Beautiful evening cloud formations in Torres del Paine
Another in our servies of guest posts from Chile.
Evening sky from the refugio
This is one of the many fabulous skies that we encountered in Patagonia.
The wonderful thing about being in Patagonia in November was the long evenings. It didn’t get dark until around 9.30 pm, which meant that evening meals were often interrupted by the need to rush outside and capture the last sun on the mountains, or the ever changing cloud formations with the soft colours that are seen in them around sunset. These ones became pink and orange shortly after I took the picture, but it was so cold outside that I didn’t stay to capture the changes and went back inside to watch from the comfort of the log fire in the refugio.
The clouds in this photo are lenticular clouds in formation. Lenticular cloud formations are something I have never seen before, and I found them breathtaking .Lenticular clouds are otherwise known as altocumular standing lenticularis.
They form when a current of moist air is forced upwards as it travels over a mountain, causing the moisture to condense and form a cloud. They look like flat pancakes or discs, and have been mistaken for UFO’s.
This image was taken at the refuge next to Lake Pehoe; a large and surprisingly comfortable refuge that is only accessed by boat or on foot. The colour of the glacial water in Lake Pehoe took us totally by surprise and has to be seen to be believed, being a vibrant turquoise.
Read more about our holidays to Chile or see our guide to Chilean Patagonia.
It seems appropriate to start our blog in the place where Pura Aventura itself started and that’s Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia. Diego Martin and I bumped into each other whilst walking in the northern side of Torres del Paine National Park. From this viewpoint you are actually looking down out across the lake to Argentina on the far side. Just by the lake edge you can see the green roof of Refugio Dickson (basically a bunk house with bells on).
I love this part of the park. It is one of the quiestest and most beautiful parts of Paine. Bear in mind that as well as what you see, behind the photographer is the main Paine mountain range so this is a place of true 360 degree beauty. The scale of the surroundings are just spectacular – this is some of the most stunning walking in the world.
The waters of Lago Dickson are that incredible turquoise you get from glacial meltwaters (it’s the huge amount of suspended sediment). I remember bathing in that lake during my original hike back in 1994. We were camping rather than staying in the refugios so no showers for us. As each day went by it would get harder and harder to ignore my personal hygeine. However, when the only source of water comes from a glacier you can see, you know it’s going to be a pretty brutal bathing experience. After some days, possibly more, my nose won out and I submitted to the freezing dip. It literally still makes me shiver to think about it.
However, the memory which sticks most firmly in my head from this part of Paine is heading out one evening to brush my teeth standing on the lakeshore. I remember the sound of the water lapping at the shore. And I remember looking up to see the most extraordinary blanket of stars in the unusually clear night sky. The Milky Way was a clear brush stroke sweeping across the sky above. It is the only time in my life that I have actually ducked my head looking at stars – I thought I was going to be squashed.
Who was it who said that life is made up of moments? Well, I agree, and this was one of my moments. It’s a snapshot I can bring to mind which makes me smile and has the power to change my mood.
I like to think that everyone has a place like this, a moment. Where’s yours?
If you would like to see this place and are keen on a walking holiday in Chile then you need to walk the ‘Circuit’ of Torres del Paine. I hope the stars are there for you. Say hello from me, and thank you.