“The most enriching experience of my life”: Chile Nativo guide, Maximiliano Arias and the historic Paine Grande ascent

On May 31, as Puerto Natales celebrated its 115th anniversary, three young climbers achieved a feat that only a handful of people have accomplished: reaching the main summit of Paine Grande, the highest mountain in Torres del Paine National Park. We spoke with Chile Nativo guide Maximiliano Arias about the experience, the challenges, and what comes next.

The ascent, completed by Ángel Canales, Vicente Urzúa, and Maximiliano Arias, marks only the sixth recorded ascent of the iconic summit. For Maximiliano, who has worked as a guide with Chile Nativo for the past two seasons, the experience still feels difficult to fully process. Just days after returning to Puerto Natales, he admits that the mountain continues to appear in his dreams.

“Honestly, I still haven’t fully absorbed everything I felt,” he says. “An ascent like this opens up so many possibilities, both physically and mentally. Reaching a summit of this complexity changes the way you think—you feel capable of so much more. What this climb gave me most was the motivation to keep pushing forward, trust my abilities, and continue learning.”

Although the decision to attempt the climb was made within a matter of hours, it was supported by years of accumulated experience. In mountaineering, opportunities often depend on factors beyond anyone’s control, especially in a place like Patagonia. A favorable weather window may last only a day, and recognizing the right moment can be just as important as physical or technical preparation. For this team, however, all the pieces seemed to fall into place.

Interestingly, Paine Grande was not among Maximiliano’s immediate objectives. Just a week earlier, he had returned from an attempt on Aguja Poincenot in El Chaltén when his friend Vicente Urzúa called.

“He told me, ‘Let’s go climb Paine Grande.’ Honestly, it wasn’t a mountain I expected to climb anytime soon. I saw it as a major project—something that still felt far away.” Yet a brief weather window appeared to align perfectly, and after reviewing their equipment, food supplies, and conditions, the decision came quickly: leave the following day.

The Beginning of the Expedition

One of the most memorable moments occurred even before reaching the summit. After three days of approach, the team arrived at the French Plateau beneath snow and cloud cover. Gradually, the sky began to clear. First, one of the surrounding summits emerged. Then, as if a curtain were slowly lifting, the main silhouette of Paine Grande revealed itself before them.

“It started to fade away like a veil until the entire summit appeared. At the same time, the moon came out and illuminated everything. We could see the route we would take the next day. That was when I thought: wow, what an incredible place we’re standing in.”

As the clouds disappeared, so did many of the expedition’s remaining uncertainties. Ice conditions were favorable, the wind remained calm, and the team felt strong. Despite the mountain’s complexity, Maximiliano says there was never a genuine sense of doubt.

“We knew it was our day and that we were going to reach the summit. At no point did we think it wouldn’t happen. We just kept moving upward.”

The Value of Teamwork

In the mountains, where mistakes can have serious consequences, trust and teamwork are just as important as technical skills. Maximiliano explains that every member of the team played a strategic role throughout the expedition. Weight distribution, route management, and decisions about who would lead the most technical sections were all part of a constant process of planning and adaptation.

“It’s like a game of chess. Everyone complemented one another and supported each other so we could climb in the safest and most efficient way possible.” While he had previously shared expeditions with Vicente Urzúa, this was his first time climbing with Ángel Canales. “I’d never been in the mountains with Ángel before, but I knew who he was and I knew he was the right person for this objective.”

Reaching the Summit of Paine Grande

Yet the most uncertain moment was still ahead. Before reaching the summit, the team needed to overcome the summit mushroom—a massive formation of snow, ice, and rime whose shape changes constantly depending on seasonal winds and snowfall. There was no way of knowing exactly what they would encounter until they arrived.

To their surprise, the mountain offered an exceptional opportunity. When they reached the base of the formation, they discovered a natural channel that clearly outlined a possible route.

“We didn’t know what condition the summit mushroom would be in because it’s constantly changing. But when we got there, there was this obvious chimney-like passage. It was clear that was the way up.”

As they advanced through the final section, the setting sun began painting the surrounding ice in shades of orange.

“The entire tunnel glowed orange from the inside. I looked back and could see the line we had walked that morning. I could see mountains I had climbed before, but now I was much higher than all of them.”

When he finally emerged onto the summit ridge, the emotions became overwhelming. “It felt almost like being born again. I came out feeling euphoric and saw my friends standing on the summit. We embraced and started taking in the landscape. We had the sunset on one side and the full moon on the other. That’s when the tears came. It was incredibly emotional.”

For someone who spends much of the year guiding travelers through the park, reaching the highest point in Torres del Paine also changed the way he sees the territory. Maximiliano compares it to completing a map he had been building for years:  “Every ascent changes your perspective of the place. It’s like unlocking new sections of a map in your mind. Standing at the highest point in the park felt like unlocking the entire map.”

According to him, the experience reinforced the importance of helping visitors understand the value of the landscape.

“I try to help people feel like they’re part of the place. Not something separate from nature, but part of the landscape itself.”

Beyond the Summit

Rather than focusing on higher or more difficult objectives, Maximiliano’s attention is now turning toward exploration.He is particularly drawn to remote areas where human presence remains rare, especially within the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.

“What attracts me most is going to places where there are truly no traces of human presence. Places where you have to read the terrain, plan everything carefully, and solve every challenge yourself. That’s what I want to focus on next: expeditions.”

Before ending our conversation, we asked Maximiliano what advice he would give to those who dream of attempting a mountain like Paine Grande. His answer did not begin with technical skills or equipment. Instead, it began with respect.

“I always ask the mountain for permission. With humility, I explain what I want to do and why I want to do it. First comes respect. Then comes preparation, experience, and honestly knowing whether you’re ready for the objective.”

And when asked to summarize the entire experience in a single phrase, he doesn’t hesitate: “The most enriching experience of my life.”