We have woken up early morning to drive to El Chalten, a town which is the gateway to Fitzroy National Park at the northern end of Los Glaciers NP. 
We are driving Ruta 40, a remote part of Patagonia where there is less than 1 person per square kilometre. We drive through wide open spaces of deserted landscape that remind me of the desolate Australian bush, (although this is greener) before reaching our destination.
After packing lunch, Andy drives us to our trail 
head. We are joined by an Argentinean guide who will lead us on a 15km hike through this spectacular park.
Not everyone opts to go on this hike, but it is a lovely day and I am keen to explore. The Fitzroy Massif is covered by cloud but we are hopeful this imposing granite rock will be eventually revealed to us. It is 3,400 m in height and completely dwarfs the surrounding jagged mountains that stick out on either side of it.
The mountain was named after the Captain of the Beagle, who first spotted it from afar, back in 1833. Its traditional name was El Chalten, meaning smoking mountain. The mountain was originally thought to be a volcano, because at sunrise it is briefly lit up and appeared to be bright red. Perhaps the clouds that seem to constantly envelop it added to the myth.
This park is a rock climber’s paradise. We stop for photos and hike a couple of hours to a beautiful lookout. Our guide narrates the story of the French Expedition who first made it to the summit of Fitzroy in 1952. One of the guys lost his life, attempting to cross a river in the park and a nearby peak is named after him.
Fitzroy Massif is only conquered by about 30 climbers a year during the climbing season here. To put that into perspective, more climbers would summit Everest a day, during the trekking season in Nepal.
We have glorious weather and can’t believe our 
luck. Blue skies and sunshine raining down on us in a part of the world where it is normal to get 4 seasons in one day during summer! The weather gods have been kind to us on this trip and we are thankful.
The clouds lift briefly, and we are treated to a view of magnificent Cerro Fitz Roy!
We stop for lunch at a stunning view point and 
continue hiking to the campsite where climbers prepare for their expeditions. The campsite is packed at this time of year, because there is only a small window of opportunity for climbing or camping in Patagonia! The campsite is very basic and I wonder how cold it must get as I walk past. Summer temperatures here can rival winter temperatures in Sydney!
While it is a long hike, it is not a particularly difficult one but we are tired and a little sore as we make our descent to the valley in the late afternoon. After 5 hours of walking we are back in town in time for hot showers, clean clothes and a good Argentinean steak!
"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like falling leaves." - John Muir
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