Appreciating Cerro Torre - Los Glaciares National Park - Patagonia

Appreciating Cerro Torre - Patagonia
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Originally uploaded by { Planet Adventure }.

I almost didn't make it here. There was no time on my initial schedule for a trip to Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre. But for whatever reason, I met this kiwi guy in Peru and chating about random things eventually we got to our itineraries and I mentioned that I'd be heading to Patagonia after the Inca Trail. I gave him information about the route I'd be doing, and I mentioned that I had 2 big priorities in Patagonia: 1-Complete the Torres Del Paine Circuit 2- See the Perito Moreno Glacier.

Having said that, he mentioned that his priority in Patagonia was Fitz Roy / Cerro Torre, and the next few words he said would become the trigger for a big and massive change on my initial plans. He said: "But, what a shame you are going to miss Fitz Roy" ... those words hit me baddly, and even not showing that I was felling a bit sad because of the idea of 'missing' these places, I just could not take my thoughts away from it.

Day after day, during the Inca Trail ... there was not a single day I didn't get myself wonddering, is there any way I can manage to go to Fitz Roy / Cerro Torre? I kind of knew the answer for it, but at that point I wasn't believing that it could be done, and trying hard to fight against my own thoughts eventually that issue went away for a while.

Once the Inca Trail was finished, on my way down to Patagonia, whilst on the plain I grabbed guides, maps and notes I had written months, weeks and even days before I set off to Peru. And started to re-do again my trip-plan for Torres Del Paine which was already audacious. By the time I got to Punta Arenas I had drawn a new plan which consisted of finishing the Torres Del Paine Circuit + Side Trips in nothing more than 5 days, 1 day less than the original plann.

With that extra day I would have the time I needed to go and see Fitz Roy / Cerro Torre. So I had to 'work hard' to stick to this new crazy schedule.

Something was making me believe that if nothing goes wrong i.e: get stucked on the John Garner Pass because of rough weather or whatever, I could do it. And all of the sudden just 5 days after having started one of the most amazing hikes on hearth I was again at the Hosteria Las Torres, where it all began.

From there, took the bus to Laguna Amarga and from there back to Puerto Natales, where the next day I would start my trip towards El Calafate in Argentina, and of course straight to El Chalten.

On the 6th of January at 5 in morning I started the last hike for this trip (Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre), where again I basically covered a 2 days hike in 1 (more or less 27kms). The path is very easy compared to what I faced in Torres Del Paine just a few days before. Not to mention I was just carrying my camera gear, all other stuff I had left behind at the hostel where I spent the night.

And this is the epic I went through to get to this place. I have to admit, I would have regret it so much if I haven't at least tried. Specially because I am so far from South America and I have no idea when I will be down there again.

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