With the promise of good weather, Christi and I are up before dawn to catch a ride to El Pilar hostel some 17 km north of town. The advantage of starting our hike to Laguna de Los Tres here is that it’s now a one-way 19 km trek, rather than a 25 km round trip hike up and back the same trail. Sunrise over the Fitz Roy Mountains is quite beautiful with sun dappling the peaks in a warm orange glow. We follow the trail alongside the gently lapping waters of the Rio Blanca passed stands of lenga trees. It’s all so peaceful and serene. Shame it doesn’t last.
Over the next hour low thick cloud rolls in obscuring the mountains. In fact, on a day that is supposed to be clear and warm, we’re hit by a massive blizzard: snow is slamming us in the face, driven by ferocious gusts of wind. Clouds are low and bleak, obscuring the panoramic vistas. This is not the weather we were expecting, but we packed appropriate clothing and extra food and the trail is easy to follow so we continue. Clearly the weather in the park is more changeable than we’d anticipated. On the plus side there are very few other hikers to disturb our peace and solitude. We do manage some good views of the Piedras Blancas glacier and lake, but what we didn’t realize until much later is that rising up over the lake and glacier is the Cerro Fitz Roy massif. By mid-morning we reach Poincenot camp ground and amazingly people are emerging from their freezing, snow-covered tents, preparing to hike. From here we can either cross the Rio Manso to the west and continue slogging through snow and fog, and gales to Lagune de Los Tres or turn southeast and head back to El Chalten. We’re nothing if not stupid so we cross the river, but 30 minutes further on we reach an exposed ridge with punishing winds that could easily knock us off into – well – who knows what because we can’t see a damn thing. The Manhattan skyline could be back there, but you’d never know it.
We have little choice but to turn around, although we pass many hikers determined to make it to Laguna de Los Tres and, they hope, spectacular views of the Cerro Fitz Roy massif. The strong winds and driving snow that battered us for 4 hours finally ceases about 1 pm, but clouds still mask the mountains. An hour later we reach the Cerro Fitz Roy mirador and the clouds have begun to clear. The massif is slowly appearing out of the gloom. It’s decision time: either a 90-minute hike back to our hostel and a steaming hot shower or 2.5 hours to Laguna de Los Tres with no guarantees the weather won’t turn again. This time the hot shower wins. The beautiful views down the Rio de las Vueltas Valley on our way back to town almost make up for the disappointment of not making it to the base of Cerro Fitz Roy.
Blog post by Roderick Phillips, author of Weary Heart – a gut-wrenching, heart-wrenching, laugh-wrenching ride
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