A Patagonian Voyage of Discovery

Backpacking to Cerro Torre

Cerro Torre and Me

 Two days ago, I backpacked into the Mt. Fitz Roy region of southern Patagonia as its famously horrible weather pelted us with sheets of rain and wind. Even with the latest backpacking gear, we were quite soaked after just 20 minutes. Day hikers, drenched and chilled, passed us heading back to the mountain town of El Chaltén.  As the rain turned to hail, I started to wonder if the mythical Patagonian “giants” were going to make this a very miserable backpacking trip for this Alaskan gringo.

After a very wet night, we woke to marginal weather, but grateful it wasn’t hailing.  We had camped below a glacial lake near the base of the 10,278-foot Cerro Torre and with ice axes and crampons, we headed out to play on the Torre Glacier.  On our return, the clouds lifted and the giant South West Face of Cerro Torre stretched up into the clouds.

The mountain was a series of jagged granite spires and the southwest face gave me the chills as the 4,000 feet of sheer vertical rose into the sky.

In all my travels to New Zealand, Alaska, and Cascades I have never seen mountains quite like this. The explorer Magellan named the people here “Patagón” in 1520 and claimed them to be 12-15 feet high.  While this statement is debated, the geology of the area is very unique and inspiring.  I can see why Magellan would think such a region was a land of giants.

Today I awoke very early hoping to photograph the sun’s rays striking Cerro Torre.  It did NOT disappoint!  Calm with only a couple of clouds in the sky,  I hiked to the base of the glacial lake and was greeted by perfect weather and no other soul in sight.  In a matter of minutes, the sun’s rays painted Cerro Torre in a crimson red unlike any I had ever seen before.  What an amazing spectacle of nature!  It makes me hungry to explore the many natural wonders of this planet that we call home.