Patagonia trekking

There´s something peculiar when you find exactly what you´ve been looking for. The emotions are really overwhelming.

Today, I hiked alone to Fitz Roy in El Chalten. In hindsight, the week in Torres del Paine was in someway just preparing me for this.

Day 1: Eco Camp to Los Cuernos, 11+K, approx 5 hours. This is one of the most amaxing trails I´ve ever walked on. Every turn affords you a spectacular view of the glacier formed massifs and Lago Nordenskjold. The color of the lakes is unreal. How could such a trail exist? How could every single view be so beholding? Our stay at Refugio Los Cuernos sets us up in cabins that face the lake, a waterfall beside the cabins and the Cuernos massifs in the background with their shear granite faces rising 2000+ meters before being capped off with the jagged peaks that form the horns.

Day 2: Los Cuernos to Valle de Frances to Refugio Pehoe Grand, 16K, approx 8 hours. The Patagonia wind blew heavily all through the night. I wondered if the roof of the cabin might just fly off at some point. The hike was long, but the scenery amazing. It´s the last day of 2008 and here is where I am. To celebrate, the refugio threw a festive party for all. We even all managed to stay up past midnight.

Day 3: Pehoe Grande to Glacier Grey to Eco Camp, 11K, approx 4 hours. It may have been the 4.5 hours of sleep, or maybe a few too many new year´s drinks, but this day was challenging, despite it being an easier day. The best part of this day was the boat ride across Lago Grey where we pass the glaciers. They are tremendous and the depths of blues within these walls of ice is fascinating. A pisco sour with glacier ice was a great way to take off the dragging feeling of the day.

Day 4: Eco Camp to Torres del Paine, approx 20K, 8+ hours. I can not believe our fortune as the day began with a rainbow and warm morning air. The hike to view the towers is grueling, the last 800 meters taking over an hour both up and down as we clamber over boulders, and brace ourselves against gusts that pin you to the rocks. The climb up seems endless from the moment we started, and just punishment as we approached the top. But then suddenly, there they are. And what a fantastic day for view them. I had no idea there was a lake at the base of the towers. On the return, my knees screamed at me, my ankles threatened to twist and my feet protested every movement. I promised my feet I would spend the extra money on the orange insoles if they would just get me to the top of the hill where camp was. There was beer there, I was told. That´s all we needed to know to make it home. A beer in the sun after a specatular day at the towers...

Day 5: Eastern Lakes, 11k, approx 4.5 hours. The women getting ready in the morning were all trying to find a way to not have to make the climb to the towers that morning, the rain and the wind that blew in overnight did not let up in the morning. Our group spent the less than ideal day on a nice drive out to the eastern lakes. The bumps and dips in the road rocked me to sleep as I dreamed of the wooly sheep and wind that passed just outside the windows of the van. The weather was bad enough to break out the rain pants, hood pulled up, the constant rain was a little damper on our spirits but the view at the top was a nice reward.

Yesterday, one could consider it a day of rest if 8+ hours on 3 busses is restful.

Today, setting out from the hostel just before 9, I made my way to the other side of town to the trail head. The morning sky was clear and I knew it would be a great day. Fitz Roy called to me. As I approached about an hour in the hike up, I saw the towers rise above everything else, their energy drew me and I ran up the hill the the lookout. I could not believe what I was seeing. I wanted to cry. What is it but just rock and snow and crumbled rocks! I don´t know, but they drew me nearer and further and harder up the climb than anything else.