Paso John Garner

Paso John Garner is a rocky mountain saddle at roughly 1,180 metres, the highest point on Torres del Paine’s O Circuit. It sits between Los Perros and Paso on the remote western side of the Paine Massif. This is a defining day for people walking the full circuit, not a roadside stop or a quick side trip.

The route climbs about 600 metres over a few kilometres from Los Perros, then drops steeply toward Paso. The descent can be slippery, and the open pass is exposed to strong, shifting weather. Route operators recommend an early start, poles, and windproof and waterproof layers. Don’t count on food or water at the pass; arrange what you need between camps. CONAF has closed this section during unsafe wind and precipitation; check current park notices before setting out.

From the high saddle, Grey Glacier and the Southern Patagonian Ice Field spread across the view. The western descent continues toward Paso and brings more glacier views. Clouds and wind can change the experience quickly; when visibility opens, a wide frame that keeps some of the rocky foreground helps show the scale of the ice.

The pass is named for British mountaineer John Garner. In 1976, Garner and park ranger Óscar Guineo made a pioneering three-month journey around the Paine Massif, beginning on horseback and continuing on foot. Guineo named the high pass after Garner; the route they helped establish became the O Circuit hikers cross today.