Guts and gusts

A couple of days driving and bush camping landed us at El Chalten, an odd town that seems to exist purely to sell hiking gear, souvenirs and an odd assortment of grocery items to tourists…usually at the same shop.  This is the first place that has offered plentiful climbing opportunities.  And it does a fine Patagonia wind.  There are lots of hikes through forests flanked by jagged peaks, many snow-capped with glaciers.  Glacier-fed rivers and lakes are dotted about fetchingly.  We spent several days here, climbing in the wind, hiking in the wind, camping in the wind… 

On the walk up to glacier

Marese does her first tyrolean!

Mountains finally come out of the clouds after days.

On excellent 4 pitch route near Fitz Roy

As close as we got to glacier due to weather moving in.