Text excerpts
Patagonia - a selected history
... The Straits of Magellan became the de rigeur route for
expeditions attempting to cross over to the Pacific Ocean. Only
a few ships made it through. Many were stopped short by the tempestuous
weather that afflicted the straits, and the notorious williwaws
- violent katabatic winds that raced down from the mountain tops
and knocked boats over as if they were toys. These storms caused
early undertakings to travel east to west around the globe to come
at a horrific human cost. Thousands of sailors lost their lives.
The stories and fables from this dreadful, storm-strewn land at
the tip of South America were to become legend. It had been christened
Patagonia...
Patagonian Andes
... In November 1968, a team
of highly experienced British climbers, including future Everest
summiteer Dougal Haston, enlisted the help of ace Argentine climber
Jose Luis Fonrouge for an attempt on Cerro Torre’s South East
ridge. Bad weather hampered the expedition throughout but the group
managed to climb within 400 metres of the summit, before they returned
to base camp for more equipment. A major storm saw them stuck for
37 days in base camp and when they returned to the mountain their
fixed ropes had been destroyed by the wind. Defeated, the British
returned home and, when asked, expressed doubts about Maestri’s
ascent, compared to the time it had taken them to climb their route,
the terrain they could see on the East Face, and the ferocity of
the Patagonian weather...
Los Glaciares National Park
...
Los Glaciares National Park was created by the National Parks Department
of Argentina in 1937. The purpose of the park is to protect and
preserve a vast wilderness area which remains heavily affected by
the geological process of glaciation. Named after a multitude of
glaciers that flow east from the Southern Patagonian Ice Cap - the
largest expanse of ice in the southern hemisphere outside of Antarctica
- the park is located in the south-west region of Argentina’s
Santa Cruz province. Its boundaries encompass the eastern edge of
the ice cap and, generally, all the glaciers exiting east from the
ice between 49o 15’S and 50o 40’S. This includes the
mountains and forests of the Patagonian Andes and the western edges
of Lago Argentino and Lago Viedma; two huge glacial lakes that deposit
the ice into the Atlantic Ocean via the Rio Santa Cruz...
El Calafate
... Over the counter banking and ATM services, plus foreign currency
exchange, are available on the main street at Banco de Santa Cruz/1285
Avenida Libertador, Banco Nación/1133 Avenida Libertador and
Banco de Tierra del Fuego/25 Avenida de Mayo. Banks are open M-F only,
10am-3pm. For foreign currency exchange only, visit the Thaler Agencia
de Cambio/Avenida 9 de Julio/493245/www.cambio-thaler.com, in the
Paseo de los Pajaros gallery. The change agency is open M-S 10-1pm
and 3.30-8pm, Sundays 5.30-8pm...
El Chalten
... The best public campsite in El Chalten is Campamento
Madsen, to the far north of the town, just past the turn-off for Lago
del Desierto. This free site, frequently populated by mountain guides,
climbers and restaurant workers, is situated in a small forest with
lovely views of the mountains to the north towards Lago del Desierto.
There are two latrines and a tap for drinking water (at the Sendero
Fitz Roy sign) but no other services. You can pay in Albergue Rancho
Grande for a shower (AR$4). There is also another free campsite, much
smaller, which can be found to the very south of the town. From the
National Park Administration office, make to head into town and you’ll
find it in a tiny forest, on the right, well before the bridge. Again
there is a latrine but no other services. For a fee-paying campsite,
try El Refugio (Avenida San Martin/493221) beside the De Las Vueltas
river. It has showers, shelters and BBQ facilities. Pitches are AR$10
per night. As with Campamento Madsen, there are good views to the
north. 13km outside town, you’ll find the quiet Camping Bonanza,
beside the road and the Rio de las Vueltas, in the grounds of Estancia
Bonanza/493089...
Planning a trip
... Many people prefer to use the services of a tour operator, both
to save time when organising a trip, and to obtain valuable local
knowledge from the guide when they are there. A little research on
the marketplace in your country will go a long way to making your
visit as enjoyable as possible. The classified advertisements at the
back of travel or outdoor magazines are a good place to start. Find
tour operators that organise, or better still specialise in South
American travel and ask them to send you a brochure. You can also
use the Internet to research trips, even ones offered by companies
in other countries and if you book direct with a local Argentine tour
operator it cuts out the proverbial middle man and helps support the
local economy....
Considerations on clothing and equipment
... Down jackets can’t be beaten for keeping you warm and
for packing as small as possible. Down however can’t be recommended
for multi-day trips as it is useless when wet, when the feathers
resemble paper mache. If you have to spend time worried about your
insulation getting wet you’ll lose the small psychological
benefit of knowing you have a warm jacket in your rucksack. Synthetic
insulated clothing is the best alternative, being lighter than fleece
clothing and much warmer for its weight. It is also much more water
resistant, with most models having a water repellent coating on
the surface. Whilst not as warm as down when compared weight for
weight, clothing filled with a synthetic material - usually Polarguard
HV or Primaloft, which was developed for the US Army - is the closest
man-made material yet to down feathers...
|