Some days you wake, eager to find out what the day will bring you. It’s a ray of sunlight on the tent fabric that ignites an enthusiastic start, or it’s an common feel among your team mates that makes you ignore the bad weather and do your part of the job. Some other days though, just skipping the entire day seems like a better idea.

0810, base camp, Torres del Paine. After what has been a damp and rotten night, laying on a hard and sloping tent floor, I wake up just to find out that we have finally run out of coffee. It is a bitter way to end an expedition like this. Not the lack of coffee of course, but lack of time, lack of supplies, and most of all, lack of good weather. Lessons for the future they are, for sure. For the moment though, that thought is hardly a comfort.

1200, advanced base camp, Torres del Paine. In what seems like a funeral procession back up to ABC, hardly a word is spoken. We come here to fill our empty backpacks for the last time, to take all remains of our ABC back down. I feel utterly sad, looking at the Towers for the last time, from a point of view that has grown so familiar over the last few weeks.

1400, base camp, Torres del Paine. Incredible, but this day continues to be sad into the smallest details. The pancakes for example: Following the same procedures as always, somehow the batter has become to thin to bake proper pancakes. We end up eating things which suppose to look like it.

Enter Gerke, a smile on his face, a cup of marmalade is his hand. “A present from Alexei, the park Ranger. Hand made guys!” The gesture reminds us that life isn’t that bad after all, and sets our minds to the positive things to come. Like going back home for example, to our friends and families. Funny enough, I am not looking forward to that. Not yet. I am still eager to get some climbing done. It leaves the question: But what?

During our dinner, we discuss what to do with the few remaining days we have left before we take our flight back on the 17th. Another quick climb on one of the Paine towers perhaps? Unfortunately, the discussion leads to more discussion and it doesn’t seem to lead us anywhere. We decide to call it a day, go to bed, and find out what a new day will bring us tomorrow.

back to expeditions

welcome to monday 7th of february