BACK TO OVERVIEW

Cuernos del Paine (2600 m.a.s.)

We had to stop for some mushroom intake above the green Nordenski�ld lake (see above) before finally reaching the next magnificent peaks of the park, Cuernos del Paine (see below). Almost simultaneously the state of the weather and my health deteriorated. The cottage 'Refugio Cuernos' turned out to be a good place to stay the night. Not that we really stayed in the cottage - we were on a budget trip - but we were allowed to use it as a shelter if we paid for pitching the tent. The views of condors hunting on the verge of the Cuernos were amazing.

The next day we went further towards the west in the rain. The path was occasionally hard to find, but we managed to reach 'Camp Italiano' located at the center of the 'W'. The weather was still bad, but apparently things change quickly in Patagonia. The next morning the brilliant sun was back and my fever was incidently gone. The Swedish couple we had met on the Navimag boat, Eric and Carina, happened to pass by our tent. They had already visited the middle path of the 'W', Valle Franc�s, and we were soon to follow in their footsteps. This middle valley, located between Cuernos del Paine and Cerro Paine Grande, the highest mountain in the park, is quite astonishing. The views are superb in all directions except the one we came from. Anna didn't only enjoy the views, she enjoyed the sounds too... Guess what.

Valle Franc�s

Back to Torres