Cerro Chaltén

We set the alarm for 3 am as the view of Fitz Roy with the sunrise is supposed to be spectacular. I reluctantly got out of bed and made my way outside to find the wind howling and even though it was only a shower the rain hit hard against my face. There was no way i was going to climb a mountain in that. We all agreed we would reset the alarm for 6 and head out then regardless. Luckily when we awoke the weather had changed for the better and it was actually quite warm. Prepared for the worst we carry additional layers and set off with our headlamps on and make our way to the start of the trek. It is still really dark and the first part of the trek is really steep. I have struggled with this part and really worry that i am holding Aaron and Sue up but they assure me i am doing ok so we continue . After 2 hours of full on trekking we reach a Mirador (viewingpoint) and directly in front of us is the range . The sun has started to come up and you can see it rising behind us , but hasnt quite hit the range yet. There are two other girls here from Geneva, and are very kind sharing their hot tea with us. We are all greatful for this as when you are on the move you are warm, but once you stop and the wind catches hold of you its bitter. The tea is shared and we layer up including hats gloves and stormproof jackets and knuckle down for the hour ahead as we have decided this is going to be the best place to view it, There are a few clouds over the range but we are really lucky the weather has changed for the better.Aaron sets his camera to do a time lapse and we sit and watch the clouds roll over until eventually the sun rises onto the peak. The beauty and size of it leave me speechless and we decide that we have to push on as we want to reach the summit of the trek sooner rather than later. At 7km we come into a vast open landscape and the wind is enough to blow you away, ask we walk past the stream a sudden gust of wind blows my sunglasses off sraight into the stream. We stand looking but they are swept downstream in seconds. Im more concerned at the fact ive pollutedbthe water than losingbmy sunnies.When you have stopped for any amount of time your limbs struggle to move again , but after half and hour i am back in the swing of it. We stop alittle while later for a toilet break. There are two on this route. I thought festival toilets were bad , but this takes things to a new limit , its a portaloo cubicle laced over a wooden pit in the ground with a hole cut out of the plywood floor. This task is generally a lot easier for guys than girls and because i have trousers on you have to make sure for a clear passage. Eseentials executed and its onwards and pwards. We arrive to the 8 km point where there is a campsite and by all accounts the guys and girls here have had a pretty rough night, talking about there tents floating and the wind blowing them around like leaves. The next km is really pretty with varying landscapes rivers and beautiful views . I am really apprehensive about the final km as even the young fit people on their way down say its tough but worth it. My god is it hard i can barely catch my breath . There is no path its just loose rock that are really uncomfartable on your feet and keep moving and rolling down hill. I keep looking at my watch and cant believe how slowly time is passing, and really doubt that i can pull this off, but the guys push me on and as we near the top i am so breathless i could cry. When we reach the summiit i actually do cry and Aaron ans Sue leave me to have my moment. I dont know whether im crying because of how i feel or for what my eyes can actually see, a mixture of both I think. I gather myself and we head down to the lake a beautiful turquoise colour that just lays at the Base of this awesome piece of natural wonder. We share our lunches and the mount the small peak in front of us to find another lake that is fed by this one via a trickle of a waterfall. We take an hour in our own places and I sit at the Base listening to the water trickling down into the other lake below. I don't know how to put into words and no pictures can describe this spectacle it is one of those things that if you are lucky enough in your lifetime you must see. The trek back is a lot easier, but still hard going and we see things we never saw on the way up as it was dark. The last km semi like 3 but when we reach the bottom I feel so proud and blessed to have done what I did, and we were certainly blessed with the weather. We arrive back at the hostel and I order a coke and steak egg and chips and eat every moral, a hot shower to bath my aching muscles and straight to bed as I want to try and get one more mini trek in tomorrow with mark if he feels up for it.Read more