TdP - Paine Grande>Frances

Paine Grande > Mirador Britanico > Campsite Frances
21km

Wow! What a day. So cold overnight, couldn’t really sleep much. It started snowing really thick as I left the camp so I was a little apprehensive.. Got up for an early start and hiked the 8km or so from Paine Grande to Campsite Italiano. Quick lunch and leave the bag for the hike up the valley towards Mirador Britanico. That’s when the beauty of the place really hit me! The hike was really pretty through orange and red forest, along rushing streams and through rocky clearings. On both sides absolute incredible mountains rising high, snow blowing in foggy swirls around the tops. The blue sky and bright sun didn’t make much sense while snowflakes fell around me as I hiked. As I got up to the top, the snow stopped and the views opened up completely on all sides. Amazing!! After while on the top, hiked slowly down again and grabbed my bag, then continued another couple km to Campsite Frances. Setup the tent and cooked up some gourmet instant noodles as a reward for a long day of hiking.Read more