Hiking Mirador Las Torres in Chilean Patagonia

"You can't hike the trail, you'll never make it," the park ranger, a young woman decked out in hiking boots, khakis and a dark grey vest, said, as Greg and I stood at the base of the trail, clenched the straps on our heavy backpacks and sighed.

A few hours earlier, we left our hotel in Puerto Natales, which is considered the gateway to Chilean Patagonia, and headed towards Torres del Paine National Park. Torres del Paine is one of the most famous National Parks in Patagonia, is home to some Andean Condors, Pumas and Guanacos, and offers some of the wildest mountains in the world. The drive from our hotel over the last two days to the west entrance of the park had taken about an hour and a half down gravel, pot-holed roads. On this day (which was also our final day visiting the park), we were driving to the other side of the park to hike up to Mirador Las Torres (Las Torres Lookout), which is arguably the most famous hike in the park.

Mirador Las Torres is essentially an 880 metre hike up a mountain that leads to a view of a turquoise mountain lake and three massive rock towers (each roughly 2,000 metres high), which is where the park gets its name (Torres del Paine translates to Towers of Paine). The hike (round trip) is about 20 KM long and can take up to 8 hours to complete.

We were lollygagging a bit that morning, as we were tired from the first two days in the park, so we didn't end up leaving until 10:00 AM. We figured, if the drive took us about an hour and a half to the west entrance, it'd probably only take us 20 minutes or so to get to the other side of the park where the Mirador Las Torres trail was, so we'd have lots of time to hike the trail. The sunsets in Patagonia at around 11:00 PM (or 23:00 hours locally), so we should've been good, right?

After the our hour and a half drive, we reached the west entrance by 11:30 AM. We checked our map of the park, figured out the route to the other side, and started driving. The gravel mountain roads weaved, bumped and veered away from the mountains. Dust hurled into the air behind us. After another hour and a half, we arrived at the base of Mirador Las Torres.

Now that it was 1:00 PM, we figured we should probably eat something before embarking on an 8 hour hike. We stopped in at one of the hotels, grabbed a chicken sandwich, and then headed out for our hike. We entered one of park's buildings, which offered snacks, washrooms and seating areas, and asked a lady at the counter where the trail started. She told us we had to fill out a sign in form, and then we could enter the trail right behind the building. She then warned us that the last 45 minute stretch of the trail, which was a grueling, steep ascent to the three towers, closed everyday at 4:00 PM, so we'd have to hurry. She said the hike up to there typically takes four hours, so, considering it was now 1:30 PM and we only had two and a half hours to climb that, we had to start moving.

We exited through the front door, tightened our backpack straps and sauntered over towards the side of the building. A voice shouted at us. We stopped. A young woman stepped outside of the building. She glared at us.

"Where are you two going?" she asked.

"We're going to do the hike," I replied.

"You can't hike the trail, you'll never make it," the park ranger, a young woman decked out in hiking boots, khakis and a dark grey vest, said, as Greg and I stood at the base of the trail, clenched the straps on our heavy backpacks and sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"They close the last part of the trail at 4:00 PM, and it takes about four hours to make it there, so we can't let you go."

"Are you serious?" Greg asked.

"Yes."

Greg and I stared at each other.

"What're we going to do?" I asked. I will admit that at this point I was highly disappointed. We had come all of this way to see Patagonia, and now we weren't able to do the most iconic hike in the park.

"Maybe we could come back tomorrow and do it."

"Ahhh," I said, "I doubt we'll want to do that. It took three hours to get here, and tomorrow we need to drive back to Punta Arenas to catch our flight the next day, so that'd be a six hour drive from here after that massive hike."

We both groaned. I turned to the lady.

"Is there anyway we can do any of the hike," I asked.

The lady pondered for a moment.

"Yes, you could hike up to the valley. That shouldn't take long."

(This is where I think she started to realize that we were going to try and hike to the top anyways).

"There's a lodge about halfway through the trail. If you don't make it there by 3:00 PM, they won't let you through. If you do somehow make it there in the next hour and a half, you have until 4:00 to reach the last 45 minute ascent. If you don't make it there by 4:00, they won't let you through."

Greg and I grinned.

"Sounds good."

We blitzed from the building, trekked past a hotel, and headed to the actual start of the trail (the trail I believe technically starts at the sign-in building, however the walk from there to the actual start of the climb takes about 20 minutes). A two-person-max bridge stood over a turquoise river. We trod across the bridge, hopped back onto the gravel path and headed up the mountain.

The first part of the climb wasn't overly intense, however, after about ten minutes of gently inclining, the trail turned into a fairly steep ascent. Large rocks lay across the trail. Our feet kicked up dust. As we climbed higher and higher, the hotel and sign-in building grew smaller and smaller. The large turquoise lakes and mountains and grass-covered fields in the distance rose into view.

We climbed and climbed and climbed up the side of the mountain. After a while, we stopped for a short break. I tore off my Patagonia coat, shoved it into its inner pocket (most Patagonia coats can be stored in one of their pockets and crumple down to a very small pouch) and attached it to the karibeaner on my backpack. Our legs ached. Sweat formed. I checked my watch, sipped my water, and then we continued up the mountain.

After almost an hour, the trail dipped downward, edged along a massive cliff with a river at the bottom and weaved towards a forest. Our legs loosened, as we headed down hill. As we entered the forest, a lodge came into view.

"Greg," I said, "I think that's the lodge!"

"Damn, how are we on time?"

I checked my watch.

"It's 2:59 man. We actually made it with one minute to go," I said and laughed, "let's just keep walking past it. We'll take a break once we've cleared wherever they set up the barrier."

"Agreed," Greg said.

"There's a sign there that says the final ascent is about 3-4 kilometers from here. Think we can do that in an hour?"

"Easy. The trail looks like it's mostly flat for the next while."

As we strode past the lodge, the trail ventured beneath the forest's trees, winded along a river and, for the most part, remained flat for the next few kilometers. We asked a few people on the way how far off we were from the last forty five minute ascent (as we, again, needed to be there before 4:00), and we were told we still had at least an hour or so to go, but that it was well worth it. After bidding us farewell and telling us to have fun, we continued along the trail.

The trail eventually started traversing up hill again. At this point, we weren't sure if were already on the final ascent or not. My Apple Watch said we had traveled another 4 kilometers since the lodge, but something didn't seem right. We were still in the forest, and there was no view of the three rocky towers that the trail is famous for. We pushed through the trail, as more and more people started descending down it.

At around 3:45 PM, we emerged into an opening. A large, snow-capped mountain loomed in the distance, boulders slumped down the side of the mountain we were on, and the tops of the three Torres del Paine towers poked above the trees. A sign read "Mirador Las Torres 45 Minutes." We'd made it (and with 15 minutes to spare).

We started our trek up the last 45 minute ascent. The trail tightened, steepened and weaved among massive boulders. The air grew thinner. The breeze blew colder. More and more and more hikers descended down the slim trail. We stopped to let them pass each time. As we hoofed up higher and higher between the boulders, the peaks of the three towers protruded more and more. As we reached the end of the trail, I pulled my Patagonia coat out of its pouch, wrapped myself in it, and trekked on. After just over three hours of hiking, we stopped in front of the massive turquoise mountain lake and the three famous towers of Torres del Paine.

Needless to say, this was not only one of the most epic moments of the entire trip, but also one of the most epic moments of my entire life. After being told that we weren't allowed to hike the most famous hike in the park because we arrived too late and couldn't do a four hour hike before the trail closed, to actually crushing the entire hike within the timeframe and completing the whole thing within three hours was an incredible feeling. By the time we got to the top, I don't think either of us were tired. We stopped, took some pictures, ate some snacks and took in the view until the park ranger told us we needed to head back down at 5:00 PM.

So, without trying to sound too cliche, it definitely never pays to give up. Also, if you ever find yourself in Chile and are looking for something epic to do, trek down to Chilean Patagonia, visit Torres del Paine National Park, and hike up to Mirador Las Torres. It may be one of the most epic things you ever do. Just make sure you arrive early enough.