This tuesday
I met up for a mate with my former colleague Felipe V. who has spent the winter
doing an instructor course with the NOLS people in Wyoming, USA. It’s been 9
months since we last saw each other, but having talked via facebook we both
knew that this time meeting in Puerto Natales we had to go and enjoy what
surrounds us instead of getting lulled into the usual working habit of just
Torres del Paine and Puerto Natales on our days off. It’s pretty much the most
important lesson my knee injury has taught me: go now while I can.
So
without too much hesitation we decided to go the next day and do a 3-day scouting
and pre-mountain rehearsal to a close-by mountain. One that draws the attention
every single day from the city promenade: The Tenerife (1598 m above sea level).
I
am still in training and am not quite sure of my skills in the mountains yet,
so we decided to do it over 3 days putting up a base camp and stay for 2
nights. That way the distances would be tolerable and maybe we would even be able
to look around in the valley on the backside of Tenerife, Valle de la Olla. The
weather even looked promising with little wind and sun. It was also a great way
to test my new gear and equipment before setting out on the expeditions next
week.
On
the 26th we sat out early the 3 of us, me, Felipe and my husband
Luis, who took the opportunity to go with us before he start his season work,
to drive the approx. 45 km to the Complejo Torres del Paine ranch, where we
were able to keep the car while being in the mountain. From the ranch the
Tenerife mountain towers up behind the hills and shows us its snowed peaks. A
trail does exist but we decided to do the off pist and direct route towards the
tree-line and thereabout locate a suitable camp site. And off pist indeed it
was. The approximation was steep and thorny, bushy and cliffy. But it was great
fun penetrating and fighting our way between the different berberris, pick woods,
bedstraw, wild currants and myoschilos. Felipe led the way while I followed behind
feeling like a train plowing through everything in my way. At the end was Luis
paying attention to my progress. The communication between my brain and my leg
is very slow having been completely interrupted by the operation. I felt that
very tensely as I noticed that my usual grace and ease has gone. I have to focus
and concentrate very hard on the next step meaning that I look down on the
ground instead of curiously around, looking for details, flowers and birds as I
did before. But I feel confident that the grace of before will come back with
more experience and practice.
At
550 m and 2 and a half hours later, the snow started to get more intense and
deep between the trees so here we decided to set up our base camp. After having
checked out the proximities we found what I believe to be the only reasonably
flat, yet very overgrown, spot on the entire mountainside. Luckily a little stream
passed by just a couple of meters away so this was the place to set up our base
camp. We had lunch before changing our heavy backpacks with just daypacks to
set off towards the tree-line. We walked in meter-deep steep and soft snow,
before hitting a platout of sedimentary rocks at 900 m above sea level. From
here we could see the Almirante Nieto of Torres del Paine, The Porteño Lake,
The Castillo, Mesa and Ventana mountains, Sierra Dorotea, Puerto Natales and
the inside of the Prat Mountain range. It was great and even though we still
lacked 700 m to the top I felt like I was on the top of the world. I do not have
a lot of experience hiking under these circumstances so I was proud and happy.
I learned a lot about being and roaming in the snow and in the mountains and
just know that within a short time I will be back again.
The
downhill hike was rough on me and even though I put on some ice at returning to
the camp, the next day I stayed at the camp with Luis while Felipe did the
climb to the peak alone. I did not want to risk anything knowing that the
following day we also had to get down again. The day lost in the forest was
spectacular.
It was a clear blue sky making a scenic show casting down sunbeams
between the tree trunks. I checked out all my equipment thoroughly, went
roaming about the camp, took photos and wrote contemplating where I was and
what is to come. I nursed the leg with
stretching and massages. I am proud of the progress and what I now know what I
am capable of. Felipe was back 6 hours later after having had a perfect climb
with great views, mate and a nap. We cooked dinner and had some introductory
climbing lessons. Luis spent the day on his slack line. We want to climb this
season. In between jobs it’s a perfect way to be together, outside and stay in
shape, also working coordination and brainwaves.
On
the third day we slept in, had breakfast and packed down the camp. The downhill
climb was hard, thorny – again – and demanding. I practiced my orientation
skills all the way down. I fell nose first 2 times. With the weak leg and slow
coordination it was impossible not to. However nothing harmed and the mood
still very high.
Thank
you Felipe and Luis for a great outing. I hope we will repeat it soon.
On
Tuesday I am heading to Punta Arenas to pick up my Danish friend Bondig who is
to accompany me for the next 4 weeks. In 1 week we are heading towards Torres
del Paine where we will do an expedition for 14 days. It s exciting but after
this trip I feel ready.
