Tourists began the O Circuit trek without ranger support and faced worsening weather.
Torres del Paine National Park receives nearly 300,000 yearly visitors, many aiming for its famous trails.
On 17 November, a sudden blizzard hit the remote O Circuit, killing five trekkers and trapping dozens.
The disaster exposed weaknesses in Patagonia’s park safety systems, an issue critics have raised for years.
Chaos on the John Garner Pass
About 30 international trekkers left Los Perros campsite between 5 and 7 am to cross John Garner Pass.
Light rain and moderate winds marked the early hours, but conditions shifted as they climbed higher.
By late morning, visibility dropped to metres, and winds intensified far beyond forecasts.
Whiteout conditions kept hikers from seeing the trail, causing confusion across the group.
The O Circuit spans up to 140 km and challenges trekkers with harsh terrain and long distances.
After 10 am, the blizzard drove horizontal snow and violent gusts across the exposed upper pass.
Some hikers attempted to turn back, while others pushed forward, unaware of the storm’s strength.
Heavy snow and freezing temperatures left several hikers stranded on the mountain without shelter.
Five trekkers died on the high pass: Cristina Calvillo Tovar, Julian Garcia Pimentel, Nadine Lichey, Andreas von Pein, and Victoria Bond.
Survivors later found the victims near the top of the route, along the open section of the pass.
System Failures and Ranger Shortages
Survivors reported missing or unclear warnings about the conditions on John Garner Pass.
Camp staff described the forecast as moderate and normal, and the route stayed open despite danger signs.
Many trekkers criticised the park’s slow response once the storm intensified.
Stranded visitors led the first rescue attempts without official support during the critical early hours.
CONAF oversees the O Circuit and must monitor trails, control access, and issue closure orders.
Standard advice instructs hikers to follow rangers’ guidance and check for safety updates at ranger stations.
Survivors claimed no rangers stood near the hazardous pass when the storm descended.
The lack of ranger presence left hikers assuming the trail remained safe.
Many rangers were off duty to vote in the 2025 presidential election, reducing staff by roughly half.
CONAF confirmed no rangers operated in the Los Perros and John Garner sector during the storm.
Reports stated the park had only about 51 personnel present that day across its vast area.
Such shortages may continue, as CONAF has roughly 450 trained rangers for over 13 million hectares.
A 2018 report noted that many Chilean parks function with extremely small teams, sometimes under five employees.
In June 2025, thousands of CONAF workers staged a nationwide strike over resources and administrative issues.
Across the border, Argentinian sources reported mass ranger resignations tied to recent administrative changes under Javier Milei’s government.
