El Chaltén, Argentina
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Chorrillo del Salto El Chaltén, Argentina |
March 24, 2012
Sunrise at our hostel
Having previously scheduled a 'relax day' in lieu of our potentially grueling
hike to Laguna Torre, we will check out a nice waterfall just north of here.
Lacking our own transportation, the only way to access the falls is by foot.
The mile-long walk to the edge of town provides an opportunity to capture
some of of its flavor.
El Chaltén is a truly unique place. It was created in 1985 out of nothing, because Argentina needed a 'presence' in the area in order to handle a border dispute with neighboring Chile. The seemingly haphazard fashion in which the town has developed is unlike any other community.
That's the bus station
Some sort of flag ceremony
The clouds are in charge
At first glance the town seems primitive and impoverished. The store fronts are anything but modern, many of the streets are unpaved, and people freely walk in the middle of any street due to lack of adequate sidewalks. On the other hand, a lot of building construction is in progress, there are no wrecked cars in people's yards, and there isn't a speck of litter anywhere. Don't even think about trying to purchase property here.
After walking another mile and a half on the dirt road north of town, we are
able to veer off onto a trail. Half a mile after that, we are back at a
parking lot which is just a five-minute scamper from the falls.
Once on a trail, we are nearly there
Chorrillo del Salto is about 65' high
David's choice
A fallen log enables me to cross the creek without getting wet. This vantage point provides a straight-on view.
Beautiful
Is this a mushroom, or a soccer ball?
The Rio de las Vueltas parallels the road
§: Any waterfall is a worthwhile destination.
| Scenery |  |
| Difficulty |  |
| Personality |  |
| Solitude | |
