If you don't like the weather wait...

Uno momento.

Our three hour bus ride from Punta Arenas to Puerta Natales, featured a bleak landscape. Stunted trees raised up from the ground at a 70 degree angle in a partial surrender to the cold winds. Here the survival technique is to bend but not break.  

In Puerta Natales, residents and outsiders are decked out in North Face, Columbia and of course Patagonia winter wear. It's the third day of summer. So strange. 

I feel I'm at the end of the earth, which I am. The next stop is Antarctica. 

Our destination is Torres del Plaines National Park . Its the showcase of Chile's natural playgrounds. The scenery is supposed to be beyond awesome. I think we will earn the views the hard way.

I'm not a bit concerned about covering the 52 mile loop around the iconic towers in a week. I fear the wind, rain and cold. This might be the most challenging hike I have ever done. Once a cold weenie, always a cold weenie.

I hope you all enjoy the warmth of your family and friends this Holiday Season.

Hola Jenny. It's probably warmer in Windsor, Colorado than here! 

Feliz Navidad from 50.1 degrees South latitude.

Jeff.              

The flowers aren't from around here. 

A not so tropical rain forest...

We hiked today in Pooey National Park. The name looked like that, sort of. As far as the weather went, the conditions were sort of Pooey. The park is jammed up against the Andes. The border of Argentina was a short distance further east. There's volcanoes nearby which we couldn't see due to the clouds. The region receives over thirteen feet of moisture per year. There is no dry season.

It was like hiking in Tucson, Arizona, only different. If we took too long a break, liverworts began to grow on our packs. Skin moisturizers wouldn't be needed here. It's a freaking wet place. 

Somehow it just didn't feel like the first day of summer.

Look at the photos. Isn't it amazing all the shades green can be? 

On the move to Patagonia manana. Come on summer!

Hola Jenny from Puerto Montt,

Buenas Tardes,

Jeff 

This ain't my idea of a summer....

Solstice.

Yesterday, we hiked along the undulating flanks of the Vallirrica Volcano. All was quiet except for the ever-present white plume of smoke emitting from the flat topped peak. Less than a year ago, it wasn't so quiet. An eruption  forced the evacuation of the nearby resort town of Pucon. 

Fortunately no one suffered the fate of the Vesuvius victims. There's plenty of seismic monitors  scattered about the moonscape and snow fields to alert the residents below. I thought about shaking the sensors to see if anyone would notice. If my scheme worked, it would have been free beer time in Pucon! 

The day was warm, sunny and mild.

Today en route to the more southern Puerto Montt, we find ourselves in a cloudy, clammy and chilly Chilean town. We see and smell gray smoke puffing from the chimneys of the wood burning stoves in this lakeside burg. It's 50 degrees here and that was the high. WTF! It's the summer solstice! 

In a few days, we will really be south in Patagonia hiking and hopefully dodging hypothermia. Check out the not so balmy 10 Day Forecast

Buenas Dias, Jenny (you wouldn't like this cold and damp either)

Weather for Puerto Natales, Chile

10-Day Forecast:

Monday

-- -- / 40°

Precip: 60%

Tuesday

AM Light Rain 54° / 37°

Precip: 10%

Wednesday

Showers / Wind 53° / 40°

Precip: 100%

Thursday

Showers / Wind 51° / 39°

Precip: 20%

Friday

Rain 48° / 35°

Precip: 50%

Saturday

Mostly Cloudy 57° / 40°

Precip: 50%

Sunday

Partly Cloudy 57° / 43°

Precip: 20%

Monday

Mostly Cloudy 56° / 43°

Precip: 40%

Tuesday

Showers 56° / 42°

Precip: 20%

Wednesday

Mostly Cloudy 58° / 44°

Precip: 20%

I would be an untruthful politician if I said I wasn't concerned or worried about this.

Wish us luck.

Jeff