Torres del Paine Trek - Day 2 - Campamento Italiano to Campamento Torres

When we arrived back in camp, we packed up immediately. However, as we were about to leave we glanced back at our aborted attempt and
noticed the weather cleared. “Let’s go back up,” Kirk suggested. Frustrated, I was now adamant about moving on. I didn’t want to end up going in circles. So we headed to the next camp (Campamento Torres), which was over 20km / 12.4 miles away. The trail was bordered with pristine lakes. Again we walked alone as we were behind the pace of trekkers who left before us.

We stopped at Albergue Los Cuernos, a refugio along the way, hoping to buy a quick lunch. No dice, as they only served breakfast and dinner. So we did as any self-respecting trekker does to help save time, we loaded up on what we could buy. Unfortunately, that was junk food, cookies and chocolate bars for a whopping $10. Fueled on a sugar high, we made pretty good time. The trail as a whole was easy, however, in places it presented challenges, the largest of which was a small river crossing. Trekkers amassed at its bank hypothesizing as to the best route across. After much debate, it was decided. There simply was no good route.

The test of our wills came when we reached the next refugio and campground at Albergue El Chileno at 7:30 pm. We were both exhausted. We could stay at the refugio, or hike another hour to the next campground, Campamento Torres. If we stayed there, we would be in a better position to see one of the highlights of the trip, the granite monoliths called the Torres (Torre De Agostini, Torre Central, Torre Norte, and Torre Monzino.) While they looked dismally gray during the day, they were best seen at sunrise when they are lit to a fiery, red flame by the early morning light. We decided to buy dinner at the refugio, soup with mystery meat, chicken and rice for the main meal, and a dessert for $16. It tasted great, but then after walking as hard as we had, my shoe probably would have as well.