The O Circuit
✓ Verified against the agency · CONAFThe full circumnavigation of the Paine massif — the W trek's southern face plus the wild back side. Counter-clockwise only, enforced at Laguna Amarga. Paso John Gardner (day 4) is the crux: +800m/-1,100m with routine 100+ km/h gusts, five fixed-ladder descents, and CONAF go/no-go calls at 06:00. After the November 2025 blizzard tragedy that killed five hikers near the pass, capacity limits are stricter and weather-closure protocols faster.
Distance
84.7 km
Max elevation
1,180m (Paso John Gardner)
Duration
8–9 days
Safety classification
DifficultyMulti-day trek
GuideNo guide needed
GearTraction / poles
OfficialYes
MaintainedYes
Season
Austral summer only, ~1 Nov–end Mar; closed ~Apr–Oct. CONAF lifted the temporary mandatory-guide rule on 1 Jan 2026; route is one-way (counter-clockwise), capped 100/day, with mandatory registration at Coirón and reservations every night.
Hazards
- ▲John Gardner Pass — high wind, snow, whiteout, severe cold
- ▲extreme sudden Patagonian weather
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