December 21, 2024

Today was a beautiful sunny day with little wind—a rare and unique occasion.

We were truly lucky, as the plan included a challenging 11 km hike to the destination and 11 km back.

The good weather allowed us to admire the Fitz Roy and, especially, the Cerro Torre throughout the hike. On previous days, we had only been able to catch partial glimpses of them, as they were shrouded in clouds.

These are two of the most iconic mountains in Patagonia, located within the Los Glaciares National Park, and they attract climbers from all over the world.

The first alleged ascent of Cerro Torre dates back to 1959, made by the Italian Cesare Maestri. However, it has been at the center of controversy for decades, as it seems he didn’t climb the final snow-covered meters.

Following the nature trail along the Rio Fitz Roy, we reached the Mirador del Torre after 3 km, and then, after another 8 km, the Mirador Maestri, which offered a spectacular view of the two mountains and the Laguna y Glaciar Torre, fed by the glacier above.

The outward trail is laid out in such a way that you have a constant view of the two mountains. Today, they were always free of clouds and bathed in sunlight. We were struck by the vegetation of shrubs, some of them dried out, casting gray shadows across the green expanses.

We returned home to El Chaltén a bit tired but ready for dinner, prepared by Javier, our Chilean friend who drives the camper. He made a traditional Chilean dish, Montaditos, consisting of meat and rice seasoned with onion and cilantro. Javier excelled in presenting the dish, crafting igloo-shaped portions molded with a bowl and flipped onto the plate, all topped with a fried egg.

Off to bed, tired, satisfied, and happy!