Day 3 Mountain Lodge Paine Grande to Refugio Los Cuernos
This day was planned to be long, from the map, I had to walk totally 11 hours, from Mountain Lodge Paine Grande to Camp Italiano (2,5 hours), and from Camp Italiano to Camp Britanico’s mirador (6 hours go and back), and from Camp Italiano to Refugio Los Cuernos (2,5 hours).
I left the comfortable Lodge at 8:15. The course was easy, a lot of flat path along the lake Lago Pehoe, with the view of Paine Grande and Cuernos del Paine peaks in the front. After 2,5 hours walk, crossing the shaking fun bridge, I arrived at Camp Italiano at 10:45. Leaving my backpack in the open space in the camp, I headed to the Francess Valley. The path was uphill along the big river.
After a lot of climbing on rocks along the river, I arrived in the open space on the hill top where we could see the glaciers on top of Paine Grande mountain and the peaks of Cuernos del Paine. The place was not officially a mirador, but the view was 360 degree stunning. The glaciers or snow on the top of Paine Grande were cracked and fell down often causing a big sound.
On the way to Camp Britanico, I took the wrong way, instead of crossing a stream, I went straight along the stream into a jungle. The path ended to 2 ways, on the left to an open space of stones, and on the right to the jungle. I took the left path to the open space and started to walk up the mountain with small granite stones on the surface. There was not clear path, and I saw nobody on the way up. I started to doubt that I got lost since I couldn’t find the Camp Britanico. After a while, I met with a French-German couple which also confused with the path.
They asked me the way. I said that we might have took the wrong way and might have had chosen the path to the right, to the jungle, since normally camps were located in the jungle.
They went back, but I decided to continue the same path up to the mountain.
But after climbing a while, I became more sure that I should come back.
So I climbed down back, and took the path to the jungle.
This path was worse, since there was no real path.
I walked a while but started to be afraid. I realized that I completely lost in the jungle. By instinct, I tried to find my way back to where I came.
Finally I found the path and started to went back.
I was confused that I couldn’t find the camp site.
On the way back, I saw somebody, opposite of the stream walking down the hill.
I just realized that I took the wrong way, that I should have crossed the stream and gone to the other side of the river.
So I crossed the stream and walked the right path.
I met my new mates, saying that they were worried since they didn’t see me for quite a while, despite I walked in front of them.
Finally I arrived at the right mirador at 14:30. Met Cathryn and Stephanie, the Swiss young girl. I felt so happy being able to reach the top. The view of Paine Grande, the Cuernos del Paine, and the Lago Pehoe was great. I also spotted a couple of deers.
We left the mirador at 15:00 and rushed back to Camp Italiano, taking our backpacks and headed to our next refugio before dinner time at 7pm. The way from Camp Italiano to the Refugio Los Cuernos was not that hard, along the lake Lago Nordenskjold. I met several local groups and took photos together. I passed also the lake beach with small beautiful stones. Finally I arrived at the refugio at 19:00.
The reception was crowded with people checking in, making reservation for the dinner or just buying drinks.
I had the dinner with my new friends.
The US guy sitting next to me informed me about the hot tub near the cottage they stayed. So after the dinner, I decided to find the hot tub. Living more than 10 years in Japan had made me a hot spring lover.
I found the outdoor wooden hot tub near the cottages.
I took off all my clothes and entered the hot water. It was so amazing, being in the hot water with the view of the lake in the front and the mighty peaks on the back, and under millions of star in the bright sky. I felt happy alive.
