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Hike Beyond The Hills - #HikeBeyondTheHills, Huntington Beach, CA (2026)

01/23/2026

More Patagonia adventure.
After W Trek, I planned a bucket list hike to famous Laguna de Los Tres on Argentina side of Patagonia.

We hiked the Laguna de los Tres via Río Eléctrico. It is one of the most iconic hikes in Patagonia, offering nonstop views of Mount Fitz Roy from start to finish. It is one of the most spectacular hikes in Patagonia. Mount Fitz Roy is also the logo for that brand Patagonia.
🏔️Total 14 miles, total ascent 3,274’.

The trail followed the Río Blanco through lenga forests and open valleys, with Fitz Roy’s granite spires gradually coming into view. It was a steady gentle climb, perfect for soaking in the dramatic Patagonian landscape—glaciers, rushing rivers, and wide alpine terrain. We stopped frequently to soak in the incredible views!

The 1.5 mile final climb to Laguna de los Tres was short and intense, with rocky switchbacks gaining elevation very quickly. Also, it didn’t help that we just finished a 50-miles backpacking trip. Legs were definitely tested here.

01/14/2026

5th and LAST DAY on the W Trek Patagonia Chile, East to West. 🙌🫶
Refugio Grey back to Refugio Paine Grande to catch ferry on Lake Pehoè and then private transport to Puerto Natales.
Total hiked 9 miles.

W Trek Grand Total:
50 miles, total ascend 12,187’, burned total 7,168 kcal. Hike Beyond The Hills

The day began with constant steady rain but at least calm wind. It had rained all night which made the trail super muddy. Refugio Grey sat quietly behind us as we followed the trail along Lago Grey, the glacier never far from view, which added to the drama of this wild landscape.

The trail rolled gently at first, then opened up to wide Patagonian skies. Every turn revealed something new: burned trees, jagged peaks, milky rivers, and long stretches where it felt like we had the world entirely to ourselves.

As we moved farther west, Lago Pehoé came into view, its turquoise water glowing beneath the mountains. That first glimpse of Paine Grande felt like both an ending and a reward. Tired legs, achy bodies with very full hearts. 💕

We hang out at the refugio for couple of hours before the ferry ride across Lake Pèhoe, while enjoying much deserved cheeseburgers🍔, pizza and 🍻. The ferry ride was another surreal vision of the spectacular landscape of Patagonia and were lucky enough to spot few Caracara falcon birds and the rare endangered Huemul—the world’s southernmost deer.

This day was bittersweet as it was relief that this arduous hike was about to end, but also a quiet realization that Patagonia will leave its mark in our hearts and memories long after the trail ended for us. Grateful and blessed for our safe passage on the W and also closer in friendship amongst such wonderful people I am lucky enough to call my Friends. 💚🩷💕

01/13/2026

More …Set of funniest of all photos!
W Trek Patagonia East to West
Day 4: Refugio Paine Grande to Refugio Grey
Total 7.5 miles
🏔️💙
It was cold 🥶with winds with at least 50 mph💨. Day 4 on the W completely lived up to the hype. Started at Refugio Paine Grande, with those wild Patagonian winds reminded us who was boss 😅. The trail hugged Lago Grey, serving nonstop views of turquoise water, dramatic peaks, and glaciers creeping into view little by little.
🏔️💙
The closer we got to Glacier Grey, the more unreal it felt—massive blue ice, forged thousands of years ago. It is part of the massive Patagonian Ice Field, one of the largest ice masses outside Antarctica and Greenland. We flew above it. (See last photo for bird’s eyeview).
🏔️💙
Finished the day at Refugio Grey. And the shenanigans ensued…at the bar of course with a few drinks🍻🍷. That was how everyone got our Trail Names (see photo for the list). LOL 😂🤣

01/12/2026

…Continuing on to W Trek Patagonia, East → West. 😅
Day 3: Camp Francés → Refugio Paine Grande
Distance: 6.8 miles
Hike Beyond The Hills

This day, Patagonia showed us its true character— cold, windy and rainy weather. I mean, it rained all.day.long. Good thing it was a day considered to be the trek’s “recovery” day before the push toward Grey Glacier the next day. After leaving Camp Francés, the trail gently descended back toward the lakeside, offering constant views of Lago Pehoé, Cuernos del Paine, and the rolling Patagonian valley. Our ascend to French Valley was overcast with constant rain and occasional gusts of wind. The trail up was rocky and slippery due to the rain and trail would only get steeper the further on our climb. Plus no view of the glacier because of the low clouds. At that point, it was SAFETY FIRST for our crew as we called it to turn around and forego the trechearous climb.

We continued on to Refugio Paine Grande which is the largest and most developed refuge on the W and sits right on Lago Pehoé. It has a dramatic backdrop of Paine Grande massif and known for its incredible sunsets over the lake.

We arrived in early afternoon, checked in our dorm, enjoyed hot shower and a nap. Then Happy Hour at the bar. It was indeed a very lovely day in Patagonia with my awesome crew! 😍❤️

12/02/2025

Our group of 10 rendezvoused at the quaint little town of Puerto Natales, Chile—main gateway to Torres Del Paine NP.
We stayed couple of nights at the waterfront Indigo Patagonia before our hike adventure. The sunrise and sunset views were spectacular! We did a bit of celebratory shenanigans in town before our trekking adventure commenced.

11/30/2025

Punta Arenas, Chile was our first stop before our W Trek hiking adventure. We spent couple of days here to see the penguins. Punta Arenas is one of the best places to see Magellanic penguins up close in their natural habitat. We took a bumpy little boat🛥️ ride on Isla Magdalena and did a short hike on the island to check out the penguins.

Punta Arenas is a historic city in southern Chile, located on the Strait of Magellan. It is one of the southernmost cities in the world and serves as a major gateway to Patagonia and Antarctica. It was first navigated by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1520 during his famous expedition. Before the Panama Canal opened in 1914, Punta Arenas was the only passage to move between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Strait of Magellan. Punta Arenas became the cultural and economic capital of all Patagonian Chile.

11/20/2025

Just a quick update. We successfully completed W Trek Patagonia East to West Nov 9-15. Everyone did exceedingly well and had an amazing time. We got off the mountain before the severe weather condition. Patagonic weather is UNPREDICTABLE! We experienced 4-season weather including high winds at 50 mph, but we came prepared with proper gear. Grateful to have had a very capable and knowledgeable local guide who led us safely through the W circuit, in line with philosophy to always hike safe. That being said, Patagonia is spectacular and amazing! It is a challenging hike and be highly prepared if you are planning to do this and highly consider hiring a local guide for safety reasons.

11/10/2025

Flying✈️ above Patagonia in Chile, including the Strait of Magellan. Our preview of how spectacular this place is! W Trek Patagonia we are ready! 🤩🏔️

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11/02/2025

Patagonia training. We took a jaunt up Mt Lukens (5,075’) which was 5 miles of relentless climb to the top. Not much at the peak except radio towers, but the views of DTLA and SFV were incredible. 👀🌇
Bonus after hike, an AYCE KBBQ was literally only 5 minutes from trailhead! 😋🍻🍖
Total 10.5 miles, total ascent 2,870’, burned 1,706 kcal.

09/28/2025

Some of our Patagonia Crew training with at Bedford Peak.
Only 6 weeks before W Trek and we’re cranking up our prep. Training is all about climbing and not so much altitude. W Trek is not high altitude, but lots of climbing.
Bedford Peak in OC is less crowded, easier parking. It is arduous hike, climbing 2,000’ in 3 miles. Got lucky with overcast Fall weather. We did not see view at the top but temps are cooler at 60°.
After, we grabbed some tasty Mexican food for post-hike refuel.
Total 7.52 miles, total ascent 2007’, burned total 1,180 kcal.

06/22/2025

And we’re off! Meet and Greet Hike of my Patagonia crew as we commenced our training for the 5-days 50miles W Trek backpacking in November. This was probably the only time we will all be in the same state. Two of our crew hail all the way from Maryland!

06/21/2025

⛰️Mount Islip (8,251’) has been on my list and we finally made it. It was gorgeous day on the trail with lots of wildflowers🌷🌼 in bloom! It was steady climb all the way to the top. It also got hot 🥵 on our way down.
Mount Islip via Windy Gap Trailhead.
Total 8.72 miles, total elevation gained 2,402’, total 1,484 kcal burned.

Hike Beyond The Hills - #HikeBeyondTheHills