A whole lot of ice

Trip Start Feb 07, 2006
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Trip End Jul 12, 2006


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Flag of Argentina  ,
Tuesday, April 4, 2006

Maybe it´s because it is 30 kms long and 5 kms wide. Maybe it is because it rises on average 60 m above the surface of the lake. Maybe I was captivated by the huge cracks and roaring sound of ice crashing into the water. Maybe it was because I got to explore its surface on crampons. Maybe it´s because I had never seen a glacier before. Whatever the reason, the Perito Moreno Glacier in Southern Argentina has been a highlight of my trip so far.

This glacier begins 30 kms away from where we could see it. On average, that mountain area receives 25 metres of snow per year. This snow compacts to create ice which moves down the mountain range, thus creating a glacier.

We were picked up by our tour company (Hielo y Aventura - highly recommended!) at 8:00 am as we had a full day ahead of us Ants
Ants
 . We spent time on the ¨balconies¨- wooden walkways across the lake from the glacier. It was here that we got our first view of this gigantic mass of ice. The shapes in the ice were beautiful, and the sound of cracking ice was mesmerizing. From here we continued to here loud crashes as chunks of ice detached from the glacier to become icebergs, but this always seemed to be occurring elsewhere on the glacier, out of our sight. Unfortunately, the sky was grey and it was rainy and cold, but the views were stunning nonetheless.

After lunch, we boarded a boat which took us down the lake to another part of the glacier, offering us different views of the glacier and some great close-ups of some icebergs. The views were spectacular as we travelled by snowcapped mountains, brilliantly coloured by the changing leaves on the trees, and near the sometimes sparkling blue glacier.

In the afternoon, the boat was docked and after a short hike we found ourselves at the edge of the glacier. We were fitted with crampons and spent the next couple of hours enjoying trekking on the glacier itself. We passed deep crevasses from which blue light emanated, and small glacial streams, carving valleys into the ice. The water was so cold and fresh - great for drinking!
Blue Crevasse
Blue Crevasse
Near the end of trip, we walked over a ridge to find a great surprise supplied by the tour company. Right there, in the middle of the ice, they had set up a small bar where we all enjoyed a glass of whiskey, chilled by glacial ice they broke off right there, and some chocolate. I gave my whiskey to Luc but definitely had my share of the chocolate!

As we waited for the boat at the end of the day, we sat in vain staring at the ice, willing a piece to calve off so that we could witness the spectacle we had continued to hear all day. Finally, a large chunk gave way and we watched in amazement as it fell into the water, creating a large wave, and filling the air with a loud CRACK.

An amazing day!
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