Huemul Glacier Overlook El Chaltén, Argentina

March 25, 2012

Our bus from Los Huemules Reserve makes a photo stop alongside the creek on its way to the end of the road.

Roadside cascade

This hike will be on private property, where another fee is levied.  The riders on this bus all have the same idea — to head up the steep hill.

Collecting our money
Getting started

Into a unique forest

Just ahead, a calico kitten is following hikers up the trail.  As with the other cats we have encountered in Argentina, this one is quite comfortable with strangers.  Although it really should not be following us up the path, the little guy seems determined.

Already there are views southward, toward the everpresent Monte Fitz Roy.  For the record, Vice-Admiral Robert FitzRoy achieved lasting fame as the captain of HMS Beagle during Charles Darwin's famous voyage, and as a pioneering meteorologist who made accurate weather forecasting a reality.  An able surveyor and hydrographer, FitzRoy also served as Governor of New Zealand from 1843 to 1845.

Monte Fitz Roy  (around here they split the man's surname into two words)

After a relatively arduous but shady climb of just under a thousand feet, our efforts are amply rewarded by a superlative view of the Huemul Glacier.

This is why I go hiking

Glacial melt behind the lagoon

The namesake huemul is a small endangered deer that is difficult to observe due to its speed, size, and cunning.  I certainly haven't spotted one.

The lagoon's outlet

The early fall colors add something to every scene

The silly kitten, having scampered all the way to the top of the hill, is showing signs of distress.  It is lost, and its feet probably are a bit tender.  Although I would have been happy to do so, a woman hiker carries the poor guy ahead of us, all the way down the trail to the entrance station, where it predictably begins to act as if nothing untoward has occurred.

A final look southward

§: What a great walk!  The reward-to-effort ratio of this trail is quite high.  As yesterday, the skies were clear, and the absence of any wind made a big difference.

• Distance: 2 miles
• Elevation gain: 900 feet
• Hikers: 100
• Rating: 9

Scenery
Difficulty
Personality
Solitude

After the hike, we walk a bit farther to view a bigger lake that one can tour in a boat for a mere $50.  This area also was involved in the border dispute with Chile.

Lago del Desierto

I sure hope that that candle doesn't get loose in the forest

Before departing, the bus driver treats us all to a cup of coffee and a cookie.  Another photo stop at a different cascade concludes our adventure.

Sunset in El Chaltén

If we are very lucky, this unprecedented good weather will last for one more day as we tackle the biggest and baddest hike of them all.