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... |