El Chalten is a cute little village wedged into the mountains of southern Patagonia. The international rock climbing community has long been enamored by Mt Fitz Roy, one of the most technically challenging mountains on earth. For the rest of us, Fitz Roy symbolizes a massive peak in a really special part of the world.

Landscape

Although we read that 80% of Patagonia is actually desert and grassland, I will admit it was surprising to actually see it in person — my mental images of Patagonia have always been only that of huge snowy mountains and bright blue, glacial-fed lakes; I truly never gave much thought to the rest of the surrounding land. The Andes mountain range, with its ice fields, glaciers, and lakes, absorbs the majority of rain and snow, leaving little water for the east side of the mountains. Visually the difference in the landscape is stunning, especially now after the hot and dry summer.

Harry, Kerry + Merry Go Hiking

We had the best weather on our fourth and final day in El Chalten. Taking advantage of the promising morning forecast, Harry, Merry and I set off first thing in the morning to hike the Fitz Roy trail to Laguna Capri. Our fingers were crossed that the clouds would finally lift so we would actually be able to see the ever-elusive Mt Fitz Roy.

Fitz Roy

A few hours later, when we reached the prominent overlook, we could actually see Fitz Roy! Well, we really could only see the bottom third of it, but how exciting! Although the mountaintop was covered with clouds, we could definitely sense the presence of its greatness.

Icing on the Mountain Cake 

Harry and I have always had an affinity for mountain lakes. We love the clear, icy water and the solitude that surrounds them. We always challenge each other to take a dip, but it rarely happens — and today was no exception. Are you kidding me? That water was freezing!

Patagonia Effect

The truly best part of this whole day was the fact that once again — for the third day in a row! — Harry’s foot and leg were behaving beautifully! Yep, that’s 20 miles over three days without a hitch. We are genuinely mystified, and while we can’t yet understand it (although we have a few theories), we are certainly celebrating! We’ve named this phenomenon the “Patagonia Effect”.

We left Buenos Aires on March 1st and flew down to southern Patagonia to start the next chapter of our South American adventure. We landed in El Calafate and jumped into a van for the three-hour ride north up to the little mountain village of El Chalten, Argentina’s trekking capital. Established in 1985 it exists solely for tourism. Rock climbers, hikers and adventurers come from all over the world to play on its incredible mountains, lakes and glaciers.

While we read that it’s windy in Patagonia we weren’t prepared for the intense gusts of wind that hit us from all sides. At times I felt like my teeth were rattling inside my head and although we laughed at the absurdity of its strength, I admit that deep down I was worried about blowing away.

We spent four days in El Chalten and went on some great hikes. Our friends from Boulder, Merry and David (whom we met in Buenos Aires), were also staying in the village and it was really fun to reconnect with them. We went on hikes together, ate some good meals and talked about our always-changing where-should-we-go-next travel plans.

First Hike

Our first morning in El Chalten we went with Merry and David for an eleven-mile hike to the Cerro Torre glacier. Despite low-hanging clouds, the trek was incredible! It was fantastic being in the solitude of the mountains after spending six weeks in the big city of Buenos Aires. The landscape was diverse and we felt right at home in the wilderness.

When we reached the Torre glacier, the wind kicked in, the clouds dropped and the rain started, but nothing could dampen our spirits. The best part was that Harry never had an issue with his leg or foot! He started the trek thinking that he’d turn back when/if his walking became too difficult, but for some reason, he never had any problems! In fact, he hiked the entire 11 miles with ease (something we honestly cannot explain). Here is a picture of him feeling elated at the halfway point:

The weather cleared up on the hike back and we arrived home tired, hungry and very happy! We can’t wait to continue exploring Patagonia and all it has to offer.