Southern Patagonian Ice Field 7-day expedition

Transfer to the bridge over the Rio Electrico, 15 Km northwest El Chaltén. It will be our starting point of the first trekking day. We’ll walk from here to the base of Marconi Glacier. The first 2 hours will go by over the river and through a dense wood. We’ll say bye to the vegetation when we get to the Piedra del Fraile camp (currently “Los Troncos” Hut). There, a wide glacial valley will be opened in front of us. So we can see the amazing mountains as well as both south and north sides of Marconi.

From Piedra del Fraile we’ll border the Lago Eléctrico on its southern edge and less than 2 hours we’ll be at the Pollone River, where we can see the northwestern face of Mount Fitz Roy.

After that, we’ll be in the west side of the Lago Eléctrico where we’ll finally set up our camp in La Playita campsite, very close to the Marconi Glacier. We can visit it after a deserved rest.

Your luggage will be carried by our group of helpers. The total distance will be 12 km. (6 hiking hours) and the altitude change will be 50 meters.

We’ll wake up with the first lights of sun. We’ll breakfast, disarm the camp and start a new trekking day.

In only 30 minutes we’ll be at the moraine of Marconi Glacier. It will be our first aim of the day due to the irregular and constantly loose terrain. 

Once we overcome this section we’ll mount on the Marconi Glacier to slowly exceed the 800 meters of altitude change until the Homonimo Pass.

According to the ice conditions, crampons and ropes will be needed to overcome cracks or ice slopes. Overcoming a rocky section to access the top of the glacier is the most challenging goal of the day.

The Marconi Glacier forms a funnel effect for the winds that come from the Patagonian Ice and the Pacific Ocean, generating bursts of snow and ice, which can mean a challenge not only physical but mental for each member of the expedition.

At the end of the day we will set up Camp II, in the foothills of South Cerro Marconi, only 1 hour far from the pass.

From there we can get an amazing viewpoint of Fitz Roy, Cerro Pier Giorgio as well as Gorra Blanca. Total distance 10 km (7/9 hours of hike). Positive altitude gained: 800 meters.

In the morning we’ll start the crossing of the Marconi Pass.

After just an hour of walk south Patagonian Ice will open before us giving us the views of the Lautaro Volcano (still active), the Cordón Mariano Moreno (almost as high and much bigger than the Fitz Roy), the Paso de los Cuatro Glaciares and The Chico Glacier to the South West.

Trekking on the Patagonian Ice field in direction to the south until we are in the Circus of Los Altares. There, we may need to use snowshoes. The total distance of today we’ll be 12 km (6/7 hours of walking). The positive altitude change will 50 meters and the negative 100 meters. 

Base camp at Circus of Los Altares.

In the morning we will go to La Esquina on the moraine side  of the Viedma Glacier. Here, our guides will decide the best departure point to leave. If climate and your physical conditions allow us to continue, we’ll go to the hut of Paso Del Viento. Distance of today 14 km. (8 hour of march). The altitude gained is 250 m of descent and 250 meters of ascent by the end of the day.
Laguna Esquies camp or Paso del Viento hut will be our accommodation options.

In this day we will begin to cross the valley of the Tunel River that will leave us in El Chaltén. The first challenge is the ascent to the Paso del Viento and then the descent to the Toro Camp, where we will rest in a lengas forest.

Positive altitude gained today 300 meters. Negative altitude 700 meters.

 

It is the last challenge. We will cross the valley of the Tunel River until we reach El Chalten. The total distance of today will be 15 km with 300 meters of ascent and 500 meters of descent.

We’ll take this day in case of bad weather or if the group need to rest.