Shame on the W Trail Day 3: A Backpacker's Lament.
Circling the base of the colossal Cerro Paine Grande (3,050 meters / 10,006 feet), Patagonia's undisputed king, a hollowness gnawed at me. The iconic, two-pronged silhouette of Cerros Norte (2,400 meters / 7,874 feet) and Principal (2,600 meters / 8,530 feet) loomed in the distance, a stark contrast to the desolate landscape around me.
This was supposed to be a postcard moment – the majestic Cerro Paine Grande reflected in the serenity of Sköttsberg Lagoon, a place I'd left you yearning to see. Yet, the reality was a crushing blow.
My shame was a heavy weight. For three days on the W Trail, I'd been a silent witness to a heartbreaking crime – the park ablaze. Photos captured the devastation, but shame kept them buried. The park's rules are clear, yet respect for this natural treasure seemed tragically absent.
The fires weren't a recent tragedy. In 1985, a tourist's carelessness ignited a blaze that devoured 150 square kilometers (58 square miles) around Lake Pehoé, precisely where I stood – that's an area roughly 93 miles (150 kilometers) long and 36 miles (58 kilometers) wide. Years later, another fire, sparked by a Czech backpacker, raged for ten days, scorching 155 square kilometers (60 square miles) and swallowing 2 square kilometers (0.77 square miles) of native forest – that's an area of about 96 miles (155 kilometers) long and 37 miles (60 kilometers) wide, consuming an additional 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) of precious forest. The Czech government's remorseful million-dollar donation for reforestation offered a glimmer of hope.
Then came 2011, with an Israeli backpacker accused of starting a fire. Though charges were dropped, the flames consumed 176 square kilometers (68 square miles), charring 36 square kilometers (14 square miles) of precious forest. Lake Pehoé and areas bordering Lake Sarmiento bore the brunt of this devastation – an area roughly 108 miles (176 kilometers) long and 42 miles (68 kilometers) wide, blackening 22 miles (36 kilometers) of forest.
A flicker of relief came in 2019 when a cigarette butt, a potential disaster, was quickly extinguished. But these recent events were mere blips compared to the 12,800-year history of wildfires in the region, a chilling reminder of nature's raw power.
Yet, amidst the scars, the indomitable spirit of Patagonia lingered. The Italian Trail stretched before me, leading 7.6 kilometers (4.7 miles) to Refugio & Camping Paine Grande, my destination for the night. The remaining 23 kilometers (14 miles) of the W Trail beckoned, but a heavy heart would accompany my weary legs.
Shame on the W Trail Day 3: A Backpacker's Lament.
Circling the base of the colossal Cerro Paine Grande (3,050 meters / 10,006 feet), Patagonia's undisputed king, a hollowness gnawed at me. The iconic, two-pronged silhouette of Cerros Norte (2,400 meters / 7,874 feet) and Principal (2,600 meters / 8,530 feet) loomed in the distance, a stark contrast to the desolate landscape around me.
This was supposed to be a postcard moment – the majestic Cerro Paine Grande reflected in the serenity of Sköttsberg Lagoon, a place I'd left you yearning to see. Yet, the reality was a crushing blow.
My shame was a heavy weight. For three days on the W Trail, I'd been a silent witness to a heartbreaking crime – the park ablaze. Photos captured the devastation, but shame kept them buried. The park's rules are clear, yet respect for this natural treasure seemed tragically absent.
The fires weren't a recent tragedy. In 1985, a tourist's carelessness ignited a blaze that devoured 150 square kilometers (58 square miles) around Lake Pehoé, precisely where I stood – that's an area roughly 93 miles (150 kilometers) long and 36 miles (58 kilometers) wide. Years later, another fire, sparked by a Czech backpacker, raged for ten days, scorching 155 square kilometers (60 square miles) and swallowing 2 square kilometers (0.77 square miles) of native forest – that's an area of about 96 miles (155 kilometers) long and 37 miles (60 kilometers) wide, consuming an additional 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) of precious forest. The Czech government's remorseful million-dollar donation for reforestation offered a glimmer of hope.
Then came 2011, with an Israeli backpacker accused of starting a fire. Though charges were dropped, the flames consumed 176 square kilometers (68 square miles), charring 36 square kilometers (14 square miles) of precious forest. Lake Pehoé and areas bordering Lake Sarmiento bore the brunt of this devastation – an area roughly 108 miles (176 kilometers) long and 42 miles (68 kilometers) wide, blackening 22 miles (36 kilometers) of forest.
A flicker of relief came in 2019 when a cigarette butt, a potential disaster, was quickly extinguished. But these recent events were mere blips compared to the 12,800-year history of wildfires in the region, a chilling reminder of nature's raw power.
Yet, amidst the scars, the indomitable spirit of Patagonia lingered. The Italian Trail stretched before me, leading 7.6 kilometers (4.7 miles) to Refugio & Camping Paine Grande, my destination for the night. The remaining 23 kilometers (14 miles) of the W Trail beckoned, but a heavy heart would accompany my weary legs.