I have always loved getting out into the outdoors through hiking, running, biking, skiing, climbing, etc. But I didn’t find backpacking until I was a freshman at CU, but ever since I’ve been hooked! Nothing compares to hiking to new views everyday with new campsites and places to explore. That’s why when I found out that I had gotten into my study abroad program in Patagonia, Chile, I immediately started looking for backpacking spring break plans.
Patagonia is a mecca for backpackers. Spanning two countries, Chile and Argentina, Patagonia is a hikers and climbers dream! During my short semester abroad, we explored the far north to far south, seeing glaciers coming off the Patagonia Icefield, observing guanacos (llamas to us), hiking through rainforests, romping around the pampa, and photographing the towering peaks of Patagonia. But the semester did not include any backpacking, only day hikes that stood in place of lectures (hands down the best way to do class). So, when spring break came around, I was excited to fill my pack and start hiking the W-Trek in Torres del Paine National Park.
I had looked into several different backpacking circuits in Chile and Argentina, but when my parents decided they wanted to visit during spring break, the W-Trek was the perfect option. The W-Trek is a 4-day, 3-night trek through Torres del Paine National Park. It’s called the W-Trek after the shape of the trail, that makes a “W” shape. The trek is roughly a 45-mile trail that begins at a glacier, then parallels several glacial lakes and goes into two valleys with views of the famous horns and towers that put Torres del Paine on everybody’s bucket list.
I would have been perfectly content ruffing it in the Patagonian backcountry for a week, but my parents had never been backpacking. The nice thing about the W-Trek is that you can hike it totally alone with all your own gear or be guided the entire way, staying in huts every night, or anywhere in between. I planned the entire trip and we did not use a guiding service. Since neither of my parents had been backpacking before and were not keen on sleeping on the ground, we stayed at the refugios each night. This meant we only had to carry our clothing and a few snacks on us, as full room and board is provided at the refugios.
The refugios are equivalent to huts. Each evening we arrived at a new refugio where we found our bunkbeds in the dorm styled rooms and joined 50-100 other hikers for games, beer, and dinner in the dining hall. While the views were breathtaking, staying in the refugios was one of the most unique backpacking experiences. We met people from all over the world hiking in each direction. We met a couple from Germany that we ate with two days in a row and another couple from Yosemite that we saw each day on the trail. The amount of people along the trek made it one of the oddest but most unique backpacking experiences I’ve ever had. I feel very fortunate to have met so many people from different walks of life along our journey.
As much as I enjoyed the crazy windy weather of Patagonia and the breathtaking views, what made this trip really special was showing my parents the ropes and sharing this experience with them. I’ve been a trip leader for the Outdoor Program now for the past two years, but showing my parents was more special than any trip I’ve led! With both of them in their late 50s, I was very surprised when they happily agreed to go backpacking for the first time, especially in Patagonia where the weather is crazy. A few of my favorite parts were showing them a glacier for the first time, dipping our toes in the turquoise lakes, filling our water bottles straight from the streams, and seeing the turquoise lake below the world-famous towers. But all of these memories only make up the entire experience. It was so incredible to see two of my worlds collide, my family with backpacking. I’m so happy to have backpacked in Patagonia with my parents and look forward to our next adventure and my next trip to Patagonia since my time there was cut so short.