the night there.
Refugios are wooden generator-powered mountain cabins built to minimize environmental
impacts while ensuring guests a place
to
sleep in remote areas.
They sleep
guests in a shared bunk style
accommodation. Supplies are usually delivered to the refugios
by horse or boat.
Meals are served in a convivial dining area, and packed
lunches can be prepared on request. Most also have camping facilities, and it's possible to eat
in the refugio while using the campground.
At Los Cuernos, we stayed in small cabins, each with 2 twin beds
or one standard bed, and ate in the refugio. There was a separate building for the
cabins that housed showers, toilets, and basins, divided into a men's and women's side.
View from Paso Los Cuernos trail
Lunch stop on the way to Los Cuernos. People that can be seen are Jeff from California
(in the cap), Jeff from Denver (with me, of course),
Kelly from Denver, Bob from Minnesota,
Rich and Terri (Kelly's parents) from Denver, and Gina from Minnesota
I don't know the name of this bird. He/she was hoping for some of my lunch.
Another Andean Condor flying above us and around Lago Nordenskjold
Andean Condor
Cuernos del Paine. You can see the black slate Cuernos (horns)
that this area is known for. The Cuernos are formed from two different types
of rock, each a different color.
Cuernos del Paine - Glacial erosion is the main one responsible for the sculpturing
of the area in the last tens of thousands of years.
Cuernos del Paine is a good example of this.
Its central bands of exposed granite strongly contrast with the dark aspect of their tops,
which are remnants of a heavily eroded sedimentary stratum.
A beautifully shaped tree that the wind has helped design
View of Lago Nordenskjold from the small cabin Jeff and I stayed in
at Cabanas Cuernos. The refugio building can be seen below.
Waterfall next to the cabins
Another view from our cabin
A view of Lago Nordenskjold from nearby our cabin
Zooming in on the beautiful mountain and firebush from our cabin
Not sure what these are called, but we saw quite a few of them.
Bull thistle, I think
Sunset from our cabin
Link to Page Six - Hiking into the French Valley to Lodge Paine Grande
Pat's Home Page