Reloncaví Sound, seen from a passing airplane on its way to Punta Arenas.View of Punta Arenas from the observation deck at Cerro de la Cruz – looking down Monseñor Jose Fagnano street with the Strait of Magellan visible beyond the city.Cervecería Austral (“Austral Brewery”) in Punta Arenas – one of the southernmost breweries in the world.I could be wrong, but I think there used to be a building here.Vandalized church at the intersection of Avenida Cristobal Colón and Hernando de Magallanes in Punta Arenas.Monument to Hernando de Magallanes (i.e. “Ferdinand Magellan”) at Plaza de Armas Muñoz Gamero.Sacred Heart Cathedral, located next to Plaza de Armas Muñoz Gamero.Political street art found on a wall in Punta Arenas.Lunch comprised of salmon, seafood risotto, bread with salsa, and beer.Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon from Valle de Curicó.Chilean Sauvignon Blanc from Valle Central.Catamaran ferrying hikers across Pehoe Lake to Paine Grande Lodge in Torres del Paine National Park.Cuernos del Paine, seen from the top of the catamaran ferry on Pehoe Lake.Trail from Paine Grande Lodge to Grey Glacier.Looking back on the trail.Trail passing by some dead trees.Southward view of Lago Grey, with chunks of glacial ice floating near the shore.Pond near the trail, with Lago Grey in the distance.Grey Glacier, which reaches out to La Isla in Lago Grey.Rufous-tailed hawk on the lookout near Mirador Lago Grey.Trail leading to Grey Glacier.Hiking along the Río Olguin.Waterfall of the Río Olguin.Patagonian Edelweiss flowers.Lookout point with a view of Grey Glacier.Suspension bridge near Grey Glacier.Close-up view of the blue ice on Grey Glacier.Another view of Grey Glacier.Extreme close-up of the glacier.View further back of Grey Glacier.Looking up at a crevice in the mountains.Ice chunks in Lago Grey, near the viewpoint at Mirador Lago Grey.Another view of Grey Glacier and floating ice from the peninsula near Mirador Lago Grey.Kayakers approaching one of the giant pieces of glacier ice that broke off in the lake.Natural arch in a large chunk of floating glacier ice.Looking northward from the peninsula near Mirador Lago Grey.Unusual plants found in Torres del Paine National Park.Dead trees along the trail with Cerro Paine Grande in the distance.Acaena ovalifolia.Looking back at Grey Glacier from the trail.Cuernos del Paine, seen from Paine Grande Lodge.Stream with Cordillera del Paine in the distance, seen from Puente Injuv.Trail heading eastward, with Cuernos del Paine on the right.Another view of Cuernos del Paine, which has three peaks that make up the mountain group: Cuerno Norte, Cuerno Principal, and Cuerno Este.Cuernos del Paine with Lago Sköttsberg in the foreground.Trail passing by some dead trees with Cuernos del Paine in the background.Looking back at Lago Sköttsberg and a boardwalk on the trail.Río del Francés.Looking at the glaciers on Cerro Paine Grande.Another view of the glaciers.Closer view of the glaciers on Cerro Paine Grande; Francés Glacier is the lowest (and dirtiest) one.Passing by a small stream through the woods.Looking up at Cuerno Norte and Cuerno Principal.Southward view of Lago Nordenskjöld from the trail through Valle del Francés.Looking northward in Valle del Francés.Rio del Francés with Francés Glacier mostly obscured by trees in the distance.Rio del Francés further up the valley, north of Mirador del Francés.Looking up at (from left to right) Cerro Espada, Cerro Hoja, Cerro Máscara, and Cuerno Norte.View of the northern part of the valley from Mirador Británico, with (from left to right) Cerro Paine Grande, Cerro Castillo, Cota 2000, and Cerro Catedral.Looking south toward Lago Nordenskjöld, from near Mirador del Francés.Another close view of Francés Glacier, seen on the way back to the campsite.Waterfall near the trail.Looking southwest at Lago Nordenskjöld.Looking west from the lakeshore of Lago Nordenskjöld.Stream and waterfall with Cuerno Principal (on the left) and Cuerno Este (on the right).Another view of the waterfall with the peaks of Cuernos del Paine high above.Looking up at a waterfall flowing out from Cuernos del Paine.Sun rising over a stream.Los Cuernos Lodge situated below Cuernos del Paine.Looking south at Lago Nordenskjöld.Passing by a stream with Almirante Nieto in view.Looking at a small peninsula jutting out into Lago Nordenskjöld.Looking at Bader Valley, which exists in the gap between Cuernos del Paine and Almirante Nieto.Looking westward at the mountains that make up Cordillera Paine with Almirante Nieto standing high on the right.Trail on the western slope of Ascencio Valley, parallel to the Río Ascencio.Crossing the Río Ascencio.Chileno camping zone.Torres del Paine, seen in the early morning from Base Las Torres (“Base of Torres del Paine”).Torres del Paine at sunrise.A little later in the morning, when Torres del Paine is no longer spot-lit a glowing orange.Looking out at Ascencio Valley from Base Las Torres.One last view of Torres del Paine being blanketed in clouds before returning to Ascencio Valley.Looking toward the sunrise from near Base Las Torres.Looking south at the sunrise at the end of Ascencio Valley.Forest along the trail to Base Las Torres.Fallen tree with rocks packed tightly between its roots.Looking north in the Ascencio Valley.Sun rising over the valley.Passing by a stream on the trail.Waterfall in Ascencio Valley.Cascading stream next to the trail.Looking up at the from the east bank of the Río Ascencio, near the Chileno campsite.Hiking south, along the Río Ascencio.Río Ascencio flowing out of the valley.Eastern end of Lago Nordenskjöld on the right.Looking back toward Lago Nordenskjöld.Río Ascencio, seen from a footbridge near the east end of the W-Trek in Torres del Paine National Park.Río Ascencio, downstream view from the footbridge.Daisies on the trail.Part of the Hotel Las Torres Patagonia.Almirante Nieto and Torres del Paine, seen from the Torres del Paine National Park Welcome Center.Torres del Paine, seen from the bus stop at Amarga.Open pit barbecue known as “asado” where a whole lamb on a vertical spit is being cooked in the restaurant kitchen.Salmon ceviche made with sliced red onions, mixed peppers, corn, and a marinade of something called “homemade tiger milk” – whatever the hell that is.Grilled guanaco with baked potato chunks, a Chilean salad (sliced onions, peppers, and tomatoes), and an Austral lager.Chilean border station at Cerro Castillo, near the Argentinean border.
