PATAGONIA
PATAGONIA, SOUTH AMERICA
EVENT TYPE: Backpacking, dinning, hiking, photography, rafting, and so much more.
DISTANCE:6,851 miles as the crow flies
ELEVATION: Sea level to 6,000'
DIFFICULTY: easy to difficult
MAPS: Patagonia
DISTANCE:6,851 miles as the crow flies
ELEVATION: Sea level to 6,000'
DIFFICULTY: easy to difficult
MAPS: Patagonia
DESCRIPTION:
Because the Patagonia region is so vast, I am going to describe each image in detail underneath the image.
This way, you will be able to learn more about the specific areas.
This write up consists of two South American nations. Chile and Argentina.
My long time friend, Chris Herath had visited this area a few years before our trip, for his parents 50th anniversary.
Other members were Shea Herath, and Marsha Jones.
I can't say enough about the small towns, their hostels, and the restaurants. Not only was the service and accommodations excellent, they make their own real good ice cream. At one dinner, the waitress made me her favorite ice cream dish. It was vanilla ice cream with Teacher"s Scotch poured over it. I stumbled all the way back to the hostel.
Another real cool feature to El Chalten, was all the trail to the towers are right out your hostels door. There was no need to travel to trailheads.
This way, you will be able to learn more about the specific areas.
This write up consists of two South American nations. Chile and Argentina.
My long time friend, Chris Herath had visited this area a few years before our trip, for his parents 50th anniversary.
Other members were Shea Herath, and Marsha Jones.
I can't say enough about the small towns, their hostels, and the restaurants. Not only was the service and accommodations excellent, they make their own real good ice cream. At one dinner, the waitress made me her favorite ice cream dish. It was vanilla ice cream with Teacher"s Scotch poured over it. I stumbled all the way back to the hostel.
Another real cool feature to El Chalten, was all the trail to the towers are right out your hostels door. There was no need to travel to trailheads.
HAZARDS:
Early spring snows were an issue. A guide friend told us to exit the high country if it started to snow. That was great advise. The first day up high below the towers, it snowed about 6”. After we retreated back to Camp Pehoe, there was many feet of snow that blew down thru the high country, onto the valley floor. It snowed 3+ feet up high where we were camp.
R & P:
While you are in Calafate, Argentina, be sure to have a quality dinner at The Los Alamos Resort.
PHOTO GALLERY
AT THE REQUEST OF MARSHA, OUR FIRST TRIP WAS TO THE STRAIGHT OF MEGELLIN TO SEE THE PENGUINS.
THEY WERE BIRTHING OR RAISING THEIR YOUNG, SO ALL TOURIST TRAFFIC WAS STRICKLY RESTRICTED.
WHEN CHRIS WAS HERE BEFORE, THEY UTILIZED A GUIDE SERVICE. WHEN WE WENT, THE SAME GUIDE DROVE US AROUND TORRES DEL PAINE PARK, EXPLAINING THE AREA, AND ADVISING US ON DO'S AND DON'TS.
TORRES DEL PAINE PARK IS IN THE BACKGROUND.
ALONG THE AUTO TOUR, WE STOPPED OFTEN FOR IMAGES OF WILDLIFE WITH THE PAINES BEHIND. THE ANIMALS ARE GUANACOS.
THIS IS SALTO GRANDE FALLS ALONG THE AUTO TOUR
SALTO GRANDE FALLS WERE ONE OF SO MANY WATERFALLS THRUOUT THE TRIP
THIS IS A CARO CARO FALCON
AS WE WERE PHOTOGRAPHING THE CARA CARA FALCON, A GAUNCHO RODE BY.
EL CHALTEN IS A SMALL VILLAGE AT THE BASE OF THE TORRES DEL PAINE PARK, WHERE WE STAYED FOR A FEW NIGHTS. THE RESTAURANTS WERE SPECTACULAR.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT PATAGONIA, I MUST TELL YOU ABOUT THE ALWAYS PRESENT WINDS.
THEY AVERAGE 35+ MPH, BUT OFTEN REACH 50+ MPH.
THIS IS THE HEADQUARTERS FOR THE TORRES DEL PAINE PARK WITH THE HORNS BEHIND.
THE HORNS OF TORRES DEL PAINE PARK, ABOVE LAGO PEHOE
SHEA ON THE TRAIL HEADING TO CAMP PEHOE.
THIS IMAGE ONLY SHOWS TWO RUTTED TRAILS. IN SOME AREAS,
THE RUTTED TRAILS WAS 6 LANES WIDE, AND TWO FEET DEEP.
OUR FIRST HIKE WAS TO CAMP PEHOE.
FROM HERE WE HIKED UP UNDER THE THE TORRES TO CAMP ITALIANO
THE TENT CAMP AREA AT CAMP PEHOE
ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS ABOUT HIKING IN TORRES DEL PAINE PARK, WAS WHENEVER A STREAM CROSSED THE TRAIL, WE WOULD DRINK RIGHT FROM THE CREEKS, THEN FILL OUR WATER BOTTLES TO CONTINUE.
WHEN WE DID THE AUTO TOUR, THE GUIDE TOLD US, VERY SERIOUSLY, THAT IF IT SNOWED WHILE WE WERE UP HIGH, WE SHOULD EXIT THE HIGH COUNTRY IMMEDIATELY.
WE WOKE UP TO ABOUT 5" OF FRESH SNOW ON THE FIRST MORNING.
CHRIS AND I WENT TO ALL CAMP SITES AND ADVISED THE CAMPERS TO HEAD DOWN.
ONE BRITISH HIKER WAS THERE WITH ALL NEW EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING A STOVE, BOOTS, AND CANNED FOOD.
HE DIDN'T HAVE A CAN OPENER, SO HE WAS IN A BAD WAY. I WENT BACK TO MY PACK AND DUG OUT A SPARE P-38 CAN OPENER, TO GIVE HIM.
I INSISTED THAT HE, AS WELL AS ALL CAMPERS LEAVE BEFORE US, SO I COULD TELL THE RANGERS, NO ONE WAS LEFT UP HIGH.
ONE GERMAN COUPLE SPENT HOURS, MAYBE DAYS, LEANING AGAINST A DOWN TREE SMOKING CIGARETTE AFTER CIGARETTES.
THE PILE ON THE GROUND WAS EASILY 50 TO 75 BUTTS DEEP.
AS I TOLD THEM THEY HAD TO HEAD DOWN IN FRONT OF US, I INSISTED THAT THEY PICK UP EVERY CIGARETTE BUTT. FORTUNATELY, THEY COMPLIED.
FROM CAMP ITALIANO, THERE IS A SHORT HIKE UP TO VIEW THE TOWERS.
A POND BELOW THE TORRES DEL PAINE TOWERS
JUST AS WE WERE LEAVING, THE VIEWS ABOVE SHINED ON THE SUNLIT CLOUDS.
THE HORNS OF TORRES DEL PAINE PARK
SOME OF THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS IN THE PARK.
AS WE WERE RAFTING TO THE SHIPS, I GLANCED BACK AND SAW THIS VIEW.
I TURNED AROUND AND SHOT THIS IMAGE WITH A TELEPHOTO LENS, HAND HELD.
THEY ARE THE HORNS OF TORRES DEL PAINE PARK.
AFTER HIKING OUT OF THE CAMP PEHOE, WE RAFTED TO A WATERFALL, HIKED DOWN AROUND A WATERFALL, RAFTED SOME MORE, UNTIL WE CAME TO THESE SHIPS.
ALSO HERE WAS A PLACE TO EAT LUNCH. THEY BROUGHT US TRAYS OF BBQ MEATS, SALADS AND DRINKS, BEFORE WE BOARDED THE SHIPS FOR A CRUISE BACK TO
PUNTA ARENAS
WE NOTICED A CREW MEMBER CHIPPING ICE OFF A NEARBY GLACIER. LATER ON OUR CRUISE, HE BROUGHT US SMALL ROUND GLASSES WITH THE GLACIER ICE, AND POURED US A LOCAL ALCOHOL DRINK. I DON'T DRINK, BUT THE REST SAID IT WAS VERY GOOD.
SO GOOD THAT MARSHA BROUGHT BACK TWO BOTTLE TO THE U.S.
ALONG THE CRUISE, THE SHIPS WOULD SLOW, SO WE COULD TAKE PICTURES OF THE GLACIERS THAT CAME ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE LAGO.
MID WAY THRU OUR TURN TIME IN PATAGONIA, WE TRAVELED BY BUS TO CALAFATE IN ARGENTINA. THIS IMAGE IS OF AN OLD MAN AT THE MIDWAY STATION.
HERE WE HAD SANDWICHES, SNACKS, AND A REAL RESTROOM.
IT WAS AN OASIS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
I COULDN'T RESIST WALKING OVER TO THIS OLD HORSE FOR A FEW IMAGES.
I WAS DRAWN TO THE ROPE BRIDLE.
IN CALAFATE, WE STAYED IN THIS HOSTEL.
THE SERVICE AND QUALITY OF ALL BUT ONE HOSTEL WAS EXCEPTIONAL.
FROM CALAFATE, WE TOOK A BUS OUT TO GLACIER MORRENO.
THEY WERE PAVING THE ROAD TO THE GLACIER WITH A
ONE YARD HAND CEMENT MIXER.
THE ROAD WAS ABOUT 30 MILES LONG.
WE WERE IN CALAFATE IN LATE NOVEMBER, WHICH IS THEIR SPRING, SO WE ASKED THE HOSTEL OWNER WHERE THE VERY BEST RESTAURANT WAS.
SHE DIRECTED US TO THE LOS ALAMOS RESORT.
HERE WE CELEBRATED THANKSGIVING
THIS WAS MY TENDERLOIN STEAK WITH DELICIOUS MASHED POTATOES.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT...CHIC, SHEA, CHRIS, AND MARSHA.
THE FOOD WAS BEYOND BELIEF. ALL FOUR DINNERS, LOTS AND LOTS OF LOCAL WINE, AND TWO BEERS, WAS ONLY 97$ U.S.
AS WE WERE BEING SEATED, I TOLD THE PERSON, THAT THIS WAS A SPECIAL DAY IN THE U.S....THANKSGIVING. SHE ASKED ME HOW WE CELEBRATED THANKSGIVING, SO I EXPLAINED WE STUFF OUR SELVES WITH TURKEY AND ALL THE TRIMMINGS, AND LAY ON THE FLOOR AND MOAN AND GROAN WHILE WATCHING FOOTBALL.
SHE SAID THEY DON'T SERVE TURKEY, AND WE CAN'T LAY ON THE FLOOR,
BUT SHE WOULD LET THE COOKS KNOW.
AS AN APPETIZER, THEY BROUGHT US A PLATE OF TURKEY
COOKED SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS
AFTER LOTS AND LOTS OF WINE, THEY BROUGHT OUT A 13" CHEESE CAKE FOR US TO ENJOY.
THE ENTRANCE TO FITZROY GLACIER NATIONAL PARK,
WITH MOUNT FITZROY 11,073'
A PEAK NEXT TO MOUNT FITZROY 11,073' IN THE CLOUDS
CHRIS, BEING AN ARCHITECT, AND I, WERE AMAZED AT THE HOUSES IN CALAFATE.
KEEP IN MIND, THE WINDS BLOW HERE AT HIGH SPEEDS, ALL THE TIME.
ALL THE HOUSES ARE MADE OF ROCK, CONCRETE, BRICK, OR STUCCO.
THE REASON IS, WOOD HOUSES DON'T LAST VERY LONG IN THE WINDS.
