Trip Date: March 14, 2023
2023 PATAGONIA ADVENTURE VACATION
Condor Viewpoint Day Hike
Lago Pehoe aka Lake Pehoe
Mirador Condor aka Condor Viewpoint
Trip Report Summary
Region: Chilean Patagonia
Sub-Region: Lake Verde Peninsula
Area: Torres del Paine National Park
Starting & Ending Point: Condor Viewpoint Trailhead on Road Y-150 (Elev. 120 feet / 35 meters)
Way Points: Lake Pehoe Campground spur trail junction & ridge saddle junction & Condor Viewpoint summit (trail hike)
High Point: Condor Viewpoint (870 feet / 265 meters)
Approximate Stats (round trip): 1.4 miles / 2.3 kilometers traveled; 800 feet / 240 meters gained & lost; 1.2 hours elapsed.
…
Full Trip Report
During our one-day driving circuit through Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Eileen and I hiked up Condor Viewpoint—a rocky knob that stands above Lake Pehoe near Sodexo Campground. For a modest investment of 800 vertical feet / 240 vertical meters, this hike delivers big dividends in terms of grand views into the park’s mountainous core.
The Condor Viewpoint Trail starts in a small parking lot beside Road Y-150, which runs along the eastern shoreline of Lake Pehoe. Alternatively, you could access this main trail from a short spur trail that starts inside the nearby Lake Pehoe Campground. Both trails head uphill to the east until converging, then the combined trail traverses to the north.
As we traversed northward across the grassy hillside, the stunning and iconic Cordillera Paine, or Paine Massif, became progressively more visible above the shimmering blue waters of Lake Pehoe.
After traversing for a short distance, the trail turns right and climbs to a saddle in the ridge crest. We could see the rolling hills of the Lake Verde Peninsula extending far to the east, characterized by scrub vegetation and myriad silver snags—presumably the victims of an old forest fire. The azure pools of Lake Negra and a closer unnamed lake created a sharp contrast to the austere landscape.
From the saddle, the trail curls around to the left and makes a final ascent to the summit of Condor Viewpoint. We were instantly blasted by strong winds that knocked us off balance. To the north, we could see Paine Grande and the Cuernos del Paine, with their alpine summits battling a low cloud bank. Eileen and I were thrilled by the knowledge that we would soon be encircling these fabulous peaks on our upcoming “O” + “W” trekking circuit.
Tempting as it was to hang out on the summit in hopes of clearing weather, the cold wind chased us off after only a few minutes. We hustled back down the trail while admiring the green, hummocky hillside rolling down to Lake Pehoe. This was our first taste of Patagonia, and it was a good one!
Route Map & Profile
…
…
Photo Gallery
Click to enlarge…
