Patagonia

Grey Glacier from Mirador Grey

Day one of the W-Trek is a hike along the west side of Torres del Paine National Park to the Grey Glacier. The glacier is separated into two parts as it approaches Lago Grey by a Nunatak. People who frequent Torres del Paine have told me that the glacier has retreated significantly in recent years and more of the Nunatak is now exposed.

This photo is from Mirador Grey, a relatively easy two hour walk from Refugio Grande. Many tour groups walk to this point and turn around, and then take a boat and bus to Refugio Torres to hike to the towers the next day. If you have only two days, that gives you the opportunity to see two of the highlights of the W without hiking most of the W. You're just cheating yourself if that's what you do - the entire W is specacular! In fact, after hiking the W, I'm quite tempted to hike the enitre circuit on a future visit to Torres del Paine. The circuit gives you another view of the Grey Glacier as you descend the John Gardiner Pass near the end of the top end of the circuit.

If you are hiking the full W, you likely have a whole day devoted to the Grey Glacier arm of the trail. We continued up the arm another few hours just past the refugio Grey where the right portion of the glacier is visible up close. The left portion is hidden behind the Nunatak.

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