Meet the glaciers at Cerro Torre

#2024TravelReview The small town of El Chalten is located in the Los Glaciares National Park, a World Heritage Site in Argentina. The whole town is surrounded by mountains and is a paradise for hikers. Although it is a small village with only about 300 people, it has an excellent geographical location. It is located on the eastern edge of the Patagonia Ice Field in South America. It is the best base for heading to Mount Fitz Roy and Mount Torre. There are a constant stream of hikers all year round. In 2014, it was voted second in the “Best cities in the world to know” by Lonely Planet. The Patagonia Plateau in South America is a dream destination for many travelers. Climbing the two mountains Cerro Torre (3,128 meters above sea level) and Fitz Roy (3,405 meters above sea level) makes dreams come true. Fortunately, we had good weather when we arrived in El Chaltén. According to the official website, the round-trip distance of Cerro Torre and Laguna Torre hiking trails is about 18 kilometers (more than 6 hours), and the signs are clear. I confirmed that my equipment was complete: hiking shoes (hard-soled shoes are needed for rocky areas), trekking poles, warm clothes, windproof jacket, lunch, snacks, and sunscreen, and then I began a different self-challenge. From the accommodation, head towards the outskirts of town near the intersection of Costanera Norte and Calle 12. You will see a long slope and after climbing up you will see the trailhead. The entire climb of 250 meters is concentrated in the first three kilometers; the latter part walks along the stream bed, where you can have a bird's eye view of the entire town and the streamside scenery. Patagonia is famous for its extremely strong winds. I encountered strong winds while traveling to the "Laguna Torre" (Laguna means "lake" in Spanish) and the Glacier Grande. The wind was so strong that I had to hold on to the rock wall with my hands to avoid being blown away. Haha 😄 I teased myself that I was not heavy enough and needed to eat more. People are never satisfied. They are afraid of the sun on sunny days and feel comfortable on cloudy days but dislike the lack of great scenery. The ice lake was about 100 meters below me, and the strong wind brought small stones. I hid behind the rocks 🪨 to avoid the wind. I finally walked to the ice lake with great difficulty. The wind was so strong that it was difficult to stand straight and take pictures 😓 The lake💦 would be much less beautiful without the reflection of the blue sky and white clouds. The snow-white mountaintops, the desert-colored icy lake, the glaciers and floating ice with a trace of blue light, seem to have walked into another time and space or another planet. No! No! This is the "Patagonia Plateau" which is very friendly and like a fairyland - alpine lakes, glaciers and mountain peaks towering into the clouds. 🏖️Transportation: One is public transportation bus (two buses a day), the other is renting a car and driving 🕰️Opening hours: open all year round, good time management and no dark 📍Address: Torre Peak is located in the Southern Patagonian Glacier in South America 🗓️Itinerary: Continue hiking to Fitz Roy the next day 💞Recommendation reason: It is easy to reach the top and you can touch and bite the floating ice on the ice lake