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The Trip

Patagonia is a remote, unspoiled, and untamed wilderness and the southern part is where nature is at its wildest. Measuring about twice the size of France, the land ranges from towering granite peaks and turquoise glacial lakes to windswept steppes ending at "finis terrae" or the end of the world, Tierra del Fuego. This is the "Land of Fire," the island that forms the end of Patagonia and has a fascinating array of wildlife. Two countries, Chile and Argentina, share this sparsely populated, wide-open space, split by the Andes and bodies of water -- and we will see the best! Our trip starts in Ushuaia, Argentina, the southern-most city in the world, and ends in Punta Arenas, Chile. The centerpiece of the Argentinian side of Patagonia is Los Glaciares National Park, where the awe-inspiring Perito Moreno Glacier is found in the southern part. This groaning, grinding ice field is vast and seemingly endless and, in fact, is one of the few glaciers in the world still advancing until the 1980s. In the north of the national park is the famous Mt. Fitzroy massif, named after the Beagle's Captain Fitzroy who sailed Charles Darwin's expedition up the Rio Santa Cruz in 1834. The vertical granite fin of the mountain is 11,290-feet high and is surrounded by icy glaciers. To get there, we will hike through forests of lenga and nirre trees (deciduous beeches). The most beautiful area of the Chilean side of Patagonia is Torres del Paine National Park. Filled with stunning mountain peaks, brilliant turquoise lakes and calving glaciers, it is considered by many to be the finest travel destination in Chile. The "W," one of the classic treks in Patagonia, winds along the edge of the mountains next to a chain of glacial lakes and ends with an awe-inspiring day hike to the breathtaking Torres, for which the Park is named. Hiking in Patagonia is "high altitude" hiking BUT at low altitude, which is often above tree line! Our days will take us between approximately 1,000 to 3,000' overall.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Ushuaia by midafternoon. Airport transfer to our hotel is provided. We will meet and get to know each other at a welcome dinner at a local restuarant.

Day 2: After an early breakfast, we are taking an all-day excursion to an uninhabited island on the Beagle Channel. We begin by canoeing down the Lashifashaj River, which flows into the Channel, then take a motor boat to an island that has a penguin rookery. From here we sail to another island, disembark to take a two-hour hike and observe the flora and fauna. The Yamana Indians lived here and there is evidence of their long-gone fishing culture for us to see. (This day is dependant on good weather conditions. If necessary, we will change or modify the schedule to an alternative activity.)

Day 3: Today, we are hiking in Parque National Tierra del Fuego. This Park is mostly closed to the public, but offers some excellent trails for day hikes. We will hike along the Rio Pipo, with its lovely cascades, and keep our eyes open for local birds. We should see more evidence of the Yamana culture as grass-covered shell middens are found along this trail. The afternoon is free to explore the town. You may wish to visit the Museo Maritimo and Museo del Presidio (prison museums), which show the misery of penal life and a display on Antarctic exploration. Another option is to visit the museum "Mundo Yamana," a representation of Yamana life. Or else, the Museo del Fin del Mundo has excellent exhibits on Fuegian natural history, birdlife, the lives of the indigenous people, and the early penal colony.

Day 4: We take a flight to El Calafate on the banks of Lago (Lake) Argentina, where we eat lunch. Afterward, we're transported by private bus to Chalten, driving along the edge of the lake along the way. We stop at La Leona Petrified Forest to explore this strange, ghostly area of fossilized wood. Chalten is our home for the next three nights.

Day 5: Our first day of strenuous walking, we'll be hiking for 14 miles (round-trip) to Laguna Torre, which has breathtaking views of Mt. Fitzroy and Glacier Grande. On our hike on the well-marked trail we'll get about 2,000' of altitude change and be treated to incredible views of the mountain range.

Day 6: We'll have another good day hike on a trail to Laguna Les Tres where, once again, we get incredible views of the Mt Fitz Roy range, a different face of Mt Fitz Roy, and several glaciers and glacial lakes. We start on one trail that wends gently uphill and return on another trail that is mostly downhill. We will walk about 16 miles and about 1,000' altitude change.

Day 7: In the morning, we'll return to El Calafate, and after lunch we'll visit the Perito Moreno Glacier to watch it calving and creaking as the ice forms react to the environmental changes of snow, air, and water. Tonight we'll stay in El Calafate.

Day 8: This will be a free morning in El Calafate to explore or relax. You can visit the Museo de El Calafate, which has displays of arrowheads, natural history, and early photographs, or go birdwatching at Laguna (lake) Nimes, north of town. After lunch, our bus will drive us through the steppes to the border where we say "Adios" to Argentina and "Hola" to Chile and our new guide. The bus takes us to Torres del Paine National Park and the ecocamp, our base in Chile. Tonight we stay in the yurts at the ecocamp, where we'll also return the fourth and fifth nights of our stay here.

Day 9: After a hearty breakfast, we'll assemble our gear for the three-day trek and and drive to the far side of the Park, the start of the "W." We cross Grey Lake by boat to Grey Glacier, then hike out of the valley with views of the Glacier, the Patagonian icecap, and numerous mountain peaks. After hiking six miles (less than 1,000' elevation change) we arrive at Refugio Pehoe, our home for the night.. The Refugio is a rustic lodge with shared dormitory-style rooms, with six beds per room. Mixed gender rooms are likely here.

Day 10: Today we hike from Refugio Pehoe to Refugio Cuernos, which has delightful cabins (double occupancy) by a waterfall . Our walk takes us along Lake Nordenskjold with outstanding views of the black-tipped mountain peaks of the Cuernos (horns) and the lake. This hike is 10 miles with 1,000' gain and loss. There is an optional (and well-worth-it) side hike after five miles up French Valley (weather permitting). This adds another five miles onto the day and another 1,500'. But you will hike into an enormous granite bowl, surrounded by snow-capped peaks, hanging glaciers, and pygmy forests on the way to the French and British camps, which were the base camps for the climbing expeditions that were exploring the nearby peaks.

Day 11: From Refugio Cuernos, we'll hike over Los Cuernos Pass and continue along the edge of the lake to the Cascada Expediciones Ecocamp, where we will stay for the next two nights. This hike is about eight miles and less than 1,000' gain and loss.

Day 12: Today's hike is to see the magnificant Torres (towers), the namesake of the Park. The hike to the base of the Torres is on a well-maintained trail that gains 1,500' over about five miles. The last mile is a steep trail along the side of a rocky talus slope. It isn't very difficult -- there is no rock scrambling, but it is steep. But the view at the top is worth every step. The Torres are vertical monoliths, part of a high-walled bowl that has a crystalline-blue glacial lake at its center and it is breathtaking from every aspect.

Day 13: After breakfast, we get on the bus for a leisurely drive to Punta Arenas. We will stop at various spots to look for wildlife and birds, especially flamingos, then go to the Cuevo del Milandon (Cave of the Milandon) the focal point of Bruce Chatworths book "In Patagonia." At Punta Arenas, we will check in to our hotel and after some free time, meet for a farewell dinner at a local restuarant.

Day 14: After breakfast, we are taken to the airport for our plane back home. Some of these activities are weather permitting. If the weather is inclement, making the planned activity dangerous, we may change that day's itinerary to a safer one.

Getting There

This trips starts and ends at different locations. It begins at Ushuaia in Argentina and ends in Punta Arenas, Chile. You will need a "multicity air ticket," which can be purchased from many discount sites, such as Orbitz or Travelocity. You may wish to spend time in both Buenos Aires, Argentina and Santiago, Chile. Both capital cities are wonderful and are the changing point for the flights to Ushuaia and from Punta Arenas. United States citizens entering Argentina or Chile by air must have a valid passport (good for six months AFTER you leave either country) with at least four empty pages, and a visa, known as a reprocity fee. This costs $131 and is purchased at the airport on arrival. This visa is good for the life of your passport.

Accommodations and Food

We will be staying in hotels, refugios, and an ecocamp. The ecocamp is made of geodesic, yurt-like domes: private, double domes with bathrooms for sleeping, and larger domes for eating and socializing. The domes each have wood stoves. All structures are built on raised wooden platforms, which are dismantled and removed at the end of the season to further protect the fragile environment. The toilets are composting, and solar panels and wind turbines produce most of the energy for the ecocamp. We will be sleeping at refugios on days 9 & 10, with common eating areas and shared bathrooms. We will be sleeping in dorm rooms (shared) on day 9 and small cabins on day 10. The rest of the time we will stay in local hotels that have double rooms with private bathrooms. All meals are provided in the trip price. Patagonian food is fabulous, fresh, and mostly local. It is very meat based -- Patagonian lamb and beef are outstanding with delicious fish and shellfish choices. Salads and vegetables are served with all meals and the guides will go out of their way to take care of vegetarians. Breakfasts are simple (cereal, toast, eggs) and lunches will be either a sit-down lunch or a box lunch.

Trip Difficulty

This is a moderatly strenuous trip and participants should be in good physical condition. All our gear will be carried for us and you will carry water, lunch, and raingear in your day packs on the hikes. It is essential to take part in a regular exercise program (running, hiking, biking, swimming) several months in advance to prepare for the trip. We will have some long hiking days but none of the hikes are at high altitude. Remember, the fitter you are, the more fun you will have.

Equipment and Clothing

The weather in Patagonia is very unpredictable. We can get extreme wind, torrential rain, brilliant sunshine -- all in the same day. Clothes made of a wicking fabric are essential as are good rain clothes and warm layers. You will need a good pair of broken-in, waterproof, over-the-ankle hiking boots, and hiking poles are highly recommended. A detailed equipment list will be sent to participants.

References

Books:

• Chatwin, Bruce, In Patagonia.
• Yates, Simon, Against the Wall.
• Bridges, E. Lucas, Uttermost Part of the Earth.
• Any guidebook e.g. Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, Frommers etc.
• Jaramillo, Alvaro, Birds of Chile. The leader will bring her copy.
• Patagonia: The Wild, Wild South. National Geographic, January 2004.

Websites:

• www.argentinaturistica.com
• www.turismo.gov.ar
• www.gochile.cl
• www.interpatagonia.com

A more extensive reading and movie list plus details on maps, will be sent to participants at a later date.

Conservation

Sierra Club is an environmentally focused entity. We are concerned about conservation and sustainability of resources, both locally and globally. Our work is accomplished by volunteers and aided by a salaried staff, encouraging grassroots involvement. Our outings seek to empower participants toward environmentally understanding parallel concerns at home and abroad. Patagonia has one of the world's greatest water reserves due to its glacial lakes, powerful rivers and two very large non-polar ice fields. However, this makes it of great interest to hydroelectric companies as the demand for and price of energy keeps increasing. In Chile, a multi-dam project is planned that will threaten several pristine rivers, flood rural areas, and overall, have a devastating effect on many ecosystems. This is a serious issue, being challenged by many international environmentalists. We will be updated with the latest developments nearer the trip departure dates.

Trip Price

This trip requires a $200 per-person deposit. An additional payment of $300 per person is due six months prior to trip departure. International trip prices are subject to change and are based on double-occupancy or group accommodations as described above. Single rooms may not be available or may cost more than the listed price. If you have any questions regarding double occupancy, please contact the trip leader.

See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy.

The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.

The Sierra Club accurately and fairly budgets and prices our trips. However, unforeseen costs such as devaluation of the dollar compared to other currencies and fuel surcharges assessed by our international providers may necessitate adjustment in trip price. We will make every effort to mitigate and absorb these fees. If a price increase is necessary, however, you will have 14 days after announcement to cancel without penalty.

Staff

A wilderness traveler since childhood, Kern Hildebrand has led or assisted on many Sierra Club Outings for over 25 years. These have included river rafting, sea kayak, backpack, horseback, and international tours and treks to every continent. His conditioning for the trail and travel includes gardening (and otherwise tending his five acres of woodland), yoga classes, hiking and gym workouts.

Kern says he is especially pleased to be returning to this region where he can help introduce trip participants to the beauties of Patagonia, and, of course, hike together along challenging and scenic trails.

E-mail: khildebrand13@gmail.com

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General Notes About Sierra Club Trips

• Carbon Offsets
• Electronic Devices
• Equipment
• How to Apply for a Trip
• Leader Gratuities
• Liability Release and Assumption of Risk
• Medical Issues
• Non-discrimination Statement
• Participant Approval
• Reservation and Cancellation Policy
• Seller of Travel Disclosure
• Travel Insurance
• Trip Feedback