independence
: inspiration : ideas : lifestyle : sustainability : humanity
: well-being : fun
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t r a v e l b l o g traveller:
Danijel Rahija |
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I have just
spent 8 days completing the circuit around the Torres del Paine
national park. It's a very beautiful place, every hill you climb
leads to different treasures - lakes, glaciers, towers, The walking was usually 4 - 6 hours a day and the path is easy to follow. Except day 6... day 6 was the day I did the Pass... it was a very interesting day. The night before at Campamento Paso, the word from fellow travellers that had completed the pass was that the river crossing on the other side was very dangerous and should not be completed alone. The river was unusually high and the normal places to cross could no longer be seen! This group said they walked through the river next to a fallen tree they used for balance. The current was very strong and a few of them nearly lost balance. But first I had to get there... The next day began with a 3 hour very slow climb to the top of the pass, first through tall trees, then short trees, then scrub, then no trees. This is where the wind began... an hour later I reached the top of the pass and the wind continued to become very strong. This is where I saw the first people coming from the other direction, jackets on, beanies or balaclavas to cover the face. They looked cold. The wind kept getting stronger. Now it was pushing me around left, then right, then forwards, then sometimes down to the ground! It was pissing me off but you have no choice but to keep walking... Now I was going downhill on the other side, still the wind on my back pushing me forward, I reached my first snow crossing! It was great, I got to walk on snow. Heels dug in slowly I tried to walk down the hill but the wind.... then I was running down the hill! but I made it to the other side. There I met two Germans. One carefully explained to me in Spanish (I should have said I could speak English) that I should attempt the river crossing half an hour to the left of the usual spot and it will be easier! But first I had to find the usual crossing... Another area of snow and then another and then one big one where you could not see the bottom, still the wind was very strong. All you could see is footsteps in the snowing leading disappearing over the edge... so I followed, I´m walking, walking still can´t see the other side, where is this leading me! It was a long walk, my boots were full of snow, feet wet, but I saw the other side eventually. A few more snow patches and I was finally at the river. Back in the area of small trees, the wind was not so bad. The river was bloody huge! There was a group of Italians who greeted me with big grins. They had just crossed. They said the last of their group lost balance and fell in the rapids, the fallen tree went with him! They got him out but the tree was gone. I was of course
the first to arrive at this new I dropped my pack and walked around a bit looking for a slightly possible way to cross, it all looked impossible! This river is one that you could go white water rafting on and I´d say the rapids were class 3. I just sat there at the river side waiting for another group to come by before I tried anything. Only half an hour later a mixed group of French, Canadians, and Aussies turned up on the other side. We tried to communicate over the river. We yelled as loud as possible but it was too hard to talk. I watched them walk up the bank then down the bank , then back up. They looked as stuck as me. Then one enterprising Canadian with his two walking poles went far enough down the river and found the tree that washed away, walked over some rocks using the poles for balance, then walked the tree, then a few more small jumps with the poles for help and he made it to the other side. Lots of applause here but that took too much balance for the rest of us. The next enterprising person started stripping. Off went the shoes , off went the pants, out came the tevas and the walking poles. A few metres up from the tree he attempted to wade through the river using the poles to feel where there was some path. It worked! Got near enough to the other side. The current was strongest here and grabbed the outstreched pole of the first hiker. Two made it. Slowly the rest made it across the same way. It was fun now that we knew where to cross! Last was me, I was going the other way, I borrowed the tevas and the poles, stripped and slid into the river and the strong current with my pack. I was wet to my waist and it was freezing! damn melting snow. The current was too strong, I couldn´t put the poles down to feel the path so the first few steps were blind. One slip and I´d be off on the ride of my life but a few steps later I was in the less strong part of the river and used the poles to feel the way through. Made it! It was awesome! I threw their tevas and poles back, they threw my shoes over. It was time to continue finally! I just finished
putting my pants on and it started They had warned me about some muddy bits, but what I found was riduculous! It was a swamp. One careless footstep and you are knee deep in the mud. So now began 1.5 hours of reaching muddy bits and then fighting through the scrub around them, balancing on wet trees, the occasional rock, rain pelting down on me. It took ages. I managed to slip once and yes up to my knee. Didn´t pay attention for just one second! But finally the forest! A few hours more walking and I was at the refuge having a hot shower happy to see an end to this day... Chao |
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