W Trail Day 1: A Refuge in the Lenga: Hiking Torres del Paine.
I hiked through the lenga forest in Torres del Paine National Park. Towering lenga trees (Nothofagus pumilio), some reaching 15 meters tall, dominated the lush, temperate rainforest. The forest teemed with life – I spotted Magellanic woodpeckers, Austral parakeets, and Chilean flickers flitting through the branches, and heard whispers of rodents and foxes in the undergrowth. The lenga forest offered a cool escape from the Patagonian sun and wind. The trail I took led towards the base of the Las Torres Paine towers, but I lingered under the colorful canopy for a while. The fall foliage must be breathtaking here, I thought, picturing the leaves ablaze with red and orange. This beautiful forest was definitely one of the highlights of my visit to Torres del Paine. Where I am: I soon reached a section that marked the beginning of the toughest part of the hike. There were only 4.9 kilometers (3.0 miles) left to reach the Towers. The trail passed over streams, rocks, and involved a steep zigzag climb. The area was well-marked. I started to feel light snow, cold temperatures, and strong winds. I was already 650 meters (2133 feet) above sea level, with another 240 meters (787 feet) to go.