Dawn at the base of the towers
A 3 a.m. start, a headlamp and forty minutes of boulder scrambling — for about twelve minutes of red light.
We left the Chileno refugio at three in the morning. The trail is easy until the last hour, which is a steep moraine of loose rock that feels endless in the dark.
Sunrise hits the granite for barely a quarter of an hour. Then the colour drains away and everyone starts eating their sandwiches in silence.
If the forecast shows heavy cloud, sleep in: the towers simply disappear and the climb isn't worth it.
Tip: Check the weather at the ranger station the night before — the mountain forecast is far more reliable than the phone apps.