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Welcome back to my personal Patagonia travel diary! In this series, I’m spilling all the tea and giving you every detail of hiking in Torres del Paine National Park. If you haven’t read Day 1 yet, I recommend starting with here before diving into today’s adventure.
Day 2 began rainy. But really, how could it not? Patagonia is famous for unpredictable weather, you can get all four seasons in a single day. We hiked in February, which is fall in Chile, but even in summer you should prepare for everything: sunshine, downpours, relentless wind, and maybe even snow or hail. Luckily, we had come ready for it. Rain pants, raincoats, layers upon layers, and (most importantly) a rain fly for our packs. Essential!
After a quick pre-hike group photo in the drizzle, we set off.
Rainy Start, Rocky Trail
Coming off my lowest of lows on Day 1, I was determined to crush the hike back to Paine Grande and not get any further sunburns.
Thankfully, the weather improved quickly. Within the first mile, we were peeling off rain gear and stashing layers. The trail itself was familiar, since we were retracing our steps back toward Paine Grande. But hiking the same path in the opposite direction gave everything a new perspective.
There was one section I’d call mildly technical. The path traverses rocks with a steep incline and decline, and even in good weather, water trickles over the stones. After rain, it’s slicker, so you need to watch your footing. It wasn’t extreme, no ropes or scrambling, but it was one of those “don’t zone out” moments.
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The silver lining of the rain? The water features came alive. Small streams we’d crossed the day before were now rushing mini rivers. And we even spotted a hidden waterfall tumbling out of the rocks, something we’d completely missed in drier conditions. Patagonia really rewards you for paying attention.
The Mental Game of Hiking
Once we reached Lago de los Patos, my mood shifted from cautious to confident. I knew the hardest parts of the hike were behind us, and the rest would be manageable. Hiking is such a mental game. Physically, yes, most people can backpack 47 miles if they’re prepared. But convincing your mind to keep pushing, that’s the real challenge.
I sat on a rock near the lake with one of my friends, soaking in the scenery and pulling out packages of pickles to munch on. Yes, pickles need to be a regular hiking snack. Delish.
Food on the W Trek: Granola, Snacks, and Doritos Dreams
Let’s talk food. My meal plan looked like this:
- Breakfast: Mountain House dehydrated meals, usually the blueberry granola.
- Dinner: Another Mountain House meal. Thank you, Costco bulk packs. Similar bulk packs here.
- Lunch: Snacks! I wasn’t sure how hungry I’d be on the trail, so I packed options.
Now, a quick (and “funny”) confession: for two mornings in a row, I thought the blueberry granola was oatmeal. I added hot water, stirred it up, and happily ate what I thought was warm oatmeal. On Day 3, my friend opened the same package, added cold water, and I said, “Wait, what are you doing?” Turns out, it was granola. Cold granola. My mind was blown. On that third day, I tried it the correct way and it was crunchy, cold, and absolutely delicious. Consider me humbled.
For lunches, I went heavy on snack packs. I had:
- Apple and peanut butter squeeze packs
- Jerky & Chomp Sticks
- Pickles: delish and proven to be great for muscle cramps.
- Trail mix (Trader Joe’s or similar)
- Protein bars (One Bars)
- Freestyle Olive Snack Packs
- Yes, this is a sponsored link. But, I love a salty snack and supporting a women-founded business!
Each day, I’d eat 1–2 of these items for lunch or snack breaks. Honestly, I overpacked. Many refugios sell food, snacks, sandwiches, even chips. If I’d realized a bag of Doritos was waiting for me at Paine Grande, I would have brought less.
Still, the variety of snacks kept things fun.
Back to Paine Grande
As the day went on, the clouds lifted and the landscape turned vibrant green. The lakes, which had been brilliant aquamarine the day before, looked more subdued in the flat light. Patagonia is funny like that, what you see depends so much on the weather.
By the time Paine Grande came into view, relief set in. We’d finished this section, again. Hiking the same path twice takes mental stamina, whether it was good or bad the first time.
This day’s trek was a little shorter than the previous, about 4.5 hours. We left Grey Glacier Refugio around 10:30 a.m. and arrived at Paine Grande around 3:00 p.m.
Life at Paine Grande Refugio
Paine Grande is one of the biggest and most well-equipped refugios on the W Trek. Like others, it offers different accommodation options: pre-set tents, platforms for pitching your own tent, or dorm-style bunk rooms. Because the ground around the refugio can be damp and soft, camping platforms are built with wood slats. Raised walkways connect everything, which keeps you out of the mud when it rains.
We grabbed a platform and set up our tents, securing the rainflies with rocks for extra peace of mind. The platforms even had small hooks around the edges for tying down tents, which was a nice touch.
Showers, Crocs, and Communal Vibes
My first order of business was always the same: shower and Crocs (my go to camp shoe). The bathrooms at Paine Grande were glorious compared to some of the others. Spacious, private, and set up in a way that didn’t make you feel like you were juggling clothes, towel, and toiletries in a phone booth. I luxuriated in my five-minute rinse before heading to the communal room in full off-roading (strap on) Croc mode.
The main building overlooks Lake Pehoé with stunning mountain views. Inside, the communal room was buzzing, long wooden tables filled with hikers playing cards, drinking beer or sodas, and sharing trail stories. We joined in, playing cards over a Diet Coke and, yes, a bag of Nacho Doritos.
When dinner service began, we moved to the camper kitchen in a separate building. The space had sinks (with cold water only), counters for prepping, and a large seating area. We cooked our Mountain House dinners on small camp stoves with mini propane bottles, then spent another hour playing cards before finally calling it a night.
The Windy Night
I’d expected noise from other campers to be the main sleep challenge, but I was wrong. It wasn’t people that kept us up, it was the wind. Patagonia is infamous for strong gusts, and the Paine Grande campsite sits in an exposed field. All night, the wind whipped at the tents, flapping the fabric so loudly it felt like it was inside my brain.
At one point, I pulled my beanie down over my ears and shoved my headphones in just to dull the roar. It reminded me of a disastrous camping trip at the Grand Canyon years ago (a comedy-of-errors story you can read about here). This night wasn’t quite that bad, but sleep came in fits and starts.
Still, that’s Patagonia.
The Day 2 Bottom Line
Day 2 of the W Trek brought rain, hidden waterfalls, crunchy granola epiphanies, Doritos, Crocs, card games, and a sleepless windstorm. It was shorter and easier than Day 1, but just as memorable.
I hope you enjoyed reliving this section of the trek with me! Writing these posts brings me so much joy because it feels like hiking it all over again. Day 3 brings one of the trek’s most iconic highlights, so stay tuned.
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