The three ( are gigantic
Granite Monolith s shaped by the forces of glacial ice. They are located in
Patagonia , 400 km (244 miles) north of
Punta Arenas , and about 2,500 km south of the capital
Santiago .
The (about 3,400 m or 11,000 feet) is the highest of the three. It was first climbed in
1963 by
Chris Bonington and
Don Whillans .
The was first climbed by
Guido Monzino and the '''South Tower of Paine''' by
Armando Aste .
The
Torres Del Paine National Park , declared
Biosphere Reserve by the
UNESCO in
1978 , is located there.
The national park (with an area of 2,400 km
2) is a popular hiking destination. There are clearly marked paths and many ''refugios'' which provide shelter and basic services. Views are breathtaking. Hikers can opt for a day trip to see the towers, walk the popular "W" route in about five days, or trek the full circle in 8-9 days. It is a national park and thus hikers are not allowed to stray from the paths. Camping is only allowed at specified campsites, and wood fires are prohibited in the whole park.
In
2005 , a careless Czech backpacker camping illegally used a gas stove and caused a fire that destroyed 160 km
2 of the park. Replanting, with assistance from the
Czech Republic , is set to begin in
September 2005.
