Torres del Paine and Petito Moreno Glacier

Libbie capturing the beauty of
Torres del Paine National Park

I've neglected to mention that our adventure to Chile and Argentina was titled "The Wilderness Beyond: Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean Fjords." (Easter Island was a wonderful add-on.) An outdoorsy trip might not sound like something that would call my name, but life is full of surprises. 

The word "Patagonia" has two origin stories. It roughly translates into "big feet." Hmm. Back in the day before hiking footwear and snow shoes, people indigenous to the area still had to get around. They made snowshoes of sorts using the skins of native guanaco, an animal in the llama family. And so their footprints were quite large. That's explanation number one. A lesser known derivation of the word is attributed to Magellan, who explored the area in the early 16th century. There was apparently a character in a popular Spanish novel at the time named "Patagon." Patagon was a giant, and the Tehuelches natives were very tall -- often 6'+ - and muscular, a striking difference from the average 5'2 Spaniard at the time. I like both versions. 

The Towers in Torres del Paine National Park 

I love this picture of of Libbie getting a shot of the Paine Massif in Torres del Paine National Park with her feet set against the wind. More on that below. On the off chance you don't know, (i) a "massif" is a compact mass or a large mountain mass that forms part of a mountain range and (ii) "Paine" is pronounced "PIE-nay." Paine Massif is part of the Andes Mountains chain. 

The Park spans more than 700 miles and is stunning. You might think a long (10 hour!) bus ride would be tedious, but with these vistas accompanying us, the time flew by. (FYI, we covered approximately 4,000 miles on the base trip, with another 4,600 for the Santiago/Easter Island add-on. Only 500 miles was by bus. Amazingly, every flight ran on time.) 

The second picture is of the "Towers," one of the trademark features of the Park. Each granite peak rises 8,000+ feet. While it's possible to hike to the Towers, the only way to get to their apex is to engage in a bit of rock climbing. I was more than content to view them from afar. 

It turns out that being able to see the Towers is a feat in and of itself. On our trip leader's previous four outings, the Towers were totally hidden. "Just trust me," I can imagine her saying. "It's really a remarkable sight."  The weather gods favored us throughout our entire journey. 

Perito Marino Glacier - note the scale!

We were able to get a closer vantage point to Perito Marino Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park. On my trip to Iceland, we saw glaciers, and I even hiked on one. But Perito Marino is a glacier with a capital "G." It spans 100 square miles and its walls rise 180 feet (with the underwater portion being twice that distance). It is the largest ice-mass in the Southern Hemisphere other than Antarctica. The Park itself is more than 1,700 square miles and features nearly 50 glaciers, with Perito Marino being the most prominent.

The glacier has been conveniently equipped with close to three miles of wooden walkways that allow visitors to enjoy various vistas. There are paths for every fitness level, and even an elevator for people who can't climb stairs. It's worth noting that there are ways to get even closer to the glacier, including by kayak. Next time! 

The walkways feature some sheltered areas similar to a bus stop where you can take refuge from the wind. This was our only day that featured some of the famous Patagonian breezes. They can be extreme -- 50+ mph! -- and our trip leader Marcela superstitiously suggested we refer to the prospect as "W" instead of saying the word. We got our most significant gusts of the trip here. In fact, on a couple of occasions, my phone nearly blew out of my hand. Losing or breaking not only my means of communication but my camera would have been a true tragedy. 

We experienced multiple "calving" events during our time at the glacier, particularly in the area shown in this image. First you would hear a loud sound similar to a gunshot. Then you would see a chunk of ice break away, sometimes from the glacier proper and sometimes from an ice floe. It was pretty dramatic despite the fact that calving occurs every 30 minutes or so. I loved being there. For another visitor's thoughts on Perito Moreno Glacier, click here.

When we arrived in Patagonia, our trip leader had said it was time to get the "wow-meter" out. Mine was still at the ready after our stay on Easter Island, and it got plenty of use during the remainder of our journey. Next up, some miscellaneous stories and experiences from our time in Patagonia.