The Time of the Glaciers

Patagonia is a glacier-infused place. Chances are, if you look left you’ll see a glacier and if you look right, you’ll see another glacier. Puerto Natales, the gateway to Torres del Paine, had mountains close, and the ocean close. We stayed outside of a tourist information center with wonderful views of mountains above the cold bay and standing flamingos. When we went to look at the birds, we met a German traveler named Julian. We chatted for a bit and then he asked us to take a picture of him with the flamingos using his camera. He started peeling of his shoes and socks and walked out into the shallow bay. I asked him if he was seriously going to walk out into the freezing cold Pacific Ocean, just for a picture. He was. We took the picture and when he came back his feet were the color of salmon berries. That night we did homework and munched on dried apricots and mango slices.

View of the mountains and sea from Puerto Natales. Photo: Nate

Julian walking out to the flamingos. Photo: Nate

The following day we gave Mom a breakfast in bed with toast and eggs, a dark chocolate bar (from Benjamin), and a handmade pocket (from myself) for Mother’s Day. After kisses and ‘thank yous’ and ‘your welcomes’, we drove to Parque Nacional Torres del Paine. Nate, Mom and I got out for a hike. As we walked, Nate and I talked about volcanoes and how rocks were formed and how rivers turn into valleys over time and such. Finally, we got to the top. The clouds had parted revealing the Torres and a series of lakes below us. It was worth the hike up. We camped outside the ranger station that night.

Torres del Paine from the top of our hike. Photo: Amelia

Sliver of the moon. Photo: Nate

Benjamin and I played with the partly frozen lake, tossing rocks across it to make the pleasant high-pitched plunk plunk plunk PLUNK. 

Afterwards, Mom told us that the ranger had not recommended going to the Torres that day because of the weather. We decided to wait for the next day.

The weather still hadn’t improved so we talked about if it was worth staying or leaving the Park. The hike to the Torres was on the other side of the park, so we decided we would go check out how the weather was and if there was no change, we would leave. While the clouds were thick and low where we had camped, the sky was blue and clear near the Torres!

Mom and Nate woke us up early. After several annoyed grunts and “shhh!” we slowly ate breakfast, drank tea, and spotted three foxes that had curled into balls near the wooden fence that bordered the Torres hotel. Mom and Nate shrugged on their backpacks and we set off to start our hike. As we went, one of the foxes popped its head from its ball of fur and watched us leave.

Frozen leaves. Photo: Nate

The day was still early and the frost still bright and sharp enough to make us tighten our coats and put on our ‘Dracula’ hoods to cover our faces. One part of the hike had frost so big that each ice crystal was the size of half my pinky finger and was shaped like miniature art structures. We walked and walked, occasionally stopping to check if we were on the right path. We talked about random things, like the story of Benjamin and I going to Sonoma with our Dad to visit our Aunt Janet and David, and on the same trip seeing fennec foxes at the animal sanctuary. We ate little energy boosters like trail mix and dried mangos. Finally, our group of four turned into two groups. Nate and I were travel buddies and Benjamin and Mom were travel buddies. To keep me talking and going, Nate asked about my favorite and least favorite teachers at Wedgwood. I asked him which were his favorite and least favorite teachers. Apparently, having your high school football coach as a high school history teacher was not a great thing.

The beginning of the walk. Photo: Nate

On our way up. Photo: Nate

After several breaks and stops, once to look at the Patagonian Parakeets,we made it to the base of Torres del Paine. There was a sky blue lake surrounded by giant rocks with the Torres right behind the lake. Sometimes we would hear the cracks of the ice in the glacier. The Torres were named well… they were like the towers in a fairytale castle. The ones where Rapunzel would let down her hair or something like that. We ate lunch and tried to get a bird to eat from our hands and finally we left to go down, down, down the mountain and to the place were food and a movie would welcome us: our van.

Torres and the Tangletown4. Photo: Nate (and the camera)

El Calafate wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t a place with many views and, in my opinion, the nicest thing about it was its roads and the inside of a cafe. So basically, all it was to us was a place to get groceries, gas, water and a town that practically lives of its neighbor, the Perito Moreno glacier. First we went to the glacier museum that was named the Glacierium. Benjamin and I had an assignment to study the lifecycle of a glacier, which I found rather interesting. Did you know that if all glaciers in the world melted, the oceans sea level would rise 0.7 meters to 70 meters higher? It could cover Seattle almost entirely with water and Beacon Hill would be an island! Well, that’s one of the things that shocked and amazed and scared me out of my pants… figuratively of course.

Cara cara by the road. Photo: Benjamin

El Zorro. Photo: Benjamin

After learning and understanding the meaning and works of a glacier, we went to the Perito Moreno glacier. The most brilliant, bright and beautiful blue was the color of this glacier. It was miles long and it was a never-ending line if you stared straight ahead. If you looked right at the glacier, you wouldn’t be able to see the whole thing. As we walked, I noticed that it wasn’t one blue, but several blues blending together.

Perito Moreno glacier! Photo: Amelia

Perito Moreno’s length. Photo: Amelia

Then Nate tried to get a recording of the glacier calving…

This is why nature photographers don’t take their families on their work trips… After a while, Benjamin and I lost interest , so we went back to the car to wait for Mom and Nate.

On the way to El Chalten, we stopped by Hotel La Leona, which we only knew about because Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid had been there. For those of you who don’t know, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were bank and train robbers from the late 19th and early20th century. They never stole from people on the train, though. Just the money in the safe on the train. Anyway, we stopped there to eat a pastry and see the ‘monument’.

In Chalten we were to do another hike up to Mt. Fitz Roy (Mt. Chalten). This time though we would be backpacking. Mom and Nate woke us up kind of early, at least for my new sleeping patterns. We slid on our packs and began up the mountain. A little over halfway, we entered an area that was circular and had several woodpeckers knocking away at the wood. It was a loud knock knock knock knock knock. We stayed and watched for a while. Then we continued on.

Woodpeckero Patagónico. Photo: Amelia

A half hour later, we got to Laguna Capri, the place where we were going to camp. Mom, Nate, and I set up camp while Benjamin walked around, thinking. That night we played a game called Love Letter. Then we told stories, and finally we slept. It was cold for mom and I since we were on the outer edges of the tent, but Nate and Benjamin were nice and cozy.

Mom woke up before the rest of us as usual. She went for a short walk and saw the mountain glowing because of the sunrise. Then she came back into the tent because it was freezing outside! We played “worm fight” with our sleeping bags. After coffee, Nate joined in and we played Hanabi.

Mt. Chalten or Fitz Roy glows in the sunrise. Photo: V

Frost by the lake. Photo: Amelia

On the way down, we took a detour to a mirador. We got back to the car after the hike down, Nate inflated the tire, and we went to a cervecería. There, we got burgers, submarinos (steamed milk with a chocolate bar), fries, and beer (for the adults). The next day we picked up a hitchhiker named Shun Francis. He was from Hong Kong. As we drove he told us his story and we told him ours. Suddenly, Nate stopped driving. We peered outside and there, three Patagonian Condors stood sun bathing themselves with their wings spread. For those of you who don’t know, Patagonian Condors are huge birds, their wingspan longer than humans’ arms spread out. They are also endangered.

Condor just flew off after sunbathing. Photo: Benjamin

We returned to El Calafate for money and food. The two ATMs in Chalten wouldn’t take our cards. The next day we went back to Chalten. As we got closer, the skies cleared revealing Viedna Glacier.

Mt. Fitz Roy and Cosmo. Photo: Nate

Nate found a place to rock climb and set up a rope while Benji and I played with a dog whose life revolved around a stick. I was the first to climb. It was tough, but I made it. Then Mom and Benjamin. By then two more dogs had joined us. The next day we just went around town. I found out about a bookstore that opened at 5 PM and had books in English. We found another rock to climb and Nate set it up. I went first again. Then Benjamin, and then Nate. Mom passed. We went to a cafe that supposedly had WiFi but didn’t. By 5 PM, I was ready to find some books. I found five then picked one that I really wanted, and found out it was $30. I was bummed but I settled on Anne Frank, the Diary of a Young Girl. It was cheaper. And it was a great book. I still had many bookstores to visit in South America: two more months before we head back!

Chillin’ – Photo: V

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