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Black Sheep w w w. p a t a g o n i a b l a c k s h e e p . c o m
Free Paine Campsites Spotlight: Campamento Italiano
Campamento Italiano got its name long ago from an Italian climbing expedition up Los Cuernos. After being just a climbers campsite for years, from 1980 onwards Italiano is an official free Conaf campsite. In 2002, the first park rangers were stationed there, mostly to prevent tourists from starting forest fires. They lived in tents for a couple years until 2004, when a guard hut was built. All materials arrived carried by humans. The number of people spending the night at Italiano has been growing ever since. In high season there are up to 150 tents a night at the campsite. Staying at Italiano is a great way to visit Valle del Frances with fewer time constraints. Waking up in the morning in Italiano provides ample time to see the Valley and move on to your next camp before dark. Valle de Frances got its name from a Frenchman named Bader, who used to have cattle in the area, though the animals were more in the area around Pehoe and Italiano and never really up in the valley. The valley between Valle del Frances and Valle Ascencio still bares his name,Valle Bader. Today Italiano has restrooms and a hut to protect campers while cooking and relaxing, in out of the weather. The campsite is situated in a Lenga forest that offers trekkers decent protection from wind and rain, as nearby Valle del Frances tends to attract bad weather.
Where in the World...? Cool web site meets tracking technology EXpeNews, created by Chilean mountaineer and scientist Camilo Rada, is a web site that allows expeditions to easily communicate their location and progress to family and friends. Anyone with a satellite phone can send text messages to EXpeNews. Upon receiving a text message, the site automatically locates the expedition’s coordinates and shows where they are on a tracking map. ExpeNews currently has no external funding, so it is open to donations, which will make it possible to enhance the site and keep it online. www.expenews.org
Will Work for Pisco Sour In Chile, the food is not sophisticated, but it’s delicious.There’s a wide variety of meats, including lamb, pork, beef, fish, shellfish, and poultry. You might even taste guanaco, ñandu, boar, or deer. (Yes, there’s a lot of meat... good luck if you’re a vegetarian!) But you’ll also find good, strong drinks and a pisco culture. Pisco is like a whiskey made from grapes.There are many pisco-mixed drinks out there, piscola (pisco and coke) being one of the most common. Pisco sour is the most popular pisco drink among tourists. It’s a good idea to try pisco sours at different places, because each restaurant or bar has their own touch or flavor. You can even find delicious calafate sour based on the same mix. But you can also make pisco sour yourself, in your hostel or once you get home.
Parque de los Patagones
Cave paintings and cultural attraction site horario: 7.30 a.m - 8 p.m. fono (56-61) 225312
www.patagonia-etnias.cl
Blue Green Adventures
Pisco Sour • • • • •
www.bluegreenadventures.com
3 parts pisco 1 part lemon juice Powdered sugar 1 egg white Ice cubes
Blend the pisco and lemon juice. While blending, add powdered sugar to taste, the egg white, and the ice cubes. In a minute, it will be ready to drink. In some families, it’s a tradition to welcome guests with a toast of pisco sour, so go for it and enjoy!
Loving Torres del Paine Agrupacion Medioambiental Torres del Paine (AMA Torres del Paine) was created in 2004 to address environmental issues and to protect the wilderness within Torres del Paine National Park. The group’s work includes: addressing environmental issues of concern to those who live and work in the park; educating the local community and visitors about the benefits of caring for the environment; trail improvement; improving the ability to respond to fires; and supporting environmental research projects in the Park. Volunteer efforts and donations from the public help support the group’s efforts. To learn more, visit their web site: www.amatorresdelpaine.org
wat e r While trekking or climbing, the idea is to drink about three to four liters a day. But this really depends on where you are and what you are doing. In a hot desert, you´d probably want to double this, but a rest day at camp in mild weather would require less. A good way to monitor your hydration level is to look at your urine output: Clear and copious is what you’re looking for. Bold yellow urine is a sure sign of dehydration, but remember that some vitamins will turn urine bright yellow; that´s different. If you’re feeling thirsty, then you’re already lacking up to a liter of water, and may have lost up to 20 percent of your endurance. Headaches or cramping are also signs of dehydration. Take time to drink. Don´t feel pressured by the clock or the team´s agenda. A clever group will schedule in regular drink breaks together. It´s better to drink small amounts of water over time than to guzzle down a liter in one sitting. This gives your body time to absorb the water, which is why it´s so important to continually drink all day. Torres del Paine is one of the last great destinations in the world where you CAN drink water fresh from streams and creeks along its trail. So, bottoms up!
A 2kms de la Cueva del Milodón
Torres del Paine
Trekking programs Departing weekly 990 USD
Bulnes 1200 Puerto Natales, Chile
phone 56-61 410009
The warmest place in the coldest spot of the world.
Las Carretas HOSTEL
Galvarino 745, Puerto Natales, 56 61 414584 www.portalmagallanes.com/lascarretas Hostel Excursions Ascents Ranch Tourism Kayaking Horse Riding Welcome to the world of Adventure. Welcome to Patagonic People Adventure. Bulnes 280 Puerto Natales, Chile Phone 412014 www.patagonicpeopleadventure.com