I wore my Brooklyn hiking in Patagonia for 8 days
I wore my Brooklyn hiking in Patagonia for 8 days.
Charlotte Massey is crushing it. Hard. She’s a Watson Fellow currently traveling to India, Nepal, Tanzania, Chile, Argentina, Peru, and France. In her own words: “I'm researching the experiences of women leaders in the trekking, climbing, and mountain guiding industry around the world. I've gone on expeditions with women in India, trekked across 5,000 meter passes with women guides in Nepal, rock climbed in Thailand, and gone on a 22 day expedition with an all-women team in Argentina. I'm seeking to discover why mountain guiding is such a male dominated field and learn from the women who are breaking barriers to gain employment in the industry.” She happens to be doing most of this in our Brooklyn Wrap Dress, and recently returned from an eight-day backpacking trip in Patagonia. Here’s what Charlotte has to say:
The Brooklyn Wrap Dress plays a critical part in making my tiny wardrobe function. When I say tiny wardrobe, I’m referring to the single backpack I’m living out of over twelve months of travel. Each piece of clothing in my bag needs to hold its own on multi-week expeditions, but it also has to look cute, because I’m not only living in the backcountry! I paid special attention to the materials of each piece I packed, and love the idea of a simple and stylish wool dress that can be worn for days without needing a wash.
“I’m amazed at how long it can go between washes. The fabric is so comfortable that I sometimes use my dress as a nightgown and then wear it out the next morning—not something I’d do with just any dress! ”
In my seven months of full-time travel so far, I’ve worn my Brooklyn to rock climbing festivals in the Ladakhi desert and used the dress as a nightgown while camping in northern India for a week. I dressed it up with some dangly earrings to attend a speakeasy and black tie dinners in Bangkok.
I’m amazed at how long it can go between washes. The fabric is so comfortable that I sometimes use my dress as a nightgown and then wear it out the next morning—not something I’d do with just any dress!
Torres del Paine is famous for its huge granite towers (the Torres) that jut out of the surrounding grasslands and are flanked by massive glaciers that float out into icy fjords. I was lucky to score a guided trip on the O Circuit, an 8-day hike around the towers. We started hiking in glorious, sunny weather at the Las Torres camping zone, admiring the torres that peaked out from behind an emerald ridge and Almirante Nieto, a glacier-capped peak. The craggy spires quickly gave way to green rolling hills and fields of daisies, and the sunny weather changed to blustery rain, 40mph wind gusts, and low cloud cover that kept us hiking quickly all day.
As the bad weather abated, my trekking group was dubious that hiking in a dress would work well, but I loved it! My legs felt free and the fabric was light and breathable. Even after hours of trekking with a heavy pack, the dress didn’t smell. Wool is seriously magic.
“My trekking group was dubious that hiking in a dress would work well, but I loved it. Wool is seriously magic.”
My Brooklyn dress has a permanent place in my travel bag, and after this trip, the dress has now earned its place in my backpacking bag as well!
Charlotte gave us her suggestions of what to do, where to eat, and where to stay should we ever get the chance to visit.
To Do
Take on a challenge and hike to the base of the Torres. This 15 mile round trip trek takes you up a glacial valley and into a stunning lake basin crowned by thousand foot granite spires. This hike is truly one of the most stunning destinations in the world.
Spend a morning kayaking in a Patagonian fjord, pack a picnic for lunch, and ride horses across the grassy steppe in the afternoon.
Head out to one of the region’s many glaciers for an ice hike—using ropes and crampons to climb icy cliffs on a coastal glacier.
To Eat
Guayoyo Café & Bistro—Their sandwiches are second to none. Try the arepas for a taste of Chilean cuisine!
Lenga Restaurant—Chilean food made modern and bold with locally sourced ingredients and small-batch preparation.
The Singular Patagonia Restaurant gastronomical experience. Don’t miss the wood-fired meats! They have vegetarian options as well.
To Stay
Red Point Patagonia—If you’re on a budget, this hostel feels like visiting family. The owners are mountain guides and can help organize any excursions like kayaking, climbing, or horseback riding. They also have a climbing wall in the hostel with shoes you can borrow!
If you’ve got the budget, live it up and stay at Ecocamp. Located in the heart of Torres del Paine, this hotel offers accommodation in well-equipped domes with views of the surrounding mountains.