Amazing hike to views of Mt Fitz Roy and El Torre

Tuesday, December 29, 2015
El Chalten, Patagonia, Argentina
Tue Dec 29
-the wake up call came in at 6:30 and it was much more harsh than Shaun's "good morning good morning ." But we got up and rallied for a quick breakfast. Packing the night before paid dividends and we were ready pretty quickly if only a few minutes late. 
-we jumped in a van with one other family and proceeded down a bumpy road to our trailhead. There was a river next to the road and occasionally there would be stunning views through the clearings of the mountains. The day was setting up to be clear and sunny as forecast. 
-after a half hour of bouncing we were dropped at out trailhead. We set off on our 13 mile hike and snapped pictures as scenic vistas presented themselves
-soon we were making our way through the valley and the pinnacles of Mount Fitz Roy were coming into view. The peak itself was still hidden in clouds but our guide was hopeful that it would clear
-after two hours we reached the pig tail that made a steep 2km climb up to a ridge line where there would be awesome views. The clouds had cleared and we knew we had to go despite the extra mileage and vertical 
-it was a tiring hour to get up and the trail was crowded but the view was stunning . The whole mountain was in view so we again had been fortunate with the weather. 
-The ridge was crowded but we walked an extra few minutes to a peaceful spot and had a very nice picnic lunch. Finn was still full of energy and bounded down to the glacial lake to refill our water. Amazingly u can drink straight from these lakes and rivers. 
-we made our decent and continued our hike, looking back occasionally to marvel in the shape of the mountain and take pictures. I'm guessing we have at least a couple of good ones in there. We made a final longer stop at a beautiful lagoon with an absolutely stunning backdrop. 
-our spirits were good although our legs and mainly feet were tired. Finn had a wonderful attitude and truly appreciated the beauty and uniqueness of the landscape. It was great.
-at last we descended back into town and then made the final short climb to our hotel. We happily hopped out of our boots and snacked on our leftover pizza. Finally we motivated to shower and then to our complimentary dinner at the hotel. 
-it was a long day and really took 9.5 hours like they said but it was worth it. The views were incredible. Tomorrow we do another hike said to be 7 hours but easier. We'll see how our bodies are feeling tomorrow but the weather is forecast to be clear again so we are excited for that!
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