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Published: March 18th 2010
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Glaciar Natianal Park
Perito Moreno Glaciar The city of El Clafate, Argentina attracts tourists of all kinds for its famous Perito Moreno glaciar nearby in the Glaciar Natianal park. The park is home to over 300 glaciers. The Perito Moreno glaciar is very accesable with look out paths and platforms with great close up viewings of the active glaciar. It is one of the only glaciars in the park that is stable or even growing. While the rest are suffering from warmer temperatures in the last several decades which is increasing their melting rate. Perito Moreno glaciar dramatically has house size pieces of ice break off, and fall into the lake below. The scene is very interesting displaying large splashes and the unique colors of different sides of the fallen iceburg as it slowly surfaces. I found most interesting the sound the glaciar makes as it cracks, shifts, and breaks. Loud and fierce. The shapes that are created as the glaciar receeds and grows are out of this world, bridges, peaks, wave like figures, spikes anything you could imagine and more. Its like staring at the clouds and finding images within them. The Perito Moreno glaciar is capable of building a bridge which separates to parts
of the lake below, creating a difference of water levels as big as 30 meters. Until the glaciar receeds enough to allow the water to flow through to equilibrium. Recently happened about 4 years ago. I spent a total of about 5 hours admiring the Glaciar including an hour boat ride that gave very up close views while passing large iceburgs. Returning to the touristy small city of El Calafate (pop.10,000) I wandered the main strip full of restaurants, souvenir shops, ice cream parlours and an unattractive casino. The city does have a wonderful lagoon that is home to a diverse selection of birds. Many varieties of ducks, some falcons, hawks pink Flamingoes and much more. A trail leads around the circumfrance of the lagoon that casually takes hour and a half to walk. My time in El Calafate was fairly quick as the glaciar is the main attraction and used as a transportaion hub to El Chaten 3 hours north and Torres de Paine in Chile.
On the recently paved road to El Chaten, Arg I witnessed ostriches, and the unique camelid, Guanacos as they graze near the road side. The town of El Chaten is the newest
in Argentina incorporated in 1985 during a land grab race between Chile and Argentina. With a population around 500 in winter it is a trekking and climbing hub in the summer attracting thousands attempting to climb or view the Cerro Fitz Roy peak. The town is in the Glaciar natianal park limits with several trail heads starting right from town. Making it very accesable for day hikes or multi day trekking excursions. As you enter town you have to stop for a informative talk by the rangers about wildlife, safety, trails, and procedures for keeping the creeks and rivers pristine for drinking. Once entering town checking into one of the many hostels I was very eager to hit the trail with beautiful clear weather over head. Did the 20 km roundtrip hike to Cerro Torre as the peak shouts out of the Earth appearing as a sharp sharks tooth to I. On the trail I passed through forested areas, followed glacial rivers, and turquise lakes before reaching the look out to the spectacular views of the snow covered peaks, with glaciars below melting into a lake. Truly heaven on Earth for outdoor lovers. So clear, fresh and exilerating an all
time favorite of mine, as the crowds are just beggining to arrive. The next day I was eager for more so hit the trail for the prime attraction of Fitz Roy a 25 km hike, the last hour of four a gruelling up hill climb on gravel and boulder trail. All worth it as you begin to see in clear view the towers of the Fitz Roy, a magical place. Something that the imagination could never come up with by itself. Created over milleniums by active glaciars the area gives an undescribable feeling of how little and powerless we are compared to nature. Along with a feeling of inspiration and happiness. To add to the incredable nature I witnessed a set of condors flying high over head gliding through the magnificant landscape. This is the true Patagonia landscape I have travelled to witness. Blessed by incredable weather in this environment of extremes I could only have emotions of gratitude for what this beautiful planet displays and provides for all its inhabitants.
Next up more trekking in the popular Natianal park Torres de Paine in Chile, then back to Argentina To the southern most populated city of Ushuaia in Tierra
El Chaten
Cerro Torre on left and Fitz Roy on right de Fuego.
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gibson
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truly the tip of the ice berg.. pun intended. -3 more months till FIFA WORLD CUPPP!!!!