A Hiker’s Paradise
March 13, 2024
El Chaltén is a small village located within Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina. It is known as the National Capital of Trekking. The village is full of hostels and shops that cater to hikers and outdoor adventurers. Numerous trails leave El Chaltén for the surrounding mountains, the most popular being Laguna de las Tres with epic views of Mount Fitz Roy.
I arrived at the El Chaltén bus station and walked across town towards my hostel. My itinerary while in El Chaltén had changed. My initial plan was to start my hike to Fitz Roy that afternoon and camp at the Poncenot Campground. The next morning would begin with a sunrise hike to the Laguna de las Tres before returning to El Chaltén.
When I checked the weather the day before I arrived in El Chaltén, I realized it had changed. It would be near-freezing temperatures overnight with heavy rain and wind. Some hikers may enjoy those conditions but I do not. Plus, I didn’t have overnight gear for those lower temperatures. So I booked a hostel for both nights and hoped for the best.
Chorrillo Del Salto
March 14, 2024
The next morning was overcast and breezy but it wasn’t raining… yet. The rain was to come around noon so I decided to find a relatively short hike for the morning. There was another trail at the main trailhead for Fitz Roy that was only a few miles long and led to a waterfall. It sounded perfect!
Dressed in all my rain gear, I set out for the trail. The wind was picking up with a few sprinkles but I was determined to hike while in El Chaltén. The scenery was spectacular! The trail follows the Rio de Las Vueltas which offers beautiful views. It was just over two miles to get to the waterfall and there were several other hikers out probably for the same reason I was.
The headwind was getting pretty vicious and the rain was coming down by the time I got to the waterfall. It was definitely worth the wet hike to see it! Gorgeous! I didn’t stay too long since I had over 2 miles back to the hostel. With the wind at my back, I opted to follow the dirt road along the river’s edge back to El Chaltén. A run in the rain is always a good time!
My afternoon was spent holed up in the hostel with the other hikers. I did manage to venture out later to the grocery store to get some snacks for the next day. I was leaving on a bus the next afternoon to go to the airport in El Calafate so my time in the trekking capital was coming to an end. Was I disappointed my initial plans fell through? Of course. But, when you are traveling on a tight schedule sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate. You never know what’s going to happen in Patagonia! Of course, as I was walking to the bus station the next morning the sun was shinning and the wind was light. I’ll be back!