Page 16 - 2016 AMA Spring

As we moved around the trail, many of us saw our first glaciers and also some of the local wildlife. Within six hours of starting, we encountered a puma strolling around the low countryside near the campsite! Unfortunately, I didn’t catch sight of it, however, I was manning the numerous Jetboils and pocket rockets that were sorting out our evening meal, so I like to think it was a good reason to miss it!
Our trail eventually became the ‘W’ trail, or vice versa, whereby the south west – south east stretch around the famous Torres (towers) meanders towards the finish. There are some noticeable differences between the ‘O’ and the ‘W’. After tackling the John Gardner pass in the north west, reaching the established routes of the ‘W’ and meeting some of the other people in the park, it became clear that the ‘W’ trail, where the majority of the viewing points are, is well trodden and quite touristy. The refugios were more like hotels and the array of kit and equipment hanging off people’s daysacks signaled a slightly less intense few days ahead.
and fixed ropes to aide safe descent. However, most of these also provided great photo opportunities, which always helps!
Our final day welcomed a 0300 reveille in order to catch a glimpse of Las Torres. We threw ourselves up the steep 1.5km to the viewing point overlooking the Towers, so we could get the sunrise view of this iconic landscape. We made it up there in 32 minutes (in the dark), well surpassing a German group who made the trip in daylight in 45 minutes the previous day. As you can see from the photograph, it was a striking image and one we will all remember. After enjoying the sunrise, we made our way down to the start point, which we’d left six days previously. We even managed to grab a decent breakfast there and a boatload of coffee. Seeing as the bus wasn’t for a few hours, we thought: ‘why not!’
Patagonia proved a fantastic region to visit for Adventurous Training. For many, this was their first ‘proper’ expedition and to visit somewhere a bit further afield and to push oneself physically was a great way to spend the week. It’s also a great reminder of the realms to which one can go within military AT. Furthermore, it was a great lesson in how to organise and conduct adventurous training; especially for the regiments and corps we will all be joining.
Our thanks go out to Officer Cadet David Landells for his tireless work in organising the expedition. Furthermore, our thanks go out to the Army Mountaineering Association for its financial and admin- istrative help.
The team atop the John Gardner Pass
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ARMY MOUNTAINEER
The terrain we encountered across the park involved some exciting additions, such as wobbly rope bridges, ladders held together with rope, planks over numerous bogs (an idea we might try to sell to the UK)
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