Perito Moreno Glacier, in the southern area
of the Los Glaciares National Park, is the most important and most
easily reached glacier. This is an imposing ice river, 3 km in width
and 60 m in height, that descends slowly from the Hielo Continental
Patagonico (Patagonian Continental Ice) to the shore of the lake,
in the Canal de los Tempanos (Icebergs Channel).
Only 200 m above sea level, it has turned into the biggest attraction
of the region thanks to its spectacular beauty, its glacial interest
and its different behavior to the rest of the glaciers of the world.
It is a white giant that, moving noisily, offers an incredible scenery.
During its slow advance, it blocks the Canal de los Tempanos, forming
an ice dam that does not allow the drainage of the waters of the
South Arm to the central part of the lake.
The pressure of the water trying to recover its natural course increases
from year to year until it starts to pierce the front of the glacier,
producing the famous "fracture".
This is a unique spectacle that repeats itself every 4 or more years
where tons of ice yield to the force of the water. This process
lasts up to 36 hours; peace and silence return afterwards.
|
aaa |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The extreme north of Los Glaciares National
Park is dominated by an imposing group of granite mountains, featuring
the Fitz Roy Range and the Torre Range. Their summits,
which are celebrated in the world of mountain climbing, tower more
than 9000 feet (3000m) above sea level. Agressively jutting up from
the earth, they can be seen from several miles away. The aboriginal
population named Mount Fitz Roy 'Chaltén', which means 'mountain
that sends out smoke', since they believed it was a volcano. Accompanied
by the spiraling Poincenot and other adjacent peaks, it is one of
the most well-known images of Patagonia. Mount Torre, with
its impressive slopes and permanently snow-capped summit, has always
represented an especially difficult challenge even for world-class
mountain climbers due to its violent and unpredictable climate. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
From El Chalten, one of the most popular walks is
the one that goes to Laguna Torre and continues tot the Cerro
Torre base camp of the Torre Mountain. After a gentle initial climb,
it's a fairly level walk through tranquil beech forests and along
the Rio Fitzroy until a final steeper climb up the lateral moraine
left by the receding Glaciar del Torre. From Laguna Torre, there
are stunning views of the principal southern peaks of the Fitzroy
range.
Fitz Roy Expediciones
is a recommended way to discover the area!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A relative of the ostrich, the rhea
is a flightless bird, its relatively small wings useless when it
comes to flight. Fortunately, the rhea's massive size allows it
to intimidate many of Patagonia's predators.
The rhea's mating and childbearing behavior is, in
one respect, among the most liberal of any species. During the breeding
season, several female rheas will lay up to 30 eggs in a single
nest. One male will incubate all the eggs, and once they have hatched,
care for the chicks, or charitas, until the small birds can fend
for themselves.
Well adapted to the terrain of steppes, rheas can
survive on a minute amount of water and infrequent feedings upon
small insects, small rodents, other bird chicks, or plant matter.
|
|
(Image: Patagonia,
The last Wilderness) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|