I can not remember when I did not want to go to Torres del Paine. The 550,000 acre park is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and IMGS Geological Heritage Site. The mountains are iconic in esthetics and the climbing world. Animals, including the Puma, are making a remarkable comeback. The "hikers" were almost assured of spotting a Puma.
Puerto Natales also boasts to be the windest city in the world. We drove by these statues on the way to Torres del Paine.
We docked at Puerto Natales and after breakfast, headed out at 0530 for a full day in the park. I missed the memo about bringing hiking boots on the trip and was not up to a 12 mile, rugged, mountain hike in muck boots. I opted for the bus option. The bus had guides along with our scientists. On the way to the park we drove by a windswept, rugged landscape with a lot of wildlife.
Guanacos
Drive-by shot of the South American Grey fox that ran across the road. Well, I missed catching the actual fox but did get a shot of the Patagonia Steeps. The Rheas we saw were on the other side of the bus.
Flamingos
And then there were the mountains! Picture viewing alert: I took a few hundred pictures on the way to and while in the park. The following are favorites. Scroll through and enjoy as you wish.
Torres means towers, Paine in the native language means blue. The park was given the name because of the vividly colored blue lakes, including Sarmiento Lake below, and Paine river.
The granite towers,
Torres d'Agostini, Torres Central and Torres Monzino.
French Valley
Cerro Cota 2000
The view even got better after entering the park. We were treated to a break in the weather allowing the peaks to show in all their glory.
Once in the park, we traveled the road and stopped at view points.
Cerro Esudo
Cuernos del Paine from the Lago del Toro
The Horns. The heavily eroded tops are sedimentary strata above the granite bands.
A pair of Crested Caracara Birds
The sign to the trail to the Paine River falls was 60mph winds when we hiked to the falls and 80+mph winds as we were blown back.
Paine River rapids
Paine River Falls
These mounds are called "mother-in-law cushions". They look soft and delicate but are full of thorns.
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