Page 28 - 2007 AMA Summer

Trekking in the Patagonian Andes
By Mark Bradbury
Not having planned any trips for a while, it was time to enthuse, organise and train in preparation for another sojourn. Browsing through the web pages of a popular book supplier I stumbled across a guidebook for South America, specifically the Southern Patagonian Andes.
fore the correct ingredients for real adventure training less the hard technical aspect that often accompanies other AMA undertakings.
Right then down to business, team selection would need to reflect the arduous nature of such an adventure. All equip­ ment during the trek would have to be man-packed over some difficult terrain. But where were we going to trek. Well once again more thumb­ ing of pages ensued and finally it was decided that the Torres del Paine, National Park situated in Chile would be the venue. The objective would be to complete a 10 day trek around the complete
summer and would hopefully give us a weather window to enjoy. Having never been in South America before the planning was an adventure within its self but finally the day came to depart.
Charmaine Geldenhuys had been selected to lead the expedition and attacked the project with total commitment and enthusiasm. It was now time to demonstrate that our planning had worked. Personnel had to arrive from all over UK to gather at Heathrow for the long haul to Santiago, Chile. This phase passed off without any hitch. Jet lagged and tired we arrived in Chile and made our way to a hostel in the centre of Santiago. We then regrouped and refreshed our­ selves before preparing for
the onward flight to Punta Arenas. On arrival in Punta Arenas equipm ent was weighed and repacked as what we then left with from our hostel base would have to carried, until our return.
The following morning our group of twelve intrepid trekkers set off by minibus for the National Park. As stun­ ning views of the Andes began to entice us closer to our goal we were amazed by the sight of various indige­ nous animals lining the route we travelled. Most of all the first glimpse of the worlds largest flying bird the condor proved to us that our efforts would be rewarded with excellent view’s, which all the guide book superlatives could not replicate.
As hardcore mountaineers go
they were few and far
between within the Regiment,
perhaps there would be some
hardcore trekkers who were
the determined kind to take
up a challenge in one of the
most remote and inhospitable
parts of the world. Thumbing
through the guide it was evi­
dent that to attempt any of
the treks therein contained park circuit. November was would require stamina,
courage, determination and team work. This was there­
chosen as the time to go, which would be the southern hemisphere’s late spring early
26 ARMY MOUNTAINEER
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The Torres del Paine.
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