Chile - almost ready to go

Damn, Reuben, sounds awesome! Stay safe and have a great time, can't wait to read the TR.

Travis - thanks.



Yeah, it's definitely a good place to spend a month. The U.S. has a lot of great places to see, but so does the rest of the world. And I've found that meeting people from other countries and cultures really helps give me a wider, better perspective, regardless of whether or not I agree with their views. Truth be told, the same applies to my fellow Americans - I don't always agree with them (with over 300 million of us, that's no surprise), but I can still learn from them, try to see through their eyes, maybe even walk in their boots for a while.

This time I'll stay north of the classic locations such as Torres del Paine, but that's OK - I did a lot of the classics last time, albeit with a group staying in estancias and hoteles. Going to the classic areas there is like going to Yellowstone or Yosemite here in the U.S. - a lot more people, but there's a reason they flock to Yosemite Valley and Cerro Torre - they're freakin' spectacular, and were formed in entirely different ways - glaciers and granitic plutons, respectively.

This time will be different, and when I'm backpacking I probably won't see anyone for days, especially since I plan to go off trail in some places. It's all good.

Little Spoon - I won't get down there, but nearby Yendegaia is on my list someday as well.  It looks like a really wild/unspoiled area.  Not to mention Cowboys on the Edge: article, photos.

That's a great attitude towards travel (and life in general).

I was adventuring out of Ushuaia on that trip, just a hop over the boarder and down the Beagle Channel from Yendegaia. Ushuaia is an interesting place; being the jump-off for Antarctica it is very tourist-oriented, yet it isn't too long of a walk into the looming Tierra del Fuego mountains to isolate oneself. One can walk off the end of paved streets right onto mountain paths for easy access to the alpine. Most of the backpacking tourists stick to the established trails.

An interesting article and fantastic photos. Thanks for sharing that. The far southern parts of Chile -- primarily Alberto de Agostini and Cabo de Hornos national parks-- have been on my backpacking list since my trip to Ushuaia. Getting to them, however, can be an adventure on its own.

Best wishes for a safe trip and lots of Chilean wine!

Makes for a heavy load - but awesome pictures. Looking forward to seeing them. Safe travels!!

Wait, what, whoa?!? They have wine? Puede un poco de carmenere?



Does it look better with red or white? Or maybe a pisco sour?