Huemul Route, Fitz Roy, Argentina – day 4

Posted on February 20, 2019 by Rick Mc

trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Huemul Route – day 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | info

Day 4 was my walkout back to El Chaltén. Everyone hikes counter-clockwise.

Here’s the whole circuit visiting the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.

Circuit map via Travel 2 Walk

Very atypical for me, I didn’t sleep well.

And it rained on and off through the night.

Happily the sun came out about the time I got out of the tent.

Despite my efforts of the previous day, I’d only saved about an hour by hiking past the designated campground. I could still see the glacier. And there was again a rainbow. 🙂

The trail continued in parallel to the Lake Videma shoreline thorough dry grasslands.

Though still beautiful, this was the least impressive day, I’d say. Not much variety.

The highlight was rabbits more rabbits. And one non-rabbit. He may have been a Patagonian mara.

When I caught a glimpse I assumed it was a plains viscacha, but it was more likely a mara.

I was looking forward to the second Tyrolean Traverse.

Arriving alone, I found the pulley was at this, the far side of the river. 😕 There SHOULD have been a slim rope attached to pull it over to the start on the other side.

What to do?

I knew I could walk to the lake and (probably) wade the river mouth. But figuring a way across was more fun.

My alternatives:

1. Attach my pulley carabiner directly to the cable (rather than the pulley)

2. Use ONLY my steel carabiner (normally a redundant safety system). This is what the guide did once on our first Traverse.

I went with #1 thinking it was the safer option. That worked. But I had to pull myself every inch with friction from the carabiner resisting. It was exhausting.

Here are some guys wading.

Walk Patagonia

From there it was easy to find my way down to the Bahía Del Túnel dock.

This boat takes tourists to the Videma glacier.

I saw no people. No vehicles. So stayed on the ‘trail’ headed towards a ranch.

Actually, my hiking map showed the trail ending at the dock. Some probably walk the (much longer) road to town.

I could find no trail. Instead I worked my way through more grasslands in the direction of El Chaltén.

Ready to be done, I stumbled on to this calf. It was the second dead cow I’d seen.

When I hit the first fence, being a polite Canadian, I tried to walk around the ranch.

That was a mistake. In the end I hopped about 5 fences and opened one gate. It wasted at least another hour. I should have hopped the first fence and headed directly to the highway.

It was with satisfaction and relief that my final fence hop delivered me to this roadside lookout.

From there was an easy 3km to town on pavement.

I dropped my registration form at the Parks information office. They seemed happy to see I had survived.

With a big smile on my face I returned my rental Tyrolean Traverse harness to ‘Camping Center’ in town. That was the only gear rental store I could find that doesn’t close for siesta.

It was back to the hostel for a long, hot, long shower. 🙂

YES my hostel had a 24 hour a day restaurant! It’s popular with the late night partying backpacker crowd.

All I’d consumed this day was coffee. At 6:30pm I splurged on a huge meal. Breaded chicken a lo pobre.

The Huemul Route out of Fitz Roy, Argentina is superb. Some of the best vistas of my life. One of the very best hikes in the world.

____

If you are worried at all about the Traverses … and navigation, consider signing on with a guided group. Chalten Mountain Guides, for example.

For a MUCH BETTER trip report – Travel 2 Walk: El Chaltén – Fitz Roy and Huemul Circuit, March 2017. (They did it again January 2019!)

bookmundi – Argentina 2019 – Huemul Circuit Parque Nacional Los Glaciares of Argentine

If you prefer your trip reports in video format, here are a few to check out.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Huemul Route – day 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | info

unreal Tasmanian Winter Traverse

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Rick Mc

One of the toughest journeys on foot … ever.

Louis-Phillipe Loncke …. This was an epic journey that left him exhausted, pushed to his limits, and 15 kg (33 pounds) lighter than when he set off.

The video below is from a new report aired in Australia that caught up with the Belgian adventurer just as he was crossing the finish line, providing some insights into what this journey was like. …

Adventure Blog

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Morocco’s Toubkal Circuit – day 2

Posted on September 19, 2018 by Rick Mc

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles.

day 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | info | video

I woke at dawn. Shared a couple of cups of coffee with Aziz.

Then told him I might return if I couldn’t find the route.

I climbed back up to the paved road surprised to find this hotel.

If I was to do the circuit again I’d hire a cab in Imlil to deliver me here on the paved road. Begin the hike next morning.

I still had no idea where to start the climb up to Tizi Likemt (3550m), the first high pass.

Happily I saw a brightly coloured people walking down the highway in my direction. It was an Israeli couple who had just finished the circuit the opposite direction.

Waiting on them was the smartest thing I did all week. They told me the entire circuit is available on Maps.me. I had downloaded it in advance. My navigation problems were solved.

Maps.me saves the day again.

I’m sure they thought I looked too energetic. Over-confident.

I was raring to go.

On the other hand, this poor carnivore might have been a bad omen.

The climb was very long. And not all that thrilling.

Looking backward …

There’s a Japanese donated weather station at the pass, but you can’t see it from the side I climbed.

It was hot and sunny. No water.

My Darn Toughs did all 5 days of the hiking. I switched to camp socks / shoes each evening.

It was a long, hot descent as well.

In fact, a pass this high first day is stupid. That’s not smart acclimatization. On the way down I resolve to NOT recommend these first 2 days to future hikers.

Here’s the first water I’d seen in hours. All water sources should be treated in these mountains unless you see it coming out of the mountain with your own eyes.

I was happy to reach the river. A German group had already claimed the best spot.

Further along I enjoyed a couple of pots of coffee.

This is a summer grazing settlement. Animals and their keepers will head down soon when snow threatens.

The next section climbing through a gorge was very entertaining. One of my favourite bits.

I finally camped at an open area on another creek near yet another guided hiking group.

Dinner in the dark was coucous, soup, raisins and peanuts. For Morocco I switched from my usual instant mashed potatoes base to couscous.

day 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | info | video

Refuge Entre Deux Eaux in the French Alps

Posted on May 26, 2018 by Rick Mc

Guest post.

How a Law Student in Paris and a Designer in Tokyo became Guardians of a Mountain Refuge in the Alps

When packing for your stay at Refuge Entre Deux Eaux, we recommend leaving your neon lycra pants and tinned food at home. Upon arrival, you’ll meet your hosts Clara and Björn who will probably greet you in ripped jeans and sneakers, and then offer you a slice of local, organic blueberry pie hot from the oven.

Perched 2200m above sea level in Vanoise National Park, there stands a one hundred year old mountain refuge situated “entre deux eaux” (between two mountain streams) which richly rewards those who venture out to find it.

From June to September every year, Clara and Björn ascend into the French Alps to assume their seasonal role as caretakers of the refuge, creating a haven for hikers and travellers who stop by for anything from a glass of local wine to a night’s stay complete with dinner and breakfast service. For those few summer months, the old house is filled with the aromas of country cooking, the sounds of different languages and occasional accordion jam sessions which have been known to break out spontaneously in the communal kitchen.

Today at the Refuge Entre Deux Eaux, travellers can enjoy organic blueberry pie from the tiny nearby village of La Chappelle-du-Bard, buttery tomme cheese from a local fromagerie and natural locally made wines by families who have practised their art for generations.

Guests who wish to stay for a meal are treated to dishes characterised by simplicity and showcase products from the region like pork sautéed with baby carrots and turnips, veal blanquette and hachis parmentier, France’s answer to shepherd’s pie.

The kitchen also happily caters for vegetarians on a daily basis, to support individuals who wish to minimise the impact their food choices have on the planet. “Our dishes are designed around local products and from environmentally friendly agriculture,” says Clara. “We’re committed to investing in the local market and supporting producers by paying them at the right price. When food is sourced, produced and prepared sustainably and locally, it tastes better. And isn’t eating well the most important thing on a mountain expedition?”

refugeentredeuxeaux.com | Instagram |refugeentredeuxeaux (a) gmail.com

Trekking to Aconcagua’s Plaza Francia INDEPENDENTLY – Day 1

Posted on January 28, 2018 by Rick Mc

trip report by editor Rick McCharles

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | info page| video

Next morning was sunny. Mendoza enjoys 330 days of sun a year.

With only a 3-4 hour walk in gaining about 400m, I packed heavy.

There are 3 buses a day from Mendoza to the Aconcagua Provincial Park. Go early to the Mendoza bus station and buy a ticket in advance on the Buttini Bus. Seats are assigned. Ask for a window on the right side of the bus. Cost one way in 2018 was AR$130.

Roberto sat down beside me on the bus. He’s a rafting guide from Guatemala who’s worked all over the world. 15 years on the Arkansas river in Colorado, for example.

In 2018 he’s finally guiding the Grand Canyon. Those trips are decided on by a lottery system. He jumped off at Potrerillos where he was visiting a friend, another guide.

I was headed back towards Santiago, Chile on the same scenic highway I’d traveled on an express bus. My local bus stopped everywhere taking 4 hours to get back to close to the border with Chile.

The Parque Provincial Aconcagua office on the highway is quite well organized. We had our permits checked and strictly informed that all trash must be returned in a numbered bag back to this office.

Day hikers can walk a short way up the valley towards the big mountain for $10. (foreigners $25.50)

It’s a popular stop for tourists.

In fact you get quite a good view of Aconcagua from the highway. For free.

You need to walk up a paved road to the parking lot before getting started.
I was to be surprised how many helicopters race up to Aconcagua every day. Two are parked here at the entrance. Ready to go.
Only those with trekking permits can cross the river. I felt I was finally on the Francia trek.
Excited, I rushed up to Confluencia camp (3350m) as quickly as I could.

It looks much more impressive from a distance than up close.
In fact, it’s rather crowded and dirty.

Guided clients sleep in one of the company fixed tents.

When not in use they are protected.
I do like their big bright shared areas.

It was late afternoon, the sun already passed behind the mountains.
On arrival you check in with the camp guards. They directed me to the tiny area where independent campers are allowed to pitch. We are definitely second class clients here.
Toilets are BAD for guided clients as well as independents.

Chilled and surprisingly tired, I crawled into my sleeping bag and had a nap. I had a slight altitude headache but no other symptoms.

Eventually getting up, II wandered around early evening, enjoying nightfall.

There’s a convenient picnic table with good water supply for independent hikers. I had my standard Knorr soup with instant mashed potatoes. Barbecue chicken mixed in.
Cheeky Andean fox tend to show up at campsites about dusk. I saw this one hanging around at dinner hoping for leftovers. And another two in the early morning.
BIG day tomorrow. I tried to get as much sleep as I could at 3350m.

Half the crowded camp wanted to rest. The other half to party. Bring headphones or earplugs.

Trekking to Aconcagua’s Plaza Francia INDEPENDENTLY – Day 0

Posted on January 27, 2018 by Rick Mc

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | info page | video

The best hike (not climb) in Aconcagua Provincial Park, Argentina is to the Plaza Francia, I reckon.

Aconcagua is the tallest mountain outside Asia. Most impressive is the south face – a wall of rock and ice nearly 3000m high.

It’s steep.

Here’s my promised vista from Francia.

The French team of 1954 who made the first ascent, returned with severe frostbite, Imagine the terrible gear they were using.

Almost everyone treks to Aconcagua’s south face base camp — Plaza Francia — with a guide.

Inka Expeditions is one of the best.

But it’s relatively easy to do Francia on your own.

Cost for my independent trekking permit January 2018 was $160 plus bus ($19) plus food.

Aconcagua fees January 2018

Cost for the same trip with Inka Expeditions was — at the same time — to Plaza Francia $715 / person discounted to $470 / person + tip if you book in advance.
http://inka.com.ar/aconcagua-trekkings/aconcagua-trekking-plaza-francia/

(Note – Inka Expeditions trekking to Plaza de Mulas was $1360 / person and trekking to Mt. Bonete $1690 / person.)

The other independent permit option is 7 days for $310. You’d easily visit both Francia and Plaza de Mulas (Mule Camp) with more time to acclimatize. But we’d recommend doing Francia in 3 days, instead.

There are a number of outdoors shops in Mendoza that sell camp stove fuel. Chamonix is the best I found.

First day in Argentina I had trouble finding a bank that would accept my Debit Card. They all take Credit Cards, but you get instantly charged a high rate of interest for cash advance on credit.

Finally I found a bigger branch of the Galicia bank where my bank card worked. Maximum seems to be 3000 ARG, just under $180. I put that cash in my pocket.

Tourist Information offices in Mendoza are excellent. They gave me a map and showed where the Park Office that issues trekking permits is located.

Centro de Informes, Parque General San Martin, Mendoza (Google map).

Not central, it’s in the gigantic Parque General San Martin.

On arrival employee #1 explained I’d need to pay in cash, Argentinian pesos only. Cost for the 3 day permit was 3080 ARG, exactly 80 pesos more than I had in my pocket. 🤨

I’d need to go back to the bank.

In addition, I needed the number of my insurance policy that covers hiking (not climbing).

I didn’t have the number with me nor was I sure my current policy covered hiking. I walked back to the hostel to get the number.

Second trip to the Centro de Informes employee #1 was gone. Employee #2 informed me no insurance was needed for the 3 day trek, only the longer permits.

He helped me make application online on computers in the office. The web page is not well designed. I was happy to do it there and in person.

The options and costs for different adventures on Aconcagua are confusing.

Application printed and in hand, he told me to walk to the nearest “Easy Pay” kiosk. Parks employees are not allowed to handle money.

Closest was about 1km away in the park. I walked there only to find out it was closed Mondays. 🤨 Retuning to #YouHadOneJob employee #2 quite irked, he blurted his lack of critical information was a 3rd world problem.

Ya. … Right.

I walked to the next closest Easy Pay.

That worked well. They do take only cash.

BACK for the 3rd time same day to the Centro de Informes.

My permit was processed and I — finally — had it in hand. It was good for any time over the next 3 weeks.

I picked up my camping food at the massive Carrefour grocery store. No peanut butter, however. I took inexpensive, calorie rich Christmas cake instead. Love candied fruit and raisins.

That night at Alamo hostel it was the old guys at the table late night. All the youngsters were out in Mendoza Bars. Two of the Argentinian gentlemen cooked up empanadas and pizza. Me and the social worker from Texas enjoyed their cooking while sharing Malbec.

I tried to go to bed early.