11/29/13

Spectacular Granite Spires at Torres del Paine National Park

Spectacular Granite Spires at Torres del Paine National Park

Posted by Snow Addicted
Like 1k
Share

Thursday, August 15, 2013

0

To rres del Paine or Tow ers of Paine are three massive granite pillars jutting out so me 2,800 meters abo ve the Patagonian steppe at So uth America's finest national park, 1,960 km so uth of the Chilean capital Santiago. This short film captures the stunning natural beauty of C hilean Patago nia featuring the mo untains o f Torres del Paine National Park -- jagged granite ridges and spires capped with shale, snow and glaciers. Using time-lapse photo graphy three days of sunlight, clouds, rain and moonlight are captured to show the majestic beauty of this natural wonder. The images are enhanced by the spiritual music from the album "Shiva Shakti Om" by Angelika.

The centerpiece of the park is, of course, the three gigantic Towers o f Paine. One o f the earliest description of the area can be found in a boo k by Lady Flo rence Dixie published in 1880, w here the British writer refered to the three tow ers as Cleopatra's Needles. She and her party were the first tourists to visit what is no w called To rres del Paine Natio nal Park.

www.snowaddiction.org/2013/08/spectacular-granite-spires-at-torres-del-paine-national-park.html

1/7

11/29/13

Spectacular Granite Spires at Torres del Paine National Park

The Paine massif is actually a part of the eastern spur o f the Andes located on the east side of the Grey Glacier, rising dramatically above the Patago nian steppe. The highest summit of the range is Cerro Paine Grande at an elevatio n of 2,884 m. The So uth Tower o f Paine is about 2,500 m, while the Central Tow er of Paine is about 2,460. There are other smaller summits including the Cuerno Principal, about 2,100 m, and Cerro Paine Chico at about 2,650 m.

www.snowaddiction.org/2013/08/spectacular-granite-spires-at-torres-del-paine-national-park.html

2/7

11/29/13

Spectacular Granite Spires at Torres del Paine National Park

Much of the geology of the Paine Massif area co nsists of black, C retaceous sedimentary ro cks, its strata sho wing complex folds resulting from tectonic defo rmation during the fo rmation o f the Andes. But these dark mountains are also streaked with pale granite, which fo rmed when magma rose from the depths 13 million years ago , beco ming trapped and slowly so lidifying to fo rm w hat is know n as a laccolith. Glacial ice ero ded the overlying ro ck expo sing these gigantic granite monoliths that stand to day.

www.snowaddiction.org/2013/08/spectacular-granite-spires-at-torres-del-paine-national-park.html

3/7

11/29/13

Spectacular Granite Spires at Torres del Paine National Park

To rres del Paine National Park is no t just mountains and ro cks. Its an area o f asto nishing scenic beauty w ith snow -capped mountains, glaciers, rivers and lakes. The Grey, Tyndall and Balmaceda Glaciers are remains of once much more extensive system that retreated approximately 10,000 years ago. The evergreen forests of Verano extend to the w est as far as the foot of the Andes mountains, which w ise up to a treeless alpine z one. There are about 106 species of birds, some o f which are endangered, such as C oscoroba Swan (C osco roba cosco roba) and Darwin-Nandu (Pterocnemia pennata).

Fire has been a recent threat. In 1985, a Japanese tourist started a fire that burned about 150 km of the park. Then again in February 2005, a wildfire was ignited at Torres del Paine, w hen a to urist accidentally kno cked his stove onto gro und vegetatio n. The fire w hich lasted for about ten days, destroyed 155 km of the park, including about 2 km of native fo rest. In late December 2011, yet ano ther fire burned 128 km of the reserve, destroying about 36 km of native forest.

www.snowaddiction.org/2013/08/spectacular-granite-spires-at-torres-del-paine-national-park.html

4/7

11/29/13

Spectacular Granite Spires at Torres del Paine National Park

These breathtaking spires are flanked by the summit of Paine Grande (3,050 m) and the
www.snowaddiction.org/2013/08/spectacular-granite-spires-at-torres-del-paine-national-park.html 5/7

11/29/13

Spectacular Granite Spires at Torres del Paine National Park

sharp tusks of black sedimentary peaks known as Los Cuerno s (The Horns). Aside from these spectacular granite spires and mo untains of the massif that dominate the landscape, the national park also encompasses ridges, crags, glaciers, waterfalls, rivers, lakes and lagoons.

www.snowaddiction.org/2013/08/spectacular-granite-spires-at-torres-del-paine-national-park.html

6/7

11/29/13

Spectacular Granite Spires at Torres del Paine National Park

Source: Amusing Planet

www.snowaddiction.org/2013/08/spectacular-granite-spires-at-torres-del-paine-national-park.html

7/7