Torres del Paine is located in Southern Patagonia and is one of the numerous spectacular national parks in Chile. It was created in 1959 and UNESCO has listed the location as a Biosphere Reserve since 1978. This place is a wonderland for nature enthusiasts from all over the world.
Waterfalls and rivers, Magellanic sub-polar forests, pampas, mountains covered with permanent ice, granite peaks, meadows and glacier fed lakes await the outdoor adventurers to discover the wild and unique nature of Patagonia. The world wide known Towers, or else called Torres, are three incredible granite spikes.
Among these, the highest of all stands at 9514ft/2900m high, being all part of the Cordillera del Paine. In order to approach the Towers, there are minibuses at Laguna Amarga Keeper Post, that will take you to Estancia Paine from where you can start your hike. The trail will lead you onto the Rio Ascencio valley where you will go towards the valley and up a moraine to the glacial lake, at the east side of the south tower.
The “In the Eye of the Hurricane” route was first climbed in 1992 by a Swiss and a French climber. They received the Piolet d’ Or award for this difficult and steep rock climb. The route involves about 2970ft/905m of technical rock climbing with 21 pitches, leading you all the way to the top. There are also endless cracks in some sections of this vertical red granite rock.
Once you reach the top, the view of the nature around you is overwhelming with outstanding ecosystems, different landscapes and rare flora and fauna, found nowhere else on the planet. In every step you take, the views of this dramatic land take your breath away. The best time to climb the “In the Eye of the Hurricane” route is between October through February. Be very well prepared in regards with gear, food and clothing because the weather is changeable and unpredictable with high winds, rain showers, long hot days during summer, snow and everything else you may think of. Wind proof layers are the key.
