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Published: January 22nd 2008
After a late arrival in El Calafate (2am) and no plans we set up camp in a B&B´s backyard. We ended up there for three nights with a bunch of other folks from around the world. We got up late and used the day to do our errands and check out the town, which is very touristy. We spent that evening hanging out with a big group from around the world in the backyard. First we jammed and sang some crunchy tunes, passed the Mate around and then spent the rest of the night defending the U.S. against a handful of Colombians, Brazilians, and Italians. We had enough restraint not to tell them our new favorite line from Liz´s dad...."They are always there when they need us." We will be sending the state department a bill for our "good will ambassadorship" when we get home, since we have spent much our trip trying to explain their thought process.
After a very early morning alarm clock (7:30am, which is very early by Argentine standards), we jumped on a bus to see the famous Glacier Perito Moreno. We had a big comfy bus with a guide who was Quitman´s latino doppelganger (only
his hair was not as fabulous). The glacier was one of the most incredible things we have ever seen. The end of the glacier is over 3 miles across and 200 feet high. It is one of the few glaciers in the world that is considered stable (not shrinking). They told us that when a snowflake hits the ridge background you can see, it takes around 300 years for that snowflake to make it to the end and into the lake. The glacier is constantly cracking and calving off huge chunks into the lake, sounding like huge explosions. We watched for hours and could have stayed longer.
We took a bus to El Chalten about five hours north. The town is at the doorstep of the southern Patagonian Andes and draws climbers and backpackers from all of the world. The campsite we found outside of town was packed but we were greeted by a Scotsman playing his bagpipes- we knew it would be a great place.
We set off the next day for a four day trip around Monte Fitz Roy. The first day we climbed up to Laguna Torre, which sits at the base of Cerro Torre
and is fed by a large glacier creeping down the valley. Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy are considered two highly of the most highly prized summits for technical climbers in the world. We could see why after staring straight up at the huge granite spires. After the beautiful hike we cooked up some pumpkin soup, had some sandwiches, and then fell asleep on a rock next to the lake for a couple of hours. The next day we headed up and over a steep ridge. As we rounded corner, the mighty Fitz Roy came into view for the first time and it stopped us in our tracks. We found a campsite, set up our tent and headed up the steep scramble to the crater lake at the base of Fitz Roy to do some more lounging. I removed my shoes, which sent everyone else scrambling down, and then we had the lake to ourselves. Easily the best part about this area of the world is that the water is pristine. You can dip your bottle into any lake or stream and drink straight the best water we have ever tasted. There is not much in the way of large wildlife
including humans to contaminate the water sources, so everything is perfectly clean. After two more days of hiking and a total of 40 miles covered, we got back to town and enjoyed some well deserved lunch and cervezas. Come see this place before the rest of the world finds out about it. It is incredible.
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