Hiking Los Glaciers NP @ El Chalten

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

Los Glaciers NP – Perito Moreno Glacier

We commence our journey along the Ruta 40, the South American equivalent of Route 66!  We cross the border back into Argentina.  We are the first in line to leave Chile but the border doesn’t open till 8 am so we have a bit of a wait.  Our first stop will be El Calafate where we spend 2 nights at the Hostel del Glacier to browse this little town, hang out at the cafes sipping hot chocolates and visit Perito Moreno, a world famous glacier. 

The drive is very scenic and on the way we stop to admire the condors gliding in the valley.  The condors nest in the side of the cliffs, have a couple of young at one time and are the largest birds in the world! 

Our incredible natural environment never ceases to amaze me and just when I think I have seen it all, I am surprised once again.  I would rate the Perito Moreno glacier as one of the top ten natural features I have ever seen.  Even the icebergs and glaciers I saw in Antarctica don’t in my opinion rival this.

The Perito Moreno glacier is located in the Los  Glaciers National Park, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981. 

The park is in the Santa Cruz province, the largest in Argentina and a place where the Welsh settled, attracted by the sheep farming tradition in these parts. 

The glacier stretches for 5 km on its front face and rises 60m above the water line.  It is one of the world’s few or perhaps only (depending on which book you read) advancing glaciers (that means growing) and moves at a rate of about 1.5 m/day!  It is hard  to imagine that it was only a few thousand years ago that this entire park was covered by glaciers.  As they advanced, they carved out the landscape and steep valleys we see today.  The warming of our climate is causing these glaciers to melt and retreat to the higher parts of the mountains.  The valleys are filled with glacial melt, beautiful turquoise and milky white waters that create amazing views. 

Our initial encounter begins with a hike along the water, to a hilltop viewpoint from which we look down on this incredible spectacle.  We then drive further into the park, where we are able to walk along walkways to experience this glacier a little closer up.

It is amazing to stand on the platforms and listen to the creaks and groans the glacier makes.  Occasionally, we see small chunks of ice fall off into the water and the noise reverberates in the valley.  Sometimes we hear explosions that remind me of  firecrackers on New Years day.  They come from within the glacier and all we see our the ripples that spread on the surface of the lake.  It is an amazing site.  The rain is falling lightly and the surrounding mountains are covered in mist.  We dry one of the park benches and settle down to have a sandwich and watch the spectacle that nature has provided for us today.

After lunch we take a boat tour for a different perspective of the glacier.  It is cold outside, and the wind whips past as we brave the cold for more pictures of this stunning landscape.We go back for a goodbye dinner with the group.  A couple of people leave us to go their separate ways and a couple of new people join the trip including another Aussie, Rose, from West Ryde.  Yes, it is a small world.  Tomorrow we make our way to El Chalten for more experiences of glaciers. 

Those who are brutally honest are seldom so with themselves.  ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966

Driving, Riding & Hiking the Torres del Paine

We leave Punta Arenas early for the long drive to Puerto Natales and the Torres del Paine.  It will take us at least 12 hours of driving and a couple of rest stops to make it to our ultimate destination, the camp site in the Torres del Paine.

Torres del Paine was created in 1959 and was declared part of the International Biosphere Reserve Network by UNESCO. 

The Paine Massif is a small system of mountains, completely separate from the Patagonian Andes range.  The range is a mix of granite and sedimentary rock formed about 12 million years ago, when magma penetrated through a crack in Magellan’s basin.   

On the way to the campsite we stop at Puerto Natales, the gateway to the park to pick up supplies.  This was once a thriving fishing port but today, it is tourism that keeps the economy ticking.   The drive is stunning and the clouds make amazing patterns in the sky that has me glued to the window.  If I was driving, it would take me days to get there, because I would need to stop every 5 minutes to take yet another picture. 

Ally informs us that we have the option of a 3 hour  horse ride in the park before we make it to camp.  A number of us decide we want to experience the park in true South American fashion, and hop off the truck to go riding.  I am little apprehensive initially, but I’ve made the right decision!  The park is so beautiful and to experience it from on top of a horse is just fabulous!  It has been awhile since I did any riding, so it isn’t long before my knees start to feel sore.  The stunning landscape makes up for it and we thoroughly enjoy the views and the beautiful weather.  It is a brilliant day and we make our way up a mountain for panoramic, picture post card views of this incredible place. Coming downhill is far more challenging than going uphill, but we hang on as the horses make the final gallop home.  It has been a wonderful introduction to our 3 nights of camping in the Torres del Paine.

I spend Day 2 hiking Frances Valley.  We wake up early to catch the catamaran to our trail head.  The walk, which is described as undulating, is spectacular and I take my time to enjoy the views as well as the hiking.  I walk with Katie, a girl who hails from my part of the world and lives on the beaches of Manly.  We chat, eat and stop to smell the roses.  We walk past the campground and make it to a wonderful view point to enjoy the spectacular scenery.  We are not hell bent on reaching the summit.  The view point gives us stunning views of the mountains, the glacier and the river that carries the glacial melt.  We chill and chat as we eat our lunch and reflect on what comes next in our lives!

On Day 3 we have the option of another strenuous hike to view the ‘towers’ close up.  I decide it is time to have a day off and just enjoy this beautiful park.  I drive out in the truck to drop off the hikers and then enjoy the drive back, chatting to Andy (our truck driver) and snapping lots of photos at the stops along the way.  When I get back, I spend the day engaging Mark (our cook for this camp) in conversation, walking with Fiona (fellow traveller who opted for the ‘chill day), blogging and catching up on a bit of sleep. It’s been a fabulous experience.

You cannot fully understand your own life without knowing and thinking beyond your life, your own neighbourhood, and even your own nation.  ~Johnnetta Cole

Punta Arenas

We are on the road again.  It is a long drive from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas and so we set off early morning, leaving Ushuaia at 6.30 and making our  acquaintance with Peggy who will be our mode of transport all the way to Santiago. 

Peggy is a comfortable truck and as it is only at half capacity, we have plenty of room to spread out.

On the way we have a border crossing, which threatens to take up more time than warranted, but after hassling with the Argentineans on our way out and being asked to fill out forms in quadruplicate copies, we are thankfully allowed into Chile with out too much fuss.

I catch up on my writing and admire the beautiful scenery as we say goodbye to Tierra del Fuego.  The landscape changes from steep mountains at the edge of the road to flat, green expanses that stretch for miles.  It is a pretty uneventful run with a few strategic stops for photos along the way.

The day includes a ferry ride as we cross the Magellan Straits and watch the dolphins that seem to be laid on for the tourists. We finally arrive at Punta Arenas, the southern most city in Chile,and a local centre for sheep farming and fishing. 

We spend two nights here, visiting a local museum and spending time at the Seno Otway Penguin Colony where we commune with a Magellenic penguin colony.  Watching these beautiful animals frolicking in the water, feeding their chicks and going back and forth from their burrows to the ocean never tires even those of us who have just returned from cruising Antarctica.

 

 

 

 

 

Food in this part of South America is mainly steak, empanadas, pasta and pizza but we find a sushi restaurant to add a bit of variety to our diet.  After dinner a few of us end up at the sky bar, marvelling at the view, while getting to know each other over drinks.  We eventually head back to our hotel for a few hours of sleep before our early morning departure to Torres del Paine. 

Let your heart guide you.  It whispers, so listen carefully.  ~Littlefoot's mother, Land Before Time

Ushuaia – The City at the End of the World!

The final goodbyes are said early morning and we disembark from the Vavilov, our ship which has been home for the last 3 weeks.  I have conflicting emotions of sadness at saying goodbye to my friends and the realisation that I’ve had the climax to my year long journey, excitement at starting my trip through Patagonia, (another stunning part of the world) my last organised trip of this journey and the beginnings of homesickness and a longing for seeing the people in my life back home, the people I refer to as my ‘Sydney Family’! 

I am starting a journey through Patagonia, which will see me wind my way between Argentina and Chile a few times, as I make my way from Ushuaia to Santiago. 

This journey is with a group called Tucan, and we will travel in an overland truck, in a very similar fashion to my travels through Africa, except that we only have about 3 days of camping on this trip!  

I meet the new group which includes Andy, an Englishman who is our truck driver, Ally who is our Tour Leader and Sarah my new room mate from England.  There are 12 of us in the group and in addition to Sarah, (right), I hang out with Katie a fellow Aussie from Manly, and Dave another Englishman.

We have 3 nights in Ushuaia and before I say goodbye to this southern most city in the world, I have a chance to do a bit of exploring.  Funnily enough we start this journey with a tour of the Beagle Channel and we find ourselves back on the water, this time on a much smaller boat called Elisabetta.  We see our fair share of wildlife including sea lions and admire the views of the snow capped mountains.  On our last day in Ushuaia we visit the Tierra del Fuego National Park for a day of hiking.  This park is at the edge of the Beagle Channel, at the border with Chile and was created to protect the Southern tip of the Andes. 

The main island of this archipelago was inhabited more than 10,000 years ago by various tribal groups including the Yamana people who lived in harmony with the environment.  Yesterday, we had visited the museum and seen the bark canoes they travelled in and learnt a little about their way of life.  They hunted seal-lions and harvested molluscs for food. 

Just as in many other parts of the world their disappearance has been linked with disease and with the coming of the early explorers.  It is said the sealers poisoned the Yamana so they could have easy access to the sea-lion colonies.  The literature I have obtained from the park head office tells me that “of the 3000 Yamanas living at the time of arrival of the Europeans, there were but 1000 ten years later (1890) and by 1910 there were but 100.”

We hike the coastal trail which leads us down to the water and through Sub Antarctic Beech Forest.  Initially, the water views are shrouded in mist and we cant see very far.  Toward lunch time though the mist lifts and the snow capped Andes mountains are revealed.  The views are stunning and we see a crested ducks and other birds in the water.  As we hike we come across a beach covered with mussels and barnacles, exposed as it is low tide.  We realise why the Yamana people could easily survive off this land.  A land which may appear hostile on the surface but as you explore deeper you realise it has a plentiful supply of food to offer!  We hike about 8 km before we stop for lunch at a great restaurant overlooking the water.  Its good to stretch my legs and get some exercise after so much time on the boat.  While I find it tempting to go back, Dave persuades me to keep hiking after lunch.  I am so glad I did.  The weather clears up completely and we hike through some stunning countryside bathed in sunlight. 

I am so glad to be outdoors and feel incredibly happy to be on land and back in the great outdoors doing what I love best – hiking!  We pass by a beaver dam and learn that beavers, rabbits and musk rats were some of the exotic mammals that were introduced to this pristine wilderness for economic reasons.  The stumps of dead trees that have resulted from the beavers, remind us of the dangers of introducing alien species to an environment not designed for them.We walk for another 4km or so before we call it a day.  We are picked up by our transfer vehicle and we go back for a hot shower and a quick nap before dinner.  I am glad this leg of my journey will be an active one. Hopefully, I might lose the pounds I put on on, aboard the Vavilov! 

I'm the walkingest girl around.  I like to work at it - really get my heart pounding.  ~Amy Yasbeck