On To Fitz Roy

With the Torres del Paine circuit under our belts, Emily and I decided to continue north to check out Argentina's answer to Paine--Parque Nacional Los Glaciers. Home to two impressively ominous peaks--Monte Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre--plus a plethora of other granite spires, calving glaciers, and emerald lakes, the park is like a taller but more compact version of its (in our opinion, superior) Chilean cousin.

Fitz Roy and Torre both boast contentious and fascinating climbing histories, and the park still plays host to countless climbing teams, whose visible presence makes the trekkers in the park something of a subspecies. Because we're both sort of fascinated with climbing without having the mental or physical desire/ability to hunker down in ice caves or pull ourselves up vertical slopes, we enjoyed watching documentaries on ascending Fitz Roy and Torre from the warmth and comfort of El Chalten's National Park Visitor's Center. We then ventured into the park to observe climbers firsthand.

The first site we stayed at--Campamento De Agostini--played host to trekkers and climbers alike. The former are recognizable by their modest tents, loose-fitting clothing, and tendency to admire nature from a distance. The latter--who tend to spend long days and weeks at base camp waiting for the weather to clear--are distinguished by their gear-laden campsites, spandex everything, and enormous stone and wood monuments erected out of boredom.

Despite their differences, Parque Nacional Los Glaciers has much to offer both climbers and trekkers. Walking the moraine ridge beside Laguna Torre on the first afternoon of our hike, Emily and I admired Cerro Torre's cloudless spire in shorts and t-shirts, not realizing that the view was like a once-a-week stroke of good fortune. By the next morning, the peak was completely engulfed in fog, and rain pelted us as we hurried to Campamento Poincenot, the site nearest to Fitz Roy.

We spent two incredibly cold nights at Poincenot--socks, pants, fleece, and wool hats in our mummy bags cold--using it as a base for exploring a variety of spur trails. We walked partway into Laguna Sucia on an unmarked boulder-hopping route, but were stopped by the fast flowing waters of the lake's outlet stream. We also checked out the remote and very pretty Glacier Piedras Blancas, which is surrounded by enormous erratic boulders that make you feel ant-like as you scramble around them. Our hands-down favorite route in the park, however, was the rocky climb up to Laguna de los Tres, a beautifully blue glacial lake located 1500m. up above a treeless ridge. The clouds parted for the first time in two days to offer incredible views of the towering, wind-chiseled Fitz Roy.

We spent a mere four days in the park--less than half the time taken exploring Torres del Paine--but the bone-chilling temperatures of the final two nights, coupled with a sudden and intense aversion to tuna fish, minute rice, dried fruit, and other hiking staples, made us happy to emerge from the woods. When we pulled out our hiking guide the next morning, over cafe con leche at a hostel in El Chalten, we both agreed to nix future treks not involving geysers, fumaroles, and hot springs. -NSH