Who Does It Better? (Argentina - Part 3)
Argentina and Chile have a bit of a rivalry - on food, wine, accents, sports, but mostly importantly - Patagonia. Which side is better?
Having done both, the sights are somewhat similar, though the Chilean side is more dramatic. I can definitively say that I suffered much less on Sendero Fitz Roy than I did on the W trek in Torres del Paine. It’s either easier, my baseline tolerance for suffering has improved over the last few years, or hiking on a sprained ankle really does dampen your performance.
Here’s the Argentinian perspective. There’s two main day hikes, though some stay overnight and camp in the area.
Sendero Fitz Roy
The trail starts off in the quaint touristy town of El Chalten, where you should forget about wifi and cell service for the next few days to avoid a throwback to dial-up trauma. You’re at the whims of the winds for the satellite wifi signal to work. Since a gust of wind in Patagonia can easily knock you off your path or a cliff, it’s better to just take a digital detox rather than fight the forces.
Since the hike is about 20km (~12 miles) and can be done in a day, a number of people come in by bus at 8am from El Calafate, do the hike, and go back. That makes it critical to beat the crowd and start out at the crack of dawn. Minus the early wake up, the morning walk eases you into a gentle uphill climb, with a sun salutation to boot.
After the initial climb the trail evens out to be mostly flat. You get many views of the peaks - through forest, riverbed, and plains.
The last kilometer is the real workout - the 9 before were just the warm up. 90 minutes of stair mastery on rocky uneven steps. It’s uphill all the way.
After some huffing and puffing, you reach the peak for lunch. Two glacier lakes, multiple peaks, and ultimate serenity (if you got there early). If you didn't get there early, you'll start to consider if being deaf wouldn't be so bad.
When it’s time to come back down, take a detour by the lake to catch your final views and ice your feet in the water.
Cerro Torre
The second hike is an 18km roundtrip that takes you to the other side of the peaks around another glacial lake.
Starting out from the town, the trail first goes through rock and shrubbery to river views.
Then you reach the viewpoint Mirador Cascada Margarita for a mountain panorama.
Only about 3km ins, 9 more to go (one way). Skipping ahead to the good part, the glacial lake didn’t disappoint. I hung around for over an hour hoping the cloud would dry up, but nature decided this was the best it was going to do today.
The trail back (it’s a bit of a loop), takes you by the river. Here a rabbit crossed my path, as well as a woodpecker.
In the late afternoon the sun was hitting just right, making these photos look more like a watercolor painting.
And the next day when was leaving town, Fitz Roy was still asleep, but was kind ennough to send me off with a rainbow. Goodbye for now, but not forever.
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