Thought about going that route on our trip this Jan/Feb, but our trip's too short and airfare's too cheap right now. Check this deal out:
1/26: Santiago-Punta Arenas
2/2: Punta Arenas-Puerto Montt
2/10: Puerto Montt-Santiago
------------
Total airfare for 3-leg flight: $200 per person!
Lan Chile (national airline of Chile) also has what's called a "Visit Chile Pass", but that's $250 for 3 one-way segments within Chile. That's only available if your flight into Chile was on Lan Chile, however. It's something like $325 otherwise.
By Armando Aste, Vasco Taldo, Nando Nusdeo, Josve Aiazzi, Carluccio Casati of Italy in February 9, 1963. The expedition was formed by 8 persons, 800 m, 200 m of fixed ropes; VI- and A1 in the first shoulder, IV / V+ in the ridge.
SW ridge
By Giuseppe Bagattoli, Michele Cagol, Josef Espen, Paola Fanton, Fabio Leoni of Italy between October 29 and January 11, 1987; 1450 m: 7 mixed pitches (65º and V+) after the rocky ridge, with sections of VI+ and A2. ED
E face
Michel Piola (SWI) and Vincent Sprungli (FRA) summited in February 28, 1992; 900 m, 500 m of fixed ropes, 18 pitches 6b / A4. ED+
Craig Peer (USA), David Davies (USA) and Johnatan Gordon (SAF) climbed up to 150 m of the summit in December 1985; 9 days; 22 pitches (VI, A4 with rurps, knifeblades, 2 special pegs).
If you have the time, another option for getting to the area is take the ferry from Puerto Montt. See the NAVIMAG site for details. They run a 3-day trip weekly to Puerto Natales.
Flying is more econimical, however I hear the scenery on the boat trip is absolutely amazing.
Thought about going that route on our trip this Jan/Feb, but our trip's too short and airfare's too cheap right now. Check this deal out:
1/26: Santiago-Punta Arenas
2/2: Punta Arenas-Puerto Montt
2/10: Puerto Montt-Santiago
------------
Total airfare for 3-leg flight: $200 per person!
Lan Chile (national airline of Chile) also has what's called a "Visit Chile Pass", but that's $250 for 3 one-way segments within Chile. That's only available if your flight into Chile was on Lan Chile, however. It's something like $325 otherwise.
The elevation for Torre Sur here is now correct, despite the fact that it is given as 2850m by many maps and authorities, and previously by this site.
At the root of the many inaccurate elevations given in the Paine group is the wrong elevation for Cerro Paine Grande, which is 2884m, NOT 3012m or 3050m. It is obvious from photographs that Paine Grande is not significantly higher than Paine Chico. Cuerno Principal is about 2,200m, not 2,600m. It looks the same height as Paine Chico from Lago Pehoe because it is about 4km nearer.
There is now another convenient way to access Torres del Paine from Argentina. From Buenos Aires, fly to El Calafate via Aerolineas Argentinas (about US$200). A company in El Calafate called "Chalten Travel" runs daily tourist buses to Torres del Paine that leave at about 6AM, arrive at the park around 11AM, and leave the park at 4PM to return to El Calafate. Although most people just make the day trip (uggh) the company recently agreed to let me ride in with their tour one day and then ride back with them several days later.
This saves considerable time from those coming from Chile because you can bypass Puerto Natales. One concern, however, is food. As others have noted, the Chilean border agents can be strange about food. I believe that their rules allow anything that is processed and sealed (in fact, they allowed me to bring a bag of fresh chorizo sausages!) but I have heard horror stories about climbers being swept for Clif Bars.
There is a climber's archive of Big Wall information/pitch diagrams/rack recommendations and expedition notes at Erratic Rock Hostel in Puerto Natales, Chile: http://www.erraticrock.com. Much of the information relates to the Torres del Paine and Fitzroy towers/walls. Alot of the information is the original notes (paper/handwriting/ink) of the climbers themselves. I saw expedition routes/notes going back to 1979. Put simply: it is a feast of Patagonia Big Wall climbing information/history. I spent about 20 minutes taking a cursory look at the information and there are about three books/folders. I doubt whether alot of the information has ever made it into mags/guidebooks. Apparently the information is the private collection of one of the owners of Erratic Rock, but it is apparently available for climbers to review/study and copy. If you are looking for additional beta or are curious about a potentially obscure route, it might be well worth a stop by Erratic Rock.
Craig Peer - Nov 27, 2002 6:22 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThank you Diego! I missed / didn't have the SW ridge route info. I will incorporate this information with your permission - many thanks! Craig
PS - Dave Davies is also South African
Diego Sahagún - Nov 27, 2002 6:56 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentNo problem Craig, sorry for that error about the country of Dave Davies.
Craig Peer - Dec 5, 2002 8:42 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThat sounds like a trip for me to take next time I'm down there! Hopefully not too long from now. Thanks for the info.
D Smith - Dec 5, 2002 10:08 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentThought about going that route on our trip this Jan/Feb, but our trip's too short and airfare's too cheap right now. Check this deal out:
1/26: Santiago-Punta Arenas
2/2: Punta Arenas-Puerto Montt
2/10: Puerto Montt-Santiago
------------
Total airfare for 3-leg flight: $200 per person!
Lan Chile (national airline of Chile) also has what's called a "Visit Chile Pass", but that's $250 for 3 one-way segments within Chile. That's only available if your flight into Chile was on Lan Chile, however. It's something like $325 otherwise.
Diego Sahagún - Nov 27, 2002 5:37 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentN face and N ridge
By Armando Aste, Vasco Taldo, Nando Nusdeo, Josve Aiazzi, Carluccio Casati of Italy in February 9, 1963. The expedition was formed by 8 persons, 800 m, 200 m of fixed ropes; VI- and A1 in the first shoulder, IV / V+ in the ridge.
SW ridge
By Giuseppe Bagattoli, Michele Cagol, Josef Espen, Paola Fanton, Fabio Leoni of Italy between October 29 and January 11, 1987; 1450 m: 7 mixed pitches (65º and V+) after the rocky ridge, with sections of VI+ and A2. ED
E face
Michel Piola (SWI) and Vincent Sprungli (FRA) summited in February 28, 1992; 900 m, 500 m of fixed ropes, 18 pitches 6b / A4. ED+
Craig Peer (USA), David Davies (USA) and Johnatan Gordon (SAF) climbed up to 150 m of the summit in December 1985; 9 days; 22 pitches (VI, A4 with rurps, knifeblades, 2 special pegs).
Craig Peer - Nov 27, 2002 6:22 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThank you Diego! I missed / didn't have the SW ridge route info. I will incorporate this information with your permission - many thanks! Craig
PS - Dave Davies is also South African
Diego Sahagún - Nov 27, 2002 6:56 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentNo problem Craig, sorry for that error about the country of Dave Davies.
D Smith - Dec 5, 2002 12:06 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentIf you have the time, another option for getting to the area is take the ferry from Puerto Montt. See the NAVIMAG site for details. They run a 3-day trip weekly to Puerto Natales.
Flying is more econimical, however I hear the scenery on the boat trip is absolutely amazing.
Craig Peer - Dec 5, 2002 8:42 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThat sounds like a trip for me to take next time I'm down there! Hopefully not too long from now. Thanks for the info.
D Smith - Dec 5, 2002 10:08 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentThought about going that route on our trip this Jan/Feb, but our trip's too short and airfare's too cheap right now. Check this deal out:
1/26: Santiago-Punta Arenas
2/2: Punta Arenas-Puerto Montt
2/10: Puerto Montt-Santiago
------------
Total airfare for 3-leg flight: $200 per person!
Lan Chile (national airline of Chile) also has what's called a "Visit Chile Pass", but that's $250 for 3 one-way segments within Chile. That's only available if your flight into Chile was on Lan Chile, however. It's something like $325 otherwise.
viewfinder - Dec 30, 2005 1:55 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThe elevation for Torre Sur here is now correct, despite the fact that it is given as 2850m by many maps and authorities, and previously by this site.
At the root of the many inaccurate elevations given in the Paine group is the wrong elevation for Cerro Paine Grande, which is 2884m, NOT 3012m or 3050m. It is obvious from photographs that Paine Grande is not significantly higher than Paine Chico. Cuerno Principal is about 2,200m, not 2,600m. It looks the same height as Paine Chico from Lago Pehoe because it is about 4km nearer.
skagitteam - Mar 19, 2006 5:55 pm - Hasn't voted
Transportation optionsThere is now another convenient way to access Torres del Paine from Argentina. From Buenos Aires, fly to El Calafate via Aerolineas Argentinas (about US$200). A company in El Calafate called "Chalten Travel" runs daily tourist buses to Torres del Paine that leave at about 6AM, arrive at the park around 11AM, and leave the park at 4PM to return to El Calafate. Although most people just make the day trip (uggh) the company recently agreed to let me ride in with their tour one day and then ride back with them several days later.
This saves considerable time from those coming from Chile because you can bypass Puerto Natales. One concern, however, is food. As others have noted, the Chilean border agents can be strange about food. I believe that their rules allow anything that is processed and sealed (in fact, they allowed me to bring a bag of fresh chorizo sausages!) but I have heard horror stories about climbers being swept for Clif Bars.
Jesus Malverde - Jan 3, 2013 12:50 pm - Hasn't voted
mas informacion...There is a climber's archive of Big Wall information/pitch diagrams/rack recommendations and expedition notes at Erratic Rock Hostel in Puerto Natales, Chile: http://www.erraticrock.com. Much of the information relates to the Torres del Paine and Fitzroy towers/walls. Alot of the information is the original notes (paper/handwriting/ink) of the climbers themselves. I saw expedition routes/notes going back to 1979. Put simply: it is a feast of Patagonia Big Wall climbing information/history. I spent about 20 minutes taking a cursory look at the information and there are about three books/folders. I doubt whether alot of the information has ever made it into mags/guidebooks. Apparently the information is the private collection of one of the owners of Erratic Rock, but it is apparently available for climbers to review/study and copy. If you are looking for additional beta or are curious about a potentially obscure route, it might be well worth a stop by Erratic Rock.
asmrz - Apr 26, 2013 12:49 pm - Hasn't voted
New route on the North TowerCraig, As of January 2013, there is a new route on the North Tower. California (Lone Pine) climbers Myles Moser and Amy Ness climbed this
http://www.supertopo.com/tr/F-A-Plate-Tectonics-VI-5-12-C1-East-Face-of-the-North-Tower-of-Paine/t11832n.html
You can also read their story here:
http://roamingbanditos.blogspot.com/2013/01/plate-tectonics-vi-512-c1-east-face-of.html?m=1