Fitz Roy

Argentina
3 days in Februari, 2011

Fitz Roy is the highest peak in a group of peaks shaped like sharp towers. This group of peaks are among the most beautiful I have ever seen, and the surrounding nature is amazing too. A very special place...


Day 1: El Chaltén - Campamento Poincenot

Just a short walk to reach the campsite.

 

The mountains around El Chaltén. The landscape here is completely different from what you find after only one hour of walking into the higher mountains to the west. And shortly to the east are just dry, grassy plans. 

 

View from Poincenot campsite.
The clouds around the peaks started to disappear in the evening.
 
 

Day 2: Sidetrips from Campamento Poincenot

A lovely day walking to the lakes below Fitz Roy, to get some amazing views of the peaks.
 

Suddenly a large chunk of ice breaks off from the glacier
and falls down into the lake with a thundering noice,
splashing into the lake, creating large waves.
 
 

We scrambled up the rockwalls for
300 meters, to reach Laguna Los Tres.
 
 

View over Laguna Sucia
 
 

We finally reached Laguna Los Tres,
which had the bluest water we had ever seen.
 
 

Frey hut is visible at the far end of the lake
 
 

Fitz Roy peak
 
 

Dinner in the evening at the campsite.

In the evening we also walked to the Piedras Blancas glacier, which was also very nice, but with the sun in our eyes we didn't get any good photos.


Day 3: Campamento Poincenot - El Chalten
 
 

Clear water in the deep stream.
 
 

Piedras Blancas glacier and waterfall in the distance
 
 

Nature and scenery at it's best...
 
 

A Calafate berry. The legend says that if you eat it you will return to Patagonia. Considering how nice this trek had been, we stuffed ourselves full of berries :)
 
 

We couldn't get enough of Fitz Roy...
 
 

Laguna Capra, a perfect place for a picknick.
 
 

This photo is taken from the bus, as we left El Chalten
to visit the Perito Moreno glacier. To the right is Fitz Roy and to the left is Cerro Torre, which we had visited earler.
 
 

The amazing Perito Moreno glacier.
A couple of kilometers wide, 75-125 meters high and many kilometers long... Every now and then chunks of ice - as large as a house - falls off and plummet into the lake with an enormous spalsh.