the big hike......or TREK

Well the first hike of the trip was a success. We spent most of the monrning running arround dropping off half our stuff that we didnt need at a hostel, where they would keep it safely for us. Getting food and water for the trip and trying to figure out how to get out of town as it felt like we had been walking back and forth across town for hours. Unfortunatly we picked the steepest trail out of town known to man. It was about 40 minuates of hell. It was about like climbing up the sand pit at the Y 4 times with a bag that was improperly packed. But we made it and once we were at the top it was worth it. The trail leveled out and wound arround some marsh areas and back twards the peaks towering above us. The view was awesome and we had a clear view of mount Torre. A thin tall peak that is just over 3000 meters. Looks like quite the climb. It took us arround 4 hours to reach our first camp site. The campsite was in a great loacation tucked out of the wind and righ beside a rearing glacier river. What is it again the makes glacier water so murky? tastes good anyway. We set up camp and headded up to the small lake at the base of the mountain with a glacier hanging into it at the far end. We could feel the cold comming off the water when we were standing beside it. I figure if you fell in you would have about a minuate before you couldnt move. We walked arround to where the river left the lake and found two ropes tightly strung out arross it for climbers to cross and make there summit attempts. There was a little sign there that said experianced climbers only. Open ice and rock past this point... We desided that we better not push for the summit at that point. We payed on the ropes for a bit then headded back to camp.

It rained a bit that night and into the next day, so we desided to stay camped where we were and not get wet on the 5 hour hike to the next camp site. We didnt realy get up to much that day. Lots of lazing arround waiting for the rain to stop so we could go hike arround a little. We made some realy good soup and had that to wram us up a little. It was a little cold for sages sleeping back so I took a turn that night sleeping completly clothed and still froze. The next morning we packed up and headed for Fits Roy. Another valley that ends with a mountian a little bigger than Torre. I believe its summit is arround 3500 meters. The hike was a little tough at the begining arain but leveled out and passed through some lakes and realy nice forests. Our camera battery unfortunalty died shortly after we had a view of the mountain so we only got a few pictures. Lucky we ran into some americans that snaped a few shots of us and said they would email them to us. Sure hope they do. The Fits Roy camp was just as nice as the other. With good wind protection and a river to fill our bottles. We set up camp then went exploring a little and found some nice little streams and fields. That night we used both my sleeping bag and sages as a blanket and had a nice warm night. The Hotcore pulls through again!!!

We left the next morning arround noon to come back to town. This was a nice hike since it was mostly flat with a little downhill here and there. The views yesterday where a little cloudy and it was soo windy that it pushed us arround quite a bit, but luckly it was a tail wind and pushed us in the right direction. It took us about 3 hours to get back to town will a little lunch stop. The final hill was a little tuff on the old knees but we made it without to much trouble. Sage for the amount she told me that shes not a hiker did awsome. And by the fourth day was into a speedy groove. We droped into town arround 3 and the wind in the valley was blowing soo hard that there was no way that we where going to camp. So we found a nice hostel and got a room for the next 3 days since thats the quickest we can get a bus north to where we will cross into chile. Anyway sage is anxiously awaiting me to finish this so we can go make some pancakes, so I best not keep her waiting any longer.
Love Orin