Patagonia: from el Fin del Mundo to El Calafate & El Chaltén, then N along La Ruta Cuarenta

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It has been two weeks and Jamie has been a busy girl!!! Last you heard from me I was headed to the End of the World.... and so that is where I will start..... City-Ushuaia, Province- Tierra del Fuego, Region- Patagonia. I stayed a full week in Ushuaia, a town nestled on the shore pinched between the Mts and the sea. A week was probably longer than one needed. However, I learned quickly, along with every other traveler who was stuck there, that is was much easier to arrive in Ushuaia than to get out. We all wanted to see the most southern city in the World, but had not figured that we would all leave as well. Like arteries, the busses helped flood the town with travelers, but then could not keep up with demand for exit. Really tough, it did not matter to me much... I did not have a connection to make or a scheduled flight in another city to catch. I fortunately had the gift of time, plus I loved the town the area and my hostel was pretty great too.

Due to its geographic location, Ushuaia is an interesting place historically and politically. Because of its remoteness and near inaccessibilty, Tierra del Fuego is actually a big island itself, this area became a place of refuge for indigineous natives as well as a place of persecution for Argentinas worst criminals. The Beagle Channel, in which Ushuaia sits just north of, flows quick and cold carrying with it barges, cruise liners and ships prepared for expeditions to Antartica. The Beagle Channel was a primary water way for explorers like Magellan and scientists like Darwin 150 years ago. The waters and Islands in which lie among and around the Beagle channal are highly disputed amongst many countries and politicians of the world. Off to the East are the Islas Malvinas, or Falkland Islands, which Argentina and Great Brittian were engaged in a bloody battle. legally then belong not to Great Britain, but ask a Argentina patriot and they are still called Islas Malvinas. Of course, Chile and Argenitna continue to dispute over country boundaries in the wilds of Patagonia. Ushuaia may be called el Fin del Mundo, the End of the World, however, there is a settlement more S than it. Puerto Williams sits across the Beagle Channel, S from Ushuaia. Puerto Williams is in Chile- so Chile claims to have the southern most Port. One is considered a city, the other a settelment, so i think this is how they both can justify their claims to being the SOUTHERN MOST......

I took a chairlift, if you can call it that, to view the Beagle Channel from above. For my Heavenly friends.... The chairlift, called an aeurosilla (seat in the air), if you can imagine older & SLOWER than Galaxy chair... this was my transportation up to a vista that overlooked the Beagle Channel. Once arriving, 15 long minutes and only 1.8km later, I was looking down on all of Ushuaia and the channel. Quite a sight really. I could almost picture back hundresd of years and see the massive sailing vessels, with their 20 or so sails, making their way around the southern point and on to the Chilean West coast of S. Am. The weather here is always changing, cloudy, windy, wet, foggy, sunny, warm .... all in minutes. And so it was the couple of hours I spent high above Ushuaia. This irratic weather played a hand in hundreds of these sailing vessels finding themselves at the bottom of the sea. In order to better guide these ships the light house was moved to provide better guidance.

My photos on this site definitely don´t do justice to whati have seen. But what photo really does??? I am hoping after I return home and am able to see them better on the computer and then get many of the developed, that then iwill be able to put together a nice album in which to aid me with my stories. Not to mention, sitting and typing about my experiences kind of looses its majic.... i hope that some of you are getting me, at least.

To get to and from Ushuaia by land one must pass through Chile. So this means 4 stops, totaling close to 2 hours -if you are lucky- passing out of Arg, then into Chile. Then, out of Chile and back into Arg. Again, Argentina and chile are not on the best terms when it comes to their international relations and still dispute over their borders. So, consequently for the traveler just passing through, it is quite a process to check your belongings and your travel documents. I learned my lesson the hard way the first time over the border when I had to throw out all of my edible treasures I was hording- no fruites, veg, herbs, dairy, etc across borders, remember. I sadly enough did not. Along with others who had made the same mistake, i sat in the foyer of the Chilean border patrol scarfing down as much as I could. Like I said, i wasn´t alone.

On the bus ride out of Ushuaia to El Calafate I met a threesome from the States- Troy, David and Cynthia. we made quick pals in that we had jsut left a familiar place and could share like stories and were all headed to the unknowns of El Calafate. Turns out we were all staying in the same hostel in El Calafate and all had similar plans to head to El Chaltén and further N after that. And so began a wonderfully fun and funny bonding session amongst us.

El Calafate sits just outside the National Park of Glaciars. This National Park boasts the largest continental Glacial Icefield and is home to dozens of glaciars. Another interesting fact about these glaciars is that they lie less that 1000 ft above sea level. Before whe I thought of glaciers, I thought of something high in the mountain tops, where the air was cold and the temps low. Not true I learned. These glaciars are formed from heavy precipitation, often snow, in which slowly turns to ice over time. After accumaulating enough ice, they become heavy and in turn move downthe flanks of the small Mts that lie behind them.

It was here in El Calafate I booked my first tourist excursion. I had avoiding this option thus far in my travels as they cost a pretty penny, but also, i wanted to try and experince as much on my own as possible. But really, the only was to see, learn and experince the Glaciars was through a guided tour. So I did..... and WOW, WOW, WOW- what a cool day I had. My tour began with a boat ride across a lake made up entirely of glacial ice melt ( And people think Lake Tahoe is cold) We crossed the Lake in front of the Southern Face of the Perito Moreno glaciar, the most famous glaciar in the park because it is still advancing (growing). After coming to shore we strapped on the cramp-ons and began a trek over the ice. So cool, i can´t really explain it here. The color of the ice was the clear, to milky, to steely blue to sharp fluorecent blue all at the same time. We stomped over small crevasses and looked down at swift moving rivers moving through the glacier. At the end of our 2 hours on the ice we were offered a tastey glass of whiskey on the rocks.... the rocks being fresh ice off the glaciar. mmm, mmm good.

A few days later, in El Chaltén, my new friends and I went on the trek of a lifetime. Just an all around amazing time... we were surrounded by some of natures most grand sights; glaciars and high mountain peaks, wide open meadows disected by streams.... the views were amazing, but so was the vibe. This particular trek we all knew would be a grueling one. Scheduled to take at least 12 hours, we met early inthe morning to set off for the base of Cerro del Torre. We hiked for many hours thru forests, meadows, around lake edges until we came to a River, high on the Mt pass. No bridge here... we would cross it by harness and cable. Unlike a zip-line there was no elevation change, no gravity to pull you to the other side. Inverted, above the cool, rushing water, we had to pull ourselves across..... it was so fun!!! I was happy to hear that we would be returning by the same route, giving us another turn on this cable ride. Then it was back to trekiing another hour or so, until we finally came to the glaciar. Here we strapped on the cramp-ons again and headed on to the ice. This glaciar was more jagged than the Perito Moreno, with many steep inclines and beautiful crevasses. The guides lead us to a large sink hole that had created tall, vertical walls. Here we were given ice axes and the opportunity to scale up these icy sheets. I have done a little bit of rock climbing, this was similar, but also very different. Relying on the axe, as a direct extension of your hand, to be the grip. I was able to complete my ascent... not gracefully, I admit, but successful none the less.

At this point so much fun had been had it was hard to concentrate on the fact that we had at least a 4 hour trip back to town. This is where the great vibe (buena onda) of the people on the trip came to play. Some were tired, some were dehydrated, some were hungry, but, we all had a common goal to return uninjured in high spirits. The guides kept a fair pace, ensuring safety but also progress. No one wanted to be out there after the sun was gone. So we trekked on, back over the river, across the open meadows and down throught the forest. At this point, ice cold beer was the prize we all focused on. Only then, once we were seated with our cold, frosty beverage were we able to to relish in our accomplishments and congratulate each other on a job well done.

Looking strong and majestic, Mt. Fitz Roy sits high above El Chaltén. We were lucky to have views of the summit the enitire time we were there. We were very lucky. This is what all the locals kept saying. The perfect weather days we were having can be counted on only one hand any other year. We relished in the fact it might be magic 😉 El Chaltén is a magnificent place.... a town made of nature enthusiasts for nature enthusiasts. Literally. Remote and mostly untouched, El Chaltén is an infant of a town. Just over 20 years old, most of the roads are still not paved, there is not yet a bank. Its foundation is built upon a common love for the mountains! Full of hikers and climbers from all over the world, all there to share in natures wonderous creations.

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The celebration was short lived unfortunately. Teh next morning Cynthia and I were off by bus to continuing North along the historic Route 40. This stretch of Argentine highway is one of only 2 N/S routes, the other being Route 3, along the Atlantinc Coast. Many people will opt for this option, Route 3, and retuen all the way back to the East as a way to avoid traveling Route 40. Although a more direct route for many wanting to get from point A to B along the Andes range, Route 40 it is a torcherously long, desolate stretch of road, mostly unpaved, bumpy, dry and dusty. However, for many others, it is a must do in their travels of Argentina. For me it was both- a direct route and a experience not to miss. Route 40 was the famous route taken by Che Guevarra, documented in The Motorcycle Diaries based on his personal journals. Also, along Route 40, the ranch house where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid spent many of their days in Argentina holed up avoiding prosecution. I look forward to learning in much greater depth about these 2 very seperate and different pieces of Argentine and American history.

I must admit there are so many more stories to tell, but sitting here just doesn´t do them justice. And having waited so long to share, I miss much of the detail. I am hurried now to publish this entry, but will try to put another one together soon. Now I am off to a little town called El Bolsón... a place I have been looking forward to since speaking to a girl in Buenos Aires. I think I may stay there awhile, I will keep you posted. I hope evryone is well and enjoying the winter. For the snow lovers, let it continue to dump.... and for the others.... well, less than 2 months until the first day of spring. love you all

xxx- jamie dale

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Photos

Glacier Trekking
it doesn´t even look real

On the Rocks.....
..... with fresh, pure Glacier Ice, please.

Just another day.....
... crossing a river, fully suspended by cables, inverted, pulling myself across. FUN STUFF!!!