We arrived in Punta Arenas, Chile at 9:00 am. This purported to be the city with the 4th highest winds on the planet. It wasn't too bad when we departed the ship for our hiking excursion around 9:30 am.
There was a French tall exploration ship docked next to us.
We walked the length of the pier and were loaded on a bus which took us to the ski resort where we would board a lift to take us to the top. The resort was at an elevation of 1200 feet.
The winds was much greater up at the ski resort and it was much cooler. The ski lift was invigorating and it took about 10 minutes to reach the top.
We were at an elevation of 1900 feet at the top of the lift.
One of the hikers got her clothing caught in the lift and almost took an unexpected ride.
The hike down the mountain was exhausting and took about two hours to go the less than three miles. There had been rain for the last two days and the "trail" was very muddy, very steep and very rugged. I soon learned that my walking shoes were inappropriate for this kind of hiking and I fell several times. The first time, I didn't fall far, but I twisted my ankle and wrenched my left shoulder. Going down this rugged terrain is really hard on the ankles. The group of about 15 hikers were spread out quite a bit. There was a guide at the front and a little Chilean girl guide bringing up the rear. I was in the rear most of the time. After my first fall, the girl guide helped me navigate and occasionally offered a helping hand. She had a walkie talkie and she offered to radio for help. I assured her I was OK. I finished the hike, but just barely.
Tomorrow we will be cruising north along Chile's coast, passing the Amalia Glacier at some point. On Tuesday, we sail the Chilean Fiords. Our next port stop is not until Wednesday
