Surreal Skies and Picturesque Peaks
During our last few days at Estancia Rio Mitre we relaxed and went on walks through the dry summer grasses on the vast plains surrounding the ranch house. We saw lots of birds of prey out hunting; they seem to love fence posts (the tallest thing around in an area completely devoid of trees). The most beautiful thing continued to be the fantastical and eye-popping cloud formations that sometimes made us feel like we were on another planet. The best way I can describe the skies is surreal.
From the ranch we got back on the road headed towards the town of El Chalten. Not long after we got started we were directed by police to pull off the road to make way for an enormous disassembled boat! It was being transferred in pieces to the lake at the base of the glacier (most likely destined to give tours). We arrived at El Chalten quite fatigued because we had to fight high winds for hours. The town is located in a beautiful panoramic setting, nestled at the base of the mountains and beside a turquoise-colored river. It is in the middle of absolute nowhere, but boasts some of the most incredible hiking in all of the Patagonia! We found a place to camp that was full of other visitors from around the world who had come to hike. Thankfully, the campsite had hot showers! Actually, it was one of the best camping setups we have had on our trip; there was a full kitchen and a large dining area. The only downside was the wind…it was incredibly strong and made sleeping more difficult (even with a windbreak).
Our first hike was to see the iconic Fitz Roy peak. It was an absolutely perfect sunny day and the views during the hike were gorgeous. The hike was challenging at 16 miles long and steep with 2,500 feet of elevation gain. It took us about ten hours to complete. Unsurprisingly, we stopped frequently to take pictures, even more than usual. Because it was such a perfect day there were lots of other hikers on the trail, which worked out well for getting pictures of both of us (a rarity). One thing that stood out about this particular hike is that you can see Fitz Roy peak and lots of other magnificent peaks almost the entire time you are hiking! That is not true for most hiking; usually, you hike for several hours to arrive at the viewpoint (enjoy the sights and snack) and then turn around and hike back. When all is said and done, we both agree that this hike was one of the most spectacular hikes we have ever done in our entire lives!
To give our legs a little bit of a rest, the next day we did a much shorter hike to some viewpoints above the town. The air currents up there are apparently perfect for the Andean Condor and we saw at least 8 different condors in the matter of a few hours! The Andean Condor is the largest flying bird in the world (when weight and wingspan are combined) with a wingspan just under 11 FEET! It is in the vulture family and although majestic when seen in flight is quite ugly up close (personal opinion – this is probably not how other condors feel). They make their home on inaccessible crags up to 16,000 feet high and can live as long as 70 years. It is the national bird of Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, and Ecuador.
Our last big hike in this area was the Towers Lake Hike. It was almost as long as Fitz Roy at 15 miles, but WAY less steep (only 700 feet elevation gain), which makes a huge difference in difficulty. Like most hikes, the truly stunning views did not come until the end (or halfway point…) when we reached the Towers, the glacier, and the lake filled with icebergs. We also encountered an absurdly strong wind whipping down from the mountains and across the trail here; even with our trekking poles it was difficult to stay on the ridge line. After a short lunch and more photos we headed back the way we had come and headlong into the beginnings of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Chris & Sharon
