Surely the date function on my camera had malfunctioned. Last week I read about the collapse of a famous ice arch at the Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina, a place we had visited back in … I thought 2014, but apparently 2012! A review of my travel documents convinced me that yes, it has been over three years since our wide-ranging trip to Argentina and Uruguay and, to date, I have written very little about that journey.
Why not begin with the glacier in the news and our trek there? Almost two weeks ago, on March 10, an ice bridge on the glacier collapsed for the first time in four years. Enormous chunks of ice fell into Lake Argentino, producing huge waves and a thunderous blast. The passage forms and collapses every three to four years, with the most recent rupture before this being in March, 2012, which must explain the shallowness of the arch when we saw it in December of that year. By the time it collapsed this time, the ice bridge was 250 meters wide and 70 meters tall.
Our excursion to the glacier was an active one. First, we traveled by boat across the lake, from which the massive front wall of the Perito Moreno glacier is visible. From afar, it looks like most other glaciers (ho hum),
but up close the scale is mind-boggling. The face is riddled with deep fissures, jagged points stretch up like veiny fingers, and the entire mass groans and creaks as if it’s alive. In fact, it is alive; scientists believe Perito Moreno is one of only a few Patagonian glaciers that are growing, and nearly all glaciers are constantly moving.
We were lucky to see and hear several large chunks calving from the face while we were there; I can only imagine the boom when the bridge finally ruptured.
Once on shore near the edge of the glacier, we walked a short distance to the ice itself, where we donned our crampons for a hike on the frozen surface.
For several hours, we trekked this otherworldly landscape – white, as expected, but also every shade of blue, gray and even black. We jumped over thin rivulets of water and avoided plunging into larger lagoons in the ice.
Gullies and crevasses crisscrossed the route, and the going was more up and down than I had expected. Ascending was exhilarating – it felt like mountain climbing in miniature – but descending was a little scary until we got the hang of the crampons.
In addition to the trek, there are also large viewing platforms and walkways for those who don’t want to see the glacier from atop. This structure affords the best view of the ice dam and bridge and provides another perspective on the size and shape of this massive and impressive glacier.
Until this outing, I never saw the appeal of glaciers; they were dirty and boring, I thought, but Perito Moreno was both a marvel and an adventure – a highlight of our time in Los Glaciares National Park in Argentinian Patagonia.
anna said:
Your post bought back great memories. Walking on the glacier is something that will stay in my mind forever. One of the most awesome places I’ve been to. Your photos are awesome! X
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lexklein said:
Thanks! I totally agree – walking there and just seeing that imposing face was one of my favorite travel memories. Patagonia in general was incredible!
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Marie said:
Incredible shots. To be so close to something so immense and magical is amazing.
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lexklein said:
Thank you, and I like your words “immense and magical”. That description captures this place perfectly!
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Bama said:
I first learned about Perito Moreno a few years ago when I started traveling more extensively. I watched it on TV and I will never forget the amazement I felt. It really is one of the greatest nature’s creations on display.
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lexklein said:
I would never have imagined what it was like to walk on this thing! I had walked on the Fox Glacier in New Zealand and seen lots of those dirty glacier tongues in the Alps, but this was a whole different ball game. It was like being on a different planet, and its setting on that brilliantly blue lake made it even more appealing.
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Shelley @Travel-Stained said:
Stunning photos!! We missed this on our travels through Argentina (coincidentally also in 2012 with Uruguay as well), and I’ve always regretted it. Hope to get there one day and would love to hear that boom. It must be incredible. 😄 Maybe on my birthday one year, which is another coincidence…March 10. 😉
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lexklein said:
You should book a little birthday jaunt for March of 2020! I am so glad we added a cluster of days near Calafate in Patagonia during our Argentina trip. It made the trip longer and added lots of long flights, but it really captivated us – so much so that we returned to Chilean Patagonia the following year to hike the Paine Circuit. I’ll have to go back and see what you’ve written about Argentina and Uruguay!
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Shelley @Travel-Stained said:
I happened to be at Lake Louise in Banff once, when a little piece broke off the glacier at the back, and the sound was absolutely deafening. Literally like a crack of thunder! I can only imagine how it must sound when the bridge collapses. WOW! 😀
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LaVagabonde said:
Walking on that creation seems out of this world. I can just imagine how nerve-wracking trying to descend it is.
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lexklein said:
It really was like walking on another planet. The slope was just so unexpected; I thought once we were on top it would be flat. I always picture myself falling and then sliding right off the edge of steep slopes, especially when they are covered with ice! Once we gained some confidence with the crampons, though, we realized this was actually not likely to happen. 🙂
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abitofculture said:
Superb photos – looks like the kind of place you wouldn’t want to be without sunglasses.
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lexklein said:
Exactly! The glare was harsh, and we all needed some good eye coverage. Actually, now that I think back, I lent my extra sunglasses to my daughter there, and she lost them at the end!
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gallivance.net said:
Excellent photos Lexie, and I’m très envious of this trip. The photo of the boat in front of the glacier is a great size perspective shot. The only glacier I’ve seen was the Mendenhall glacier on the outskirts of Juneau. And it’s a mere pipsqueak compared to the Perito Moreno. But the Juneau glacier wasn’t a total flop. We did see a grizzly bear and cubs about 50 feet from our bus stop. I almost back-pedaled over poor Terri when the bear popped out of the bushes. ~James
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lexklein said:
Until I saw Perito Moreno, I would have taken a good bear and cubs sighting over a glacier any day! And now that I’m spoiled, I suppose I still would!
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Alison and Don said:
Oooooo *wonderful* photos! We did the same – viewing from the walkways, boat up to the face, and a hike over the top. Not boring at all! And yes, it *is* alive. I learned a whole new appreciation of glaciers by visiting Perito Moreno.
Alison
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lexklein said:
Me, too! When were you there? Was the ice bridge much more pronounced? When I saw the recent photos and videos of the rupture, I couldn’t believe how high the arch was.
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Alison and Don said:
We were there in November 2013. I don’t remember the ice bridge 😦
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Jeff Bell said:
Beautiful photos. You are right that a glacier has to be experienced to appreciate.
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lexklein said:
Thank you, and I agree, except that some glaciers I’ve experienced in person have still been boring!
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SnowSomewhere said:
I’d love to read more about your travels in Argentina and Uruguay 🙂 This was such a cool post, we too saw chunks of ice fall from the glacier at Perito Moreno and were told those tiny-looking chunks were actually the size of cars. It was spectacular. So I can only imagine what it must’ve been like when that arch fell. Love that photo of yours with the boat, it really shows the scale!
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lexklein said:
I’m going to try to write about more parts of that trip. I’ve done tiny little snippets here and there, but there is certainly lots more material! The photo with the boat is one of my favorites to show the scale; it’s a bit blurry, but it sure shows the massiveness of the glacier. (And our boat was much smaller than that one!)
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restlessjo said:
Amazing scenery! 🙂 I might be happy to stay on the boat and miss out.
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lexklein said:
Oh, you’re a big walker – you’d have loved the hike over the ice!
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sandramytravelness said:
These photos are amazing! I would love to visit this magical place! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
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lexklein said:
Thanks a lot. It really is a fascinating place in every respect – hope you get a chance to see for yourself some day!
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Sartenada said:
Incredible photos! Thank You presenting them.
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lexklein said:
And thank you for reading and commenting on them! It was a beautiful place – hard not to get some good photos!
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Traveling Rockhopper said:
I love Patagonia so much!
And this is a great glacier!
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lexklein said:
Patagonia really is a special place. We loved our time there in Argentina so much that we went back the next year to Chilean Patagonia, which was just as awesome! I look forward to going back yet again some day.
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Traveling Rockhopper said:
I was there like 3 times, and still feel like I could go there any time (well, from September till March) 🙂
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thirdeyemom said:
Incredible! I was there in 2009 before I was into blogging or photography so I don’t have many good pics. Yours are amazing!
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Nicole! It was such a perfect day (unlike a number of them in Patagonia) and the photos practically took themselves! Isn’t it an amazing place?
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Les Petits Pas de Juls said:
Now, I’m jealous! Been there 3 times in the fog or under cloudy skies! Love your pics! Definitely need to go back again and take that ice hike!
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lexklein said:
Isn’t that funny – we both got good days and bad in that area (which I think is typical). I loved the ice hike, but I was soooo psyched to see Fitz Roy, especially the day we took a 10-hour trek to Laguna de los Tres and still saw nothing but fog! Glad we could at least exchange photos!
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Les Petits Pas de Juls said:
A cool exchange, for sure!
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lisadorenfest said:
What a grand adventure so beautifully captured. I have added this place to my bucket list thanks to you. I have to see it in person it is so gorgeous. I have only seen small, brown dirty glaciers in my travels. Nothing like this. Like something out of a fairy tale.
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lexklein said:
Glad to inspire you! It is worth the trip for sure; as I mentioned, I’ve never had a real affection for glaciers myself, but this one will knock your socks off! Will you make it to NZ before you head off into the Indian Ocean?
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lisadorenfest said:
No plans to head back to NZ in the near term. 9 months in NZ in2015 was enough for The Captain, he has no interest in our returning there. And I am always looking forward (although I loved NZ and hope to sail there again next time around). And those glaciers are definitely in my future…someday
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lisadorenfest said:
Oops -6 months in NZ – it seemed longer 😊
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wanderingcows said:
Amazing amazing amazing! Makes me want to re-visit the icescape.
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lexklein said:
Have you been there? It’s pretty incredible!
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wanderingcows said:
I haven’t been there exactly. But I did go to Antarctica and it was the most amazing trip in my life, and still is. Incidentally, it was also the most expensive. But definitely worth it!
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LDG luciledegodoy said:
Wow. This is so beautiful. Which time of the year did you go there?
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lexklein said:
We were there in December, their summer. It was so stunning with the bright sun and blue skies. Argentina was a great Christmas destination but I have to say it was terribly expensive because that’s when everyone wants to go!
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LDG luciledegodoy said:
Summer time in South America is much more expensive.
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James said:
What a fabulous post, Lex! I can just imagine how vast and mind-boggling the glacier is – your photos give us an idea of its immense scale. It is really encouraging to hear that Perito Moreno is actually growing despite our planet’s warming temperatures. I have no experience with crampons so walking up and down its surface would be more than a little scary!
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lexklein said:
Thanks, James! we did not have much experience with crampons either, but after a short time, we got the hang of it. Going downhill was the scary part! I always worry about falling on steep ice or snow, thinking I’ll keep sliding until I’ve fallen right off the edge of something!
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Sue Slaght said:
Your photos really give perspective to the enormity of the glacier! What an incredible experience this must have been. Sad to hear of the huge collapse of the ice bridge. I have just jotted down a note about this post and the location. Seems like a place we want to get to sooner rather than later.
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Sue – yes, the scale of that thing is out of this world! You would love that part of Argentina; Los Glaciares National Park has so much to do – Perito Moreno, great hiking, an old sheep estancia, etc. We loved every minute of our time there. Go!
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Sue Slaght said:
Now on the list. Working on living to be 150 to get everything seen. 🙂
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carolinehelbig said:
Wow, stunning photos! This is on the list too. Where did you stay before/after visiting the glacier? How many days would you recommend in/around the park?
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lexklein said:
Thanks! Other than the El Chalten stay (at a charming place called El Puma) and the Fitz Roy hike, we stayed in El Calafate 2-3 nights and took day trips to the various hiking options. We did Perito Moreno from there, as well as a day-long trek on the Herminita Peninsula. I’d say you need at least 3 days and nights in the area overall, and I wish we’d had a few more! We missed a trip to Estancia Cristina because we were so insistent on spending all our days hiking, and I think that would have been interesting and fun. We collapsed every evening and didn’t get as much out of Calafate itself as we would have liked because we were so whipped after hiking all day. We also knew we would go to Torres del Paine on a separate trip, so we didn’t even try to get into Chile on the Argentina trip. Happy planning!
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carolinehelbig said:
Thank you for all the info. This helps immensely. I have read about Estancia Cristina and it looks amazing. So much to do and that’s only a tiny part of the country!
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