One of the most striking granitic towers in the Valle Francés, El Catedral is lit up in the late morning sun, with characteristically wild Patagonian clouds swirling behind its pinnacle. Given the climbing history of this valley, I assume there are numerous routes up the face to the top, but I was not able to find much of a description of their difficulty or duration. I was only in Torres del Paine for 7 days, and we were blessed with gorgeous and near-windless weather the entire time, but I have heard that wind and storms can transform the massif into a punishing cold, wet, and difficult place. I can only imagine being stuck up on that rock in those conditions! However, on this particular day, it was warm, dry and a wonderful place to eat some salami and crackers while trying to remember to close my mouth as I gaped around me.
On the descent back down to Campo Italiano, we again crossed paths with John Garner and Oscár - those who originally blazed the Paine Grande Circuit in 1976. Two days previously we had discussed the impact of tourists on the natural beauty of the Park, and I again wondered how the current day compared to when he was a young man of 23, exploring the valleys and slopes on horseback, and wearing woolens.
I processed this version of the photo with a yellow filter, and did so to bring out the details of the clouds and darken the sky. I'll post the color version next, and I'm interested to hear which one you like best and why.
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