Perito Moreno Glacier
This is SO much better with pictures, but this computer does not recognize my USB hub to read the photos. Bloody computers!
We got a bus (what a novelty - NOT) for the 90 min, 80km to Perito Moreno glacier. It is huge. About 5.5km wide, some 30km long and walls about 30-60m high.
When we entered the National Park, the landscape changed dramatically. The sparse low vegetation gave way to greenery and trees. This is a result of micro-climate change rather than land clearing, we were told. The glacier is very impressive from the first sight, and more so when we got on a boat for a 30min crossing of the river and getting fairly close to the face of the glacier with its high, white walls of ice all criss-crossed with blue lines where water was making its own way to the green lake in which the ice-face sat. It was cold and windy but very impressive.
Eva had all her layers on, I had 4 and had one to go if needed.
After landing we were taken by guides to the ice, fitted with crampons and went for an ice-trek which was really fun. We passed deep blue holes, some full of water, but you´d not know unless you touched it, the water was so clear.
The guides were fun and allowed us some freedom in wandering about. At the end of the trek we were treated to some scotch on the rocks with a difference. They chipped away chunks of ice from the glacier and put them in glasses and added the golden nectar! What a view to toast from - the blue-white ice peaks behind us, the ice-walkway below with the green lake carpeting the way to the pale brown rocks, green hills and mountains beyond. Magic!
After we went by bus to the north facing wall of the glacier and saw a number of ice-falls, that sounded just like gunshots, and then lots of ice would fall and small icebergs form, one rolling over after it hit the water. There were a number of viewing platforms and not too many people. It was quite an experience, not very much walking but really nice.
We went back to the hotel to pack all our stuff for the bus trip (where have we done that before?) the next day to Chalten and Mt Fitz Roy - a 7am start.
Hasta luego mis amigos!
We got a bus (what a novelty - NOT) for the 90 min, 80km to Perito Moreno glacier. It is huge. About 5.5km wide, some 30km long and walls about 30-60m high.
When we entered the National Park, the landscape changed dramatically. The sparse low vegetation gave way to greenery and trees. This is a result of micro-climate change rather than land clearing, we were told. The glacier is very impressive from the first sight, and more so when we got on a boat for a 30min crossing of the river and getting fairly close to the face of the glacier with its high, white walls of ice all criss-crossed with blue lines where water was making its own way to the green lake in which the ice-face sat. It was cold and windy but very impressive.
Eva had all her layers on, I had 4 and had one to go if needed.
After landing we were taken by guides to the ice, fitted with crampons and went for an ice-trek which was really fun. We passed deep blue holes, some full of water, but you´d not know unless you touched it, the water was so clear.
The guides were fun and allowed us some freedom in wandering about. At the end of the trek we were treated to some scotch on the rocks with a difference. They chipped away chunks of ice from the glacier and put them in glasses and added the golden nectar! What a view to toast from - the blue-white ice peaks behind us, the ice-walkway below with the green lake carpeting the way to the pale brown rocks, green hills and mountains beyond. Magic!
After we went by bus to the north facing wall of the glacier and saw a number of ice-falls, that sounded just like gunshots, and then lots of ice would fall and small icebergs form, one rolling over after it hit the water. There were a number of viewing platforms and not too many people. It was quite an experience, not very much walking but really nice.
We went back to the hotel to pack all our stuff for the bus trip (where have we done that before?) the next day to Chalten and Mt Fitz Roy - a 7am start.
Hasta luego mis amigos!
Comments
Nice to be able to read about your WONDERFUL EXPIRIENCES!
Muchos greetings,
Margaret and Jacques.