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As lovers of mountains, Patagonia has loomed large in our imagination as a travel destination. We decided to make the trek to Patagonia while living in South America, figuring we were about 50% closer. Luckily my dear friend and climbing partner Mo also wanted to go to Patagonia, and Mo was game to backpack with us & our three kids! What a good friend!

It was tricky to plan the trip, as you have to book the camping sites in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile about 6 months in advance. We decided to do a modified W trek in 7 nights and 8 days. I did my best to plan an itinerary that would allow Tomu  (age 6) & Jade (age 4) to hike the daily distances comfortably while also allowing the adults to see the most spectacular parts of the National Park, since it is a loooong way to get there, as well as expensive. As always when traveling or hiking or climbing with kids, it’s a compromise.

I realize that to most people, backpacking for 8 days with 3 small children sounds like a completely mad idea. I think that because I was a backcountry ranger in Olympic National Park in my 20’s, I have the idea that I can do it. That I can do hard things in the backcountry—I can carry a heavy pack, because I’ve done it before. In the months leading up to the trip, I went through all kinds of scenarios in my head for how we were going to do it. How would we carry 6 sleeping bags, 6 sleeping pads, many layers of clothes for 6 people, 2 tents, 8 days of breakfast & lunch food, 40 diapers, a potty, and a 23 pound baby between 3 adults? To me it sounded horrible to have a heavy pack, a baby on the front in a carrier, and walk at a 4 year olds pace. So I considered 2 adults hiking quickly, then one coming back to get the third pack, while one adult set up tents, and the last adult walked slowly with the 3 kids. Our kids have hiked a lot in Cajas, including one training hike the same length as our longest day in Patagonia (5.7 miles), and they have camped a lot; however, our previous longest backpacking trip was 1.3 miles to spend two nights at Third Beach. Also, Luz hadn’t slept in a tent in 7 months, so I wasn’t sure how she would do. So, there were a lot of unknowns for the trip…

We decided to buy dinners at the huts, rather than carry and cook our own food with the rationale that the savings in weight on our backs was well worth the $42 per dinner. That was definitely a good decision!! The dinners were 4 course meals, and they were delicious.

While packing for the trip in Cuenca, we were worried as we looked at the weather forecasts for Torres del Paine—every day rain! Mo said that sounds like type II fun for sure. We waterproofed our boots and rain jackets, fearing 8 days of rain and wind.

Our trip started early on a Thursday morning with a 3.5 hour van ride to Guayaquil, followed by a 5 hour flight to Santiago, Chile. The following day Mo met us at the Airbnb, and Tomu & Jade instantly jumped on them with giant hugs. That day in Santiago we went to a beautiful giant park called Quinta Normal. The following day we had to wake up at 4:30 am in order to meet the taxi driver at 5 to get back to the airport. It’s no fun waking up small children very early! We took a 3.5 hour flight to Punta Arenas, followed by a 3 hour bus ride to Puerto Natales, gateway to the park. Tomu, Jade, and Luz busied themselves with sticker books on the plane rides.

In the Guayaquil airport with strawberry milk.

Early morning baggage ride for Jade.

Bus buddies Jade & her godparent.

The crew in windy Puerto Natales.

Then we had one day to provision for our trip. Mo had brought a lot of food down from the States, but we had to fill in the holes for 8 lunches and 7 breakfasts. Unfortunately, that day Luz had a very cloudy pee in the potty, and Mo suspected a UTI, so I took Luz to the ER at the local hospital, leaving Mo & Riki to do the shopping with Tomu and Jade. Luz also had been constipated since we left Ecuador, as well as having an eye infection. They took a urine sample at the hospital, which came back negative for UTI, but the doc prescribed her antibiotics anyways, telling me to buy the antibiotics and he would text me in two days to tell me the results of the urine culture. Back at home, Luz had a fever of 102 degrees, and Mo said, give her the antibiotics anyways. Mo is a flight nurse, and I trust their medical advice! Needless to say, it was a VERY stressful day, dealing with a sick 1 year 9 month old while trying to prepare for a big backpacking trip.

One of our logistics problems was where to leave our extra baggage during the trip. The Airbnb said it wasn’t possible to leave it there. Here we were blessed by the kindness of a stranger. I had asked a woman, Carolina, in the airport in Punta Arenas if she knew of anywhere we could leave our bags, and she had replied no. Turns out her house was two doors down from our Airbnb, and we ran into her on the sidewalk, and she offered to store our bags for us. So kind! So we went over to her house at 10 pm, finally packed for the following day, to drop off our bags.

Day 1

We got up at 6 am in order to make our 7 am bus. It was a 2 hour ride to the park. When we got to the park entrance, it was raining. We all shuffled into the park building to watch a video about Leaving No Trace with about 75 other people. We were the only ones with kids, and we were the focus of a lot of attention. I’m sure they all thought we were crazy with our big packs and our three small people. We used the video time to put rain gear on and give Luz her antibiotics and eye drops. As we filed into the room next door to pay our park entrance fees, I said to Mo, “Look, another kid!” And Mo replied, “Day hiker”. I laughed.

We took a shuttle to the real park entrance, and Riki and I drank lattes while we waited for the rain to abate before beginning to hike. The lattes were from one of those machines where you just press the button, but they tasted great.

Finally, here we were. We set off hiking around 10:30 am. Luz is in a very clingy Mama stage—basically no one else can hold her if I am around. So that settled who would be carrying Luz; which is only fair since the trip was my crazy idea.

We hiked 3.5 miles that first day, mostly uphill. Luz at times complained about being in the carrier, so I let her walk some, which felt like a break for me. It turns out my pace with Luz & my pack was not that much faster than Jade’s pace after all; however, generally Riki would hang back with Jade. I was always surprised with how quickly they arrived at camp. It was really windy as we crossed Windy Pass, and Luz was fussing as we neared camp. I sure was happy to see the sign for Chileno camp!

At Windy Pass–Jade loved the wind!

Turns out that hiking in Torres del Paine is definitely not a wilderness experience—there are SO many people! Also, you can only camp in designated spots, on wooden platforms, that you have to pay for. And at each camping spot, there is a hut (resembling a small ski lodge) that serves beer, pisco sours, quesadillas, eggs & bacon, and $16 burgers. So if we ever felt like we were still hungry after lunch, we could just go into the hut & order some food. I brought 400,000 Chilean pesos (equal to $505) into the park, thinking it would be more than enough for the park entrance fee, the catamaran rides, and any food we wanted to buy. We spent all of it!!

A major bonus for us were the flush toilets and showers at each campsite. We managed to throw all of the wet diapers in the garbage cans of the bathrooms, so we didn’t have to carry 40 used diapers around. We brought the potty because Luz has been pooping in the potty almost exclusively since she was 6 months old, and we figured we would rather dig a hole and bury her poop than carry it with us. Luz was still constipated on the trip, so it helped for her to be able to sit comfortably on her own potty when doing her business. 

Mo and Riki set up the tents while I stayed with the three kids inside the hut, out of the wind.

Celebrating a successful first day with Pisco Sours.

Day 2

This was a planned day hike day, up to the lookout for the Torres del Paine (Paine Towers), the most famous image from the national park. Mo sped up to the lookout alone, then came back and watched the three kids while Riki and I hiked up to the lookout. We saw a fox right by the lake, but unfortunately it was pretty cloudy when we arrived at the towers. Tomu, Jade & Luz had fun playing by river.

Actually that was one of my highlights of the trip—seeing how easily the kids amused themselves with their imaginations in nature. They made beds for leaves, turning over rocks and filling the holes with soft stalks of plants. They sent boats of bark or leaves down the rivers.

Jade burned herself on the wood stove at the hut this evening. She burned 3 fingers on her right hand, and they blistered immediately. She cried alternately during dinner, and we kept applying wet cold paper towels.

Day 3

We had to hike 3.5 miles back out the same way, then catch a shuttle to the bus to the catamaran. Mo began hiking with Tomu and Jade as soon as they were ready, about an hour before Riki, Luz and I left. For me, a highlight of this day was the reactions of the other hikers when they saw our kids hiking, and when they say me carrying Luz. One woman said to me, “when I get my baby, I’m going to do that, too.” Another woman said in Spanish, “Es mujer? Increíble, qué cabrona! Qué chingona!” I don’t think she knew I understood, but I smiled to myself—“Is that a woman? Incredible, what a badass!”. Almost everyone smiled at Luz when they saw us on the trail, and many had looks of amazement on their faces as they were struggling up the trail, then they saw us doing the same thing with 3 kids.

We made it back to the entrance station in time for our shuttle, and everyone got a treat drink: for Riki it was beer, for Mo it was Diet Coke, for me it was coffee, and for the kids blueberry juice.

On the one hour bus ride to the catamaran, Jade fell asleep. As I looked out the window at the amazing mountains, I thought, this is why we are here, for the love of mountains. They were just stunning.  Jade woke up grumpy and coughing, saying she just wanted to sleep more. So we made her a nest and she kept sleeping while we waited an hour for the boat. We moved her onto the boat and she just kept sleeping. Riki carried her off the boat, and she fussed and cried. It was super windy at Paine Grande, and again I left Riki and Mo to set up the tents while I took the 3 kids inside the hotel. Jade promptly fell asleep again on the couch in the lobby.

It seemed obvious that something was wrong with Jade…we tried to wake her for dinner, but she just wouldn’t wake. I took her temperature, and it was 102.5 degrees. Poor kid. The only medication we had to bring down kids’ fever were some suppositories the doc in Puerto Natales prescribed for Luz. So, while I held up a jacket to shield them from view of the folks in the dinner line, Mo gave sleeping Jade the suppository. Once again, nice to have a nurse friend. When we woke Jade up to go out to the tent, she was actually chipper and energetic. She didn’t want any food, but we had some hope for the morning. The next day was our longest day of walking at 5.7 miles, and I was worried that sick Jade wouldn’t be able to do it. I asked at the campground if we could stay an extra night, and they said they would let me know in the morning.

When I took Luz out to the tent, she freaked out because of the high wind. The rainfly was flapping like crazy, and she was so scared. I thought she might calm once we got in the tent, but no. So I grabbed all my existing cash, and took her into the hotel to plead for a bed. The young woman at the desk said she could give me a bunk bed in room with 3 young women, and that she wouldn’t charge me! Wow, once again, so kind. I slept on the floor in my sleeping bag & pad next to Luz, and I was so relieved not to be in the windy tent with a crying baby.

That night was one of the low points of the trip—so stressful!

Day 4

Jade awoke cheery, with energy, and said she was ready to hike, so we decided to go for it. Mo set off with Tomu and Jade at about 10 am. Riki, Luz and I left around 11 am. It was so windy—like gusting to 50 knots an hour, judging from the spray off the waves on the lake. I was buffeted by the wind, often staggering to the side. Riki was hiking behind me, and he kept trying to hold on to me to support me. Luz hated the wind, and cried when it gusted. After an hour, we stopped, and Riki took the sleeping pad off my pack hoping that I would have less windage. As we walked, and Luz cried, I repeated a mantra to her: “No llores Luz, no llores. No nos gusta el viento, pero seguimos caminando porque somos fuertes y somos increíbles.” “Don’t cry Luz, don’t cry. We don’t like the wind, but we keep walking because we are strong. We are incredible.”. I was talking to myself as much as to her! The scenery was stunning this day, but I really hardly noticed. I was just intent on getting there.

We finally caught up with Tomu, Jade and Mo after about 2 hours of walking. I can’t believe Mo did that stretch alone with the two kids. Once the wind blew Jade down, and blew Mo over too. Mo had to jump over Jade so as not to squish her! I asked Tomu what his technique was when the wind gusted, and he replied to get into a ball like a rock. We ate a lunch of chicken packs, crackers, and baby bel cheese, and continued on. About a mile before reaching Italian camp, Riki said, let me take your pack for awhile. So he walked with my pack on his front, leaving me with Luz and Jade. Jade’s energy was fading, so I carried her piggyback with Luz on the front. Then Mo came back to get Jade. It was a real team effort this day. We took a second break at Italian camp, and then hiked the final 1.2 miles to French camp.

That night at dinner Jade complained of not feeling good, and she would hardly eat anything. She had a fever of 102.5 again, and just wanted to go to bed. I gave her some chewable Tylenol (a present from some Chileno hikers with kids), and took her to bed. As she lay in bed, I told her how strong she was, how she can do anything when she gets big, to hike so far in the wind being sick. Wow. I was so impressed by her. I also felt guilty—like was it too much? Was the very hike making her sick?

Day 5

Another planned rest day for kids/day hike day for adults. Mo set off to the British Lookout, in a basin at the head of the French valley, a 10 mile roundtrip hike. I had no energy and no desire to do the hike, nor did Riki. It didn’t matter that we had come such a long ways, that I probably wouldn’t come back to see that sight. I just didn’t have it in me, and I was fine with that. We stayed in camp, had pizza for lunch, played the card game castle on the picnic tables, and just relaxed with the kids. After dinner we all walked down to the lake to skip some rocks and play. The Chileans at French camp were so kind to us—they gave the kids peaches, chocolate, and chips. Luz turned into a chocolate addict on the trip, eating the chocolate chips out of the trail mix.

Day 6

It rained in the night, so we had to pack up wet tents, but we had just a short hike of 1.5 miles to the campsite called Cuernos, or Horns. It was actually sunny and hot while we hiked. My friend Steph, who had hiked the O loop, recommended Cuernos as the most beautiful camp site in the park. And I agree—it is just beneath the distinctive mountains, with their black bands on the top, and 3 waterfalls coming down. The kids were happy playing in a small sand patch next to the river before dinner.

Luz sleeping in her nest while we set up the tents.

Day 7

It rained again in the night, and my tent was wet inside at the foot of the tent. Both Mo and I had diarrhea in the night—I didn’t even make it to the bathroom (but I made it out of the tent at least!). Mo woke up really sick—they didn’t sleep hardly at all, their body ached all over, and they felt horrible, with alternate chills and feeling hot. Oh no! Riki and I took a little extra weight, and Mo managed to make it the 1.5 miles back to French camp. Mo slept all afternoon, and felt slightly better by the evening.

Day 8

Our last day—we had to hike 5.7 miles, back through the windy territory. I was hoping for no rain and no wind. We wanted to be in Paine Grande by 3 pm, in order to have time to get some food before the catching the catamaran at 5 pm. We figured on 7 hours, the amount of time it took Tomu and Jade for this stretch before. We left around 8 am. Mo carried their normal load and set off with the kids. At one point, Luz and I passed Mo & the kids, and then I realized that her boot had fallen off while she was sleeping. Luckily Jade found it! Luz hiked quite a bit this day. Luz liked to smush these red berries in her hands, so I was constantly on the lookout for them. It was a challenge to keep her entertained in the carrier, and whenever she fell asleep I tried to hike faster.

It wasn’t windy until the last .5 miles or so, and not nearly as strong as before. The kids did great, and we arrived at 1 pm, shaving 2 hours off our previous time.

Jade feeling sick again, and Luz copying her while we waited for the catamaran.

The kids played by the lake and watched a goose family. We had pizza, and as we were waiting in line for the catamaran Jade started to complain that her ear was hurting. She was crying from the pain. Poor kid. She slept again on the catamaran. I feared an ear infection, and finagled a seat on the 6 pm bus back to Puerto Natales for Jade and I, leaving the rest of the crew to take the 7 pm bus, which we had tickets for. I held Jade on my lap as she slept alternately and cried alternately. I told her stories of Princess Jade who liked to travel, and all the places she went. I told her I would take her to the doctor when we got back to Puerto Natales…but she said, no my ear is better now. She’s afraid of doctors because she thinks they will give her shots. She went to bed calmly, but cried a lot that night. Upon arrival in Puerto Natales, Mo went immediately to a pharmacy to get some antibiotics—their throat was killing them, and they knew it was strep throat.

Tomu was such a joy on the trip. He didn’t complain once about being tired—he seemed to have boundless energy, dragging sticks to make trails, picking berries for Luz, etc. He also walked the whole way in these cheap plastic Ecuadorian rain boots, which made some lines on his shins & calves where they rubbed. He carried his own backpack the whole way.

Jade was also amazing, especially considering she burned her hand and got sick! Jade had had a constant snotty nose since leaving Cuenca. She walked almost the whole way, also carrying her own backpack most of the time.

Luz did so well sleeping in the tent, and tolerating being in the carrier for long stretches. She would generally wake up once or twice every night, but go back to sleep when I breastfed her.

The following morning, after we showered, I took Jade to the ER of the hospital. They said she had a sinus infection, with a red inner ear. They gave me antibiotics, plus anti-histamine, and ibuprofen for pain, and a nose spray.

Then we got on a bus for Punta Arenas. We arrived in Punta Arenas with no idea how to get ahold of the Airbnb host or where the Airbnb was located, because Airbnb sent me a reminder with a wrong number for the host. That was pretty stressful. But I scrolled down to find the right number, and we made it there safely. Then another early morning flight back to Santiago the following day.

Watching a street performer in Punta Arenas.

A building in downtown Punta Arenas burned by protesters the week before we visited.

The kids were really excited about riding the underground train (the subway). I had promised them we would do it upon our return to Santiago, and they didn’t forget. We took the subway to the big park again, and the kids played in the spray park area. Mo, Luz and I had a nice dinner our last night, then I went out with Riki later after the kids went down for a second nice dinner.

Luz became a chocolate lover on the trip. She ate all the chocolate chips out of our trail mix, and chooses chocolate for her ice cream flavor.

In Santiago every available wall space is covered in graffiti, mostly anti-government and anti-cop. Also, there is a strong leftist culture—lots of folks with blue or green hair, tattoos, and lots of bike commuters—all things lacking in Cuenca.

“Until dignity is a habit”

“Blind we fight on” A large number of protesters in Santiago have lost an eye due to rubber bullets fired by the police.

“I have more rage than money for bread”

“Damned be the uniformed who wields his weapons against the people”

I almost lost it in the airport as I was walking with the three kids to our gate, and they were pestering me to buy them stuffed animals, and I had a roller bag and my backpack and I was hungry. (Riki had stayed back to buy some Crown at Duty Free). We arrived back in Guayaquil at 1:30 am Chilean time, woke up our 3 sleeping kids, walked through the airport, got a taxi to our Airbnb. And then the van back to Cuenca—we were all so happy to be home!