The Agricultural Emergency Committee communicated a series of conditions and limitations for authorizing reopening of certain park sectors.
Torres del Paine, July 24, 2023: Local authorities expressed a positive assessment of Torres del Paine’s evolving weather conditions in light of July 21st’s preventive closure due to the region’s heavy snow fall.
According to local reports, snow in the national park reached up to fifty centimeters in height; however, in recent days, conditions have improved enough for the Agricultural Emergency Committee, chaired by Francisco Álvarez, the Agriculture Regional Ministerial Secretary (S), and made up of Department of Agriculture and the National Forestry Corporation personnel, to authorize a partial reopening with the following considerations:
- Opening of the interior vehicular road of the Park from Laguna Amarga to Serrano and vice versa with nearby viewpoints.
- Mandatory transit of four-wheel drive vehicles and use of chains.
- Mountain trails (Base Torres, W and Massif Paine) and Sendero Ferrier closed.
- Adequate equipment required to travel on trails, such as snowshoes, crampons, micro crampons, walking sticks, appropriate snow footwear and clothes.
- Road through Portería Sarmiento closed. Only up to the goal to make a path to Rock Paintings. The return must be inside.
- Laguna Amarga Ranger Station is without a water supply, so public restrooms are not available; meanwhile, public restrooms in the Administration, Pingo and Serrano Sectors are still operational.
- It is recommended to leave vehicles in the Pudeto Sector parking lot next to the coffee shop, since the road to the Salto Grande parking lot is difficult to navigate.
- There has not been machinery intervention to clear snow from the Cañadón Macho crossing towards the Paine Waterfall, the Laguna Amarga access point nor the Administration Road to Pingo Ranger Station.
Although public restroom conditions could vary, authorities warn low temperatures will remain until further notice.
Likewise, the Agro Emergencies Committee stated that a new snow and facilities’ report will be delivered this Monday afternoon.