u/a_kid_licking_a_pig

The southernmost trek in the world. This title and its reputation as one of the hardest treks really captivated me during my research for my trip. So immediately after I finished the O trek, I took the 2 day ferry to Puerto Williams and after waiting out some bad weather, I started the hike. Hopefully, my experiences will help some of you!

Day 1

Puerto Williams to Laguna del Salto

this was a shorter day, starting directly out of town. After about an hour you should reach the tourist office, right before the first ascent. Do notice that the tap water at the office wasn't functional when I was there, and there's no stream to fill water until about 2.5-3 hours into the hike. the first ascent is a bit long but beautiful, going through a forest with occasional views of the Beagle channel. At the end of the ascent is the plateau of Cerro la Bandera, Where the trail kinda fades so navigate carefully; you should generally stick to the right and not go much further up, until the trail reappears. Unfortunately here my day deteriorated, as on and off waves of snow and hale started. It was also really cold! The next part is a walk along the mountain slope, until a steep descent down a boulder field as reach. The campsite next to the laguna is beautiful but can be exposed - it took me a couple of tries to set up my tent with the wind. The ground can also be quite wet here. I don't know why, but when I was there every campsite had at least one big guided group, so maybe try to not grt there super late so you can find a nice spot.

Day 2

Laguna del Salto to Laguna Martillo

A really epic day that starts with an ascent straight up a stream. Here is another possible camping spot, but it's very rocky and exposed. The way up to Paso Australia is otherworldly, with big granite spires poking out everywhere. After the pass, the nature of the trail starts to reveal itself: with the vast majority of the track being either boulder fields or really muddy paths with lots of bushwhacking. The only relief is during the occasional gravek trail and the ascents to the passes, surprisingly. The mud might have been extra bad due to heavy rain the days before my hike, but it was pretty much inescapable for me. So expect to walk slower than you usually would. Traversing the difficult terrain slowly, I passed by Laguna de los Dientes and Laguna Escondida, where you can camp by if you wish. I think it would be quite the gorgeous spot. The way up Paso Ventarron is straightforward. At the top make sure you go north and not immediately down, the path will become clear quickly. The next section was very muddy. I camped at the NE end of Laguna Martillo. If you wish to hike with the same itinerary as me I really recommend to try to camp as far north as you can, to make the last day easier.

Day 3

Laguna Martillo to Puerto Williams

This was a rough day. the start is very muddy, with unclear trails. As if that's not enough I was feeling a bit unwell, and had a near miss, almost slipping down a 10 meter drop. Thankfully, after a couple of hours I felt better. Unfortunately here came the second worst part of the trek, a horrible ascent in a hot, sweaty forest, with no distinguishable trail outside of the occasional pink ribbon that some angel must have hung. My advice is to follow the path of least resistance while trying to stay next to the gps marking of the trail. At some point you should get to an opening in the forest, where you can follow a stream up to a mountain path and then to Paso Virgina, the highest point of the trail.

The descent from the pass is the steepest of the trail. The first part is very sketchy, as it's compacted ground which is sloped sideways, but after that you get to a steep scree slope which I Love! I feel so fast going down those. About 30 minutes more and you'll get to the northern end of Laguna de los Guancos, where there's a viewing platform and a possible campspot. And now, for the worst part of trail.

First, a bit of context: Isla Navarino is unfortunately infested with invasive beavers. The bastards flood the forest every year, destroying any trail and changing the landscape. Couple that with the stromy weather, and you get a muddy hell. Sometimes, the trail disappears, and finding it is very hard as the forest is dense and full of high grasses. The terrain is really challenging, with the worst mud of the trip, endless bushes, and lots of fallen trees. I managed to find some faint trail that had clear footsteps and the occasional pink ribbon, but it strayed away from the marked trail and got sketchier and sketchier. At some point, I tried to cross the forest to get to the marked path but I couldn't find it, and I believe here I had a small panic attack as I was afraid of getting completely lost. Thankfully, I managed to calm myself and continue, eventually trying again and to my relief, finding the true path. from here the navigation was easier as the vegetation was less dense, even though the trail was basically a collection of horse paths. Honestly I probably didn't make all of the right choices, and with my experience today, I would've been pretty fine, but yeah, definitely an experience. If you find yourself in a similar situation, remember that worst case scenario you can just continue north and at some point you'll hit the road, even it it'll take a while (in this section 4 km took m3 3 hours).

The final road walk is about 2 hours.

Some other tips:

Logistics

You can get to Isla Navarino via a flight or a ferry from Punta Arenas, or a boat transfer from from Ushuaia. I loved the ferry, as I got to see amazong views and glaciers, and it was a really cool experience. In town, there's one really good supermarket with everything you'll need. There's also a small outdoor shop, where you can rent or buy some basic camping equipment. I believe that they should also have gas canisters, and if you wish to cross to Ushuaia, arrange it with them.

Before you start the trek, you need to register at the local police station and give them info about your gear and itinerary. If you don't report back after your trek they will start a rescue operation so don't forget!

Weather:

I was there during peak summer. It was 5C. And the altitude is less than 1000m! So yeah, pretty insane weather. Be prepared for cold wind and snow - a sound advice for anywhere in Patagonia and especially here.

My thoughts:

I think that this hike is very special. You get to see a unique and wild landscape, with a real end of the world feel. The town of Puerto Williams is quite cozy.

It is very difficult, I would not go out there with out a satellite device and proper research. But if you have the right experience you will have the time of your life. I will also say, that I believe this trail is starting tk get popular. the president of Chile hiked it! Unfortunately, it is not maintained, so please, LNT. Don't try to avoid the mud. Don't create new paths. This is a pristine area of the world, and I hope it will be like that for years to come.

Hey! A year ago I did an epic trip across South America doing a bunch of treks in Patagonia and Peru. I want to share my experiences with to reminisce and help any fellow traveler!

Background:

I had a bit of experience from 1.5 months of day hikes and overnighters in Scotland but nothing major. I would say that this hike is of medium difficulty. Besides the ascent to john garner pass I didn't find any of the trail difficult. It was mostly strenuous due to the length of the hike. Of course, as is everywhere in Patagonia, it is extremely dependent on the crazy weather there. The days I trekked in the backcountry part of the circuit had decent weather, and the second half of the hike was worse but nothing dangerous. But I'll say in order to prevent disasters such as the tragic one this year be prepared, have the correct equipment, a PLB and be ready to turn back if needed.

Gear:

I am ultralight inclined. I brought a xmid 2; Cumulus sleeping bag rated at comfort -7C, which was very toasty (even a bit too much sometimes), and my bag was ULA catalyst (you can definitely go fkr a smaller bag, I just used it for general traveling in south america so needed some extra space).

Regarding food, there's a few nice shops on Puerto natales. You can also buy dehydrated meals at Rental Natales, but they cost about 15000 pesos each. If you only want to cook I recommend you bring enough food to hike until Paine Grande and resupply there.

I brought a water filter that turned out to be non functional due to drying out, so had to drink unfiltered water. The rangers say it's fine to drink straight from the source but there are lots of humans and some horses on certain parts so it's up to you

Now for the itinerary:

Starting mid January, I did the trek in 7 days, skipping seron. It's definitely achievable, but makes for a very long first day. I also feel like you lose a bit of the bonding that happens in the first camp (which for me is an essential part of this hike) so I'd consder doing it in 8 days unless you're in a rush.

Day 0

I took the midday bus from Puerto Natales, arriving at the park entrance around 15 pm. make sure to buy the park ticket ahead of time and bring a bit of cash if you want to take the shuttle. after a necessary pizza and calafte ale (amazing beer) I set up camp in camping central. the campsite is huge, the sites are large and well protected, you should have no problem finding a spot. there's a small shop selling basic snacks and a shed if you want to cook.

Day 1

Central to Dickson

Longgg day. the first stretch to seron is quite chill, gentle uphills with nice views of the lower hills nearby the range. I stopped for lunch in seron. it was completely empty when I got there at 11:30. It seemed quite windy and exposed and I'm glad I didn't stay there. heading on, the first pass of the trek is very windy so take care. from this point I was rushing due to the cut off time for the checkpoint. at the end it was an hour later than I though so I was rushing for nothing haha. If I remember correctly the cutoff time was 16:00 but maybe aim for 15:00 to be sure. at the checkpoint you write down your details and rangers will check your reservation for dickson, los perros and grey. from here it's another few hours to camp where you will again sign in and show reservations. As I got late I had to camp in a bit of shitty spot next to a generator, which turned off at around 21:00. The campsite has a shop with basic groceries(pasta, tuna, etc), free hot water, electricity, paid wifi.

Day 2

Dickson to Los Perros

A really cool and short day. It starts with a steep ascent straight out of camp, but after an hour the trail is very gentle and for the entire day you're walking through a beautiful lush forest ending with a magnificent glacier view. Los perros is a bit smaller so try not to arrive really late as you might have trouble finding a nice spot. Do note that this camp has no hot water, wifi, only a few snacks at the store, very limited electricity if at all and you need to take your garbage with you. but overall it is a very cozy spot

Day 3

Los Perros to Grey

this is the hardest day on the trail. early wakeup and start times are strictly enforced. I don't remember the cutoff time exactly but I believe you have to get going before 7:00. the first forest section was very muddy due to it raining all night. after that it's a long ascent to the pass. I found it difficult as I was out of hiking shape. make sure to pay attention to navigation as it can be easy to miss the signs in the rocky terrain. the view from the top was absolutely breathtaking. the descent honestly wasn't as bad as people make it out to be. Yeah it's steep but nothing too serious. While campento paso is under renovations you can still stop there to have some lunch and use the bathroom.

the part following that was the worst of the day for me, as you're constantly going 30 meters up and then back down again. Camping grey is huge, has a greay shop and restaurant (make sure to get the pizza!). There can be a que for check in as the W crowds join here.

Day 4

Grey to Paine Grande

A very short day, with no major hurdles. Paine grande is a big campsite. if you need to buy groceries this is the last good shop. you can get burgers at the restaurant but there was no space when I was there. Do note - this is the windiest campsite of the trek. it's best to set up next to the mountain - I was in an exposed spot, and one of my stakes ripped out of the ground at night and tore a small hole through my tent.

Day 5

Paine Grande to Frances via Mirador Britanico.

after a bit more than an hour next to the lake you get to campamento italiano. here you can stash unnecessary gear and go up to the viewpoints. Mirador Frances is nice but I really recommend going up to Mirador Britanico, the view is amazing and there less people. After a few days of hiking it should be a breeze, especially without all of your stuff. Mirador Frances wasn't very nice. It's all on a hill so very annoying, the shop only sells snack and extremely expensive small food items (tiny pizza for 10000 pesos) and the restaurant closes down for a la carte at around 17:00. If younwant to cook theres a tiny shed for it. Here I stayed at the pre set camp, as all of the spots were booked when I looked. I am glad I did that, as I have a trekking pole tent and didn't want to bother setting it up on platforms.

Day 6

Frances to Chileno

The start of the day is gentle, walking by the lake for a few hours. I stopped at Los Cuernos to snack for a bit, it seemed a bit nicer than Frances. after that, a tedious climb to Chileno. Again I stayed in a pre set tent. they're very large and comfy, but also very noisy with the wind. you can get some pizzas and the restaurant, which closes early to prepare for dinner service. I asked at the reception and managed to join the dinner for a discounted price! and it was honestly really nice.

the shop has the same basic items as Frances, and if you wanna cook you have to do it inside the shop where there's not a lot of space.

Day 7

Mirador Torres and back to town

affer a sleeples night, left most of my stuff at the tent and started the hike. I left at 3:40 and arrived at the mirador less than 2 hours later, about 30 minutes before sunrise. Again like mirador britanico it was quite easy after a week of hiking. If you manage to have good weather for the sunrise it will probably be the best moment of the trek. Make sure to get back to chileno before the checkout time. after that it's a bit of a boring descent back to the visitor center, where you can get some coffee and a hot dog while waiting for the bus.

Overall this was an incredible trek. Crazy views, not too hard, and you will probably form a small trail family by the end. despite the exorbitant price I think it's still worth it!!

I hope this post will be helpful for some of you :)