Hiking mountains and glaciers in El Calafate

Trip Start Feb 01, 2005

Trip End Ongoing

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Flag of Argentina El Calafate, Argentina
Tuesday, February 28, 2006

We arrived here after a flight and bus journey from Buenos Aires on the 21st Feb. What a temperature change! Packed away are all the skimpy clothes and out some the fleece, thermals, and waterproofs! We stayed in a lovely hostel (with underfloor heating!) and vies over a lake with snow capped mountains in the distance and the following day we took a trip to the outstanding Moreno Glacier, one of the few advancing icefields in the world. Its over 1km wide, stretches back up the mountain towards Chile for 25km and is 60m high at its face. As you approach you can hear loud rumbles of thunder and the sound of whip cracking which is actually the glacier shattering as it moves forward. Its incredible to watch as vast chunks of ice suddenly sheer off the face and crash into the lake below causing enormous waves.

Next we went to nearby El Chalten, home of the Fitz Roy mountain and glacier and an ideal place for some serious hiking...no, not me of course! We did a 4 hour hike through the valley to a beautiful sparkling lake where you can drink the water it is so pure with amazing views across the valley to the snow capped Fitz Roy. The following day we decided to go for the 12 hour ice hike...starting at 7am! Unfortuantely the weather was not so good which made it hard going and it took us 5 hours just to get to the glacier. We then had to put on crampons and make our way carefully across the glacier, leaping over yawning cravasses (just dont peer down, it seems to go on forever!). The ice also forms amzazing turqouise ice caves and tunnels.
Finally reached the hostel at 7pm, cold, wet, with aching feet and thoroughly exhausted!

So next stop is Puerto Natales, Chile, kick off point for the Torres del Paine National Park....more hiking!