Fitz Roy & Moreno Glacier

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For future reference, walking a round of golf does not keep one in shape! This has been made quite clear to both of us. I knew I would regret not hitting the gym before we left, but thought, well, we will just do the ´easier hikes´. Only problem - there aren´t any. All seem to be 4-5 hours one way! But for some reason we were determined to do the Fitz Roy, since, unlike Torres del Paine, the view is not magnificantly displayed in front of our campground. So on Tuesday we took the 3 hr bus ride to El Chalten, which is considered quite a mecca for climbers. The bus was immaculate and had 2 great signs displayed in the front of the bus clearly written in both Spanish and English. No eating on the bus and my favorite Do not take your shoes off! A pleasant bus ride.

And, of course our luck with the weather could not hold forever - we started off with clouds and a threat of rain. We arrived 1.5 hrs later at the first mirador (viewpoint) to what we thought was a partial view, with the clouds obscuring most of it. Another 1.5 hrs later, where I had hoped for a view and an excuse to turn around. But rather than my assumed downhill scramble, it is a rocky uphill scramble and the wind is blowing hard. Another hour later, we reach the top and it is the windy-est I have ever experienced! You have to plant your feet, as the gusts are fierce. Most of the time we are scrambling to hide behind big boulders for a break in the wind. A couple of very quick photos, Ed takes a little video and we head back. There is no view 😊

Its slow going back down as the gusts practically knock you over. Plus the sporadic rain is horizontal as it hits you. It is a slow 4 hours back and we are 2 tired pups. At times we let the younger couples pass, and I can just hear them saying ¨gee, I hope we are still hiking when we are their age¨, which is better than the more probable "oh, those poor things". There are older people on this trial. Its just they look hard core and fit, where, Ed & I do not! Occassionally, the thought that we could be researching malbecs in Mendoza pops into my head. But I can not say a word, as this bloody hike was my idea. All 25km of it!

Back at the room, I feel as though my face has been partially sandblasted. But a great shower (on a side note, when we checked into the room, the woman at the hostel proudly tells us, ´we have cold water 24 hours´. Fortunately for us, she did mean hot!) A great Argentinan steak with a nice malbec and we are feeling much better.

The next morning we wake up, to the most beautiful blue sky, not a cloud in the sky and just a hint of wind. We look at each other, put back on our hiking clothes, a quick breakfast and we hike back up the 1.5 hours to the first viewpoint. And it is spectacular! We just sit there and enjoy it! Without the wind, the hike back down is enjoyable and I find myself almost skipping with James Brown 'I feel good´ singing in my head. I do hear Ed mutter something about a whole lot of work for a photo...

We get back down in time to enjoy an Argentian pizza for lunch and catch our 1pm bus back to El Calafate.

The next day (Fri 12/18) we take an organized tour to Glacier Perito Moreno - the largest glacier, don´t have the guide book in front of us but its like 2.5 miles wide by 40 miles deep and 180 feet tall - something like that - its huge! It is amazing to stand on the balcony and just listen to it as it cracks and breaks off into the lake. The tour includes an hour boat ride along the mile long North face of it. It is spectacular!

We are now in Bariloche and have rented a car to enjoy the lake district for 4 days. We will be back in Bariloche for Christmas eve, leaving late Christmas afternoon for the east coast of Madryn to see the whales and dolphins. Amazing to us, we are passing up on Mendoza´s wine tours for whales and dolphins!

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Photos

The viewpoint on the first day
And we thought it was only partially hidden

Viewpoint on the 2nd day
Always amazed the difference 24 hrs can make!

View at the top
The Fitz Roy is suppose to be behind this glacier lake

That´s not a smile
I am gritting my teeth...

Condors circling
on the road to the Glacier

And hear!
and really lucky to get the photo!

Comments

[Fred Stillings]

amazing adventure
wonderful images! unreal landscape, beautiful!!!

[Steve Elder]

Bloody Hike!
Four!! Too bad, I thought golf was the exercise of champions! See you soon.

[Becky Nichols]

awesome
The pictures are spectacular. Glad you made it back safe from your hikes, sounds like quite an adventure. Looking forward to hearing all about your trip when you get home. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

[alison henderson]

Wow!!
I am a little behind on email so have just caught up on your travels. You sure know how to pick the places to explore!!

[anonymous]

you rock! your posting was sooo good!
We are sitting in a little windy crap-hole, in Los Antiguas, wondering if we should head to El Chalten & El Calafate and suffer more of this cold and wind, and of course worse... Ushaiaa's cold, or..;.. enjoy the wine and head into Chile to explore.? It's so refeshing to hear subtle truth and humour from your posting!! So where are you one month after you're posting??? You sound like our kind of people! My husband "thinks" we are in shape too. But the Malbec's in B.A. won our hearts and really, we are 20+ years older than everybody in the bus last night. Are we nuts to consider the lightweight hiking in Argentina that could be in front of us???... or should we head out from El chaltan and onward to enjoy the trip the chile and the unseen beaches ofBrazil/ Rio that could be in front of us? Our U.S. dollars only go so far for 9 months of travel. What say ye????? C & M from California