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Published: April 8th 2007
The start of Day 1
We were keen to get hiking again and the weather looked promising. Upon arrival in El Chalten the million and one different plans we had decided on along the way for this leg of the trip came into play. It was raining and not so nice weather as we pulled in so we wussed it and instead of camping in the free camp area we went to the hostel and stayed in a dorm bed.
The Rancho Grande hostel was very clean and had great cakes but was full of smoke and the kitchen had absolutely no room (especially when someone is cooking a banquet for a group of 8). We quickly realised that now we are codgers we don´t like all this smoking drinking until two in the morning shit. Our roomies were into this though and when they talk about bunks shakin in the middle of the night, top bunk is not so fun...
Next day however was great so we packed our bags intending to stay out for at least two nights weather pending of course. We caught a bus to the top of the park and walked down towards the Fitz Roy lookout area and Poicenot camping area.
Along the way we saw another glacier,
Glacier Piedra Blanca and lagoon
The view throughout the forest was fantastic, the trees are awesome. Then we saw the glacier. Glacier Blanco, with a lake in front of it. It was great, very beautiful. The park is connected with private land and it is really interesting to see that they allow horses in the national park. The only thing keeping domestic animals out of the park are flimsy wire fences.
The walk was very picturesque but uneventful in that it was pretty flat and easy. We made it to the campsite, had lunch and set up. After that we started the acsent to the lookout.
The walk up was alright until it started to get rather steep and wet with snow. At the top the snow was quite thick. It is still such a novelty to be in snow. The views were spectacular. We were so lucky, we saw the Fitz Roy and the lagoons and glaciers and everything. It was awesome, we spent quite a lot of time up there.
As we walked down the weather started to get very cold and not so nice. We were so freezing we cooked dinner from inside the tent and ate it inside our sleeping bags in the tent. Overnight it poured rain and in the morining there was
Great weather and snow!
When we made it to the top of the lookout walk we had to walk through snow to get to the lookout. Oh what a pity! sleet.
We walked back the next day because we just didn´t want to camp in the snow we don´t like the cold. So we headed back to a dorm bed in the sleet and rain.
We awoke to snow the next day about 30cm deep and the big St Bernard was playing in the snow trying to catch snow balls.
We had just the day to kill as we caught the bus back to Calafate that evening. Killing the day seemed difficult at first but then the sun started shining so we went for a walk to a waterfall, built a snowman and generally played in the snow.
We unfortunately had to stay in a dorm bed that night (due to incompetence of Rancho Grande staff). This time our roomies were great though.
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Stephen Paul
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
good weather? Sort of...
I rated "Us and Mt Fitz Roy" a 5!! Great shot. I wish I had more time to go to Chalten!