ICE, SNOW, WIND & COLD

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ICE, SNOW, WIND AND COLD

My lasting impression of this region will be how ice, snow, wind and the cold have, and continue to, mould the landscape.

Glaciers such as Perito Moreno, just outside of El Calafate, continue to carve away what will one day be a high wide canyon. Bob assures me that this glacier is very impressive unfortunately I picked up a 24 hour bug so spent the day feeling sorry for myself back at the hotel. Photos of this massive glacier will have to wait as Bob only took photos with his camera which are too big to upload.

Our next 2 days were spent at El Chalten a town which Argentina built in 1985 (and still is building - the financial crisis hasn´t hit there yet) before Chile claimed the area. The one and only reason for the towns existence is that it is situated right below the impressive Mt Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre.

The weather and gods (whoevers!) smiled upon us for our full day trek to view Mt Fitz Roy - brilliant sunshine and no wind though it was still pretty chilly and frosty with the ground still frozen in the afternoon. Mt Fitz Roy (3405m) is what is left after years of ice, snow, wind and the cold have eroded away the softer sedimentary rock to reveal the hard pinkish granite - PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. The walking was easy and we enjoyed stopping and taking photos and just sitting in awe for most of the day.

We planned to be at a vantage point for sunrise the next day but the gods had decided 1 day was enough and we woke to cloud and snow. By 11.30am the same gods relented and let us walk out in misty, cool weather with the promise of sunshine to the Mirador (lookout) to Cerro Solo (2102m) and Cerro Torre (3102m). We had a late bus back to El Calafate so we had just 4 or so hours to walk the 10km there and back - now suprisingly easy for us - we must be fitter. We arrived at the mirador with the misty cloud just lifting off Cerro Solo and we spent a couple of hours waiting for the clouds to reveal the other mountains. No such luck but it was very enjoyable just sitting and try to take in the enormity, the age, the things these mountains have seen over the years - the area is awe inspiring.

While sitting I spied a Tufted Tit-tyrant which is a funny little bird with a 2-3 feather spikey hairdo - makes up a little for missing out on the glacier.

Off to the "end of the earth" - Ushuaia for some more ice, frigid waters and snow capped peaks.

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Comments

[Dad & Mum]

Wow
Love the pic's, pity about the 24hr wog but glad it did not last longer. Mum is concerned about the food you are eating and are you eating enough - Julie. Me I'm just worrying about the washing !!!!! Anyway have fun and are looking forward the next episode. Love Dad

[Jacinta]

Cerro Solo awesome
The mountains and the greenery are so vastly different yet in the same photo - it looks utterly amazing. You keep talking about these wonderful birds but haven't put up photos of them, like the Toucan! The "Bob viewing Cerro Solo" and "Mt Fitrzroy" just capture the different colours and awesome scenery. Love it. Cinna