On Monday morning we caught the bus three and a half hours north west to a very small town called El Chaltén in the 'Los Glaciars National Park'. The town survives on tourism, summer being the peak season. Being there in Spring, El Chaltén was pretty dead which is good for those of us without a coffee and cake addiction – there was only two hostels/hotels open and one restaurant. El Chaltén and Los Glaciars National Park offer breath taking scenery, particularly that of the two big crags: 'Cerro Fitz Roy (3405) and Cerro Torre (3102), each surrounded by glaciers and semi frozen lakes.The bus took us to the national park office where an enthusiastic park ranger emphatically urged us not to 'litter, smoke or defecate' in the national park.
Note: Argentina (as it strives to become a 1st world nation) is trying to arrest the notion that public defecation (PD) is a socialist right inspired by the countercultural Marxist Che Guevara. PD still remains a social norm (almost elevated to one of those twisted pagan/catholic rites) in Peru and Bolivia.
Having heard the 'ground-rules' we drove the remaining short distance to the hostel (incidently this was the only hostel we have ever visited to have 'Absolutely Forbade the use of Sleeping Bags' – we later learnt this was due to an epidemic of bed-bugs though the hotelier confusingly called them 'bed-bags' – 'an infestation of 'bed-bags'?'), checked in and repacked for the hike to Cerro Torre.
The walk to Cerro Torre was indicated to be a 6-hour return journey. As we passed several 'progress signs' we soon realized the average Argentinian must have run the track. Also slowing our progress was mud, more mud but frozen, and snow/ice on the track. We didn't see much in the way of wildlife although Karyn saw a flash of yellow in the trees. She has since convinced herself she saw a puma, although a German Shepard is more likely. We passed through amazing scenery and three-and-a-half hous later we climbed the last embankment over-looking the shores of Lago Torre, the frozen lake that lies at the base of Cerro Torre. It was breathtaking: snow capped peaks and the glacier both reflected on the waters of the lake. The river that drains from Cerro Torra can be crossed only via a cable strung up between two rocks. Two hard-core trekkers had tied themselves into harnesses with pulleys, winching themselves over the freezing river. Deciding against looting their belongings while they helplessly dangled above the river, we turned back for El Chaltèn, hoping to be back before sunset.
The next morning, having eventually found an open café and bakery for breakfast we set off for the second day of sightseeing in El Chaltén: trek to the mighty and frozen Cerro Fitz Roy. The weather was shitty in the morning and got worse as the day progressed. All day we couldn´t actually get a view of Fitz Roy through the clouds. Despite the horrid weather the scenery was beautiful and we got a glimpse of another glacier. We walked back in light rain, stopped to photograph some wood-peckers, and caught the evening bus back to El Calefaté.
The walk to Cerro Torre was indicated to be a 6-hour return journey. As we passed several 'progress signs' we soon realized the average Argentinian must have run the track. Also slowing our progress was mud, more mud but frozen, and snow/ice on the track. We didn't see much in the way of wildlife although Karyn saw a flash of yellow in the trees. She has since convinced herself she saw a puma, although a German Shepard is more likely. We passed through amazing scenery and three-and-a-half hous later we climbed the last embankment over-looking the shores of Lago Torre, the frozen lake that lies at the base of Cerro Torre. It was breathtaking: snow capped peaks and the glacier both reflected on the waters of the lake. The river that drains from Cerro Torra can be crossed only via a cable strung up between two rocks. Two hard-core trekkers had tied themselves into harnesses with pulleys, winching themselves over the freezing river. Deciding against looting their belongings while they helplessly dangled above the river, we turned back for El Chaltèn, hoping to be back before sunset.
The next morning, having eventually found an open café and bakery for breakfast we set off for the second day of sightseeing in El Chaltén: trek to the mighty and frozen Cerro Fitz Roy. The weather was shitty in the morning and got worse as the day progressed. All day we couldn´t actually get a view of Fitz Roy through the clouds. Despite the horrid weather the scenery was beautiful and we got a glimpse of another glacier. We walked back in light rain, stopped to photograph some wood-peckers, and caught the evening bus back to El Calefaté.
No comments:
Post a Comment