Glacier Trekking in a challenging traverse of Southern Patagonia Ice Cap, hike crossing from Paso Marconi to Paso del Viento

An extremely intense and unforgettable expedition to trek over the Southern Patagonia Continental Ice Field, third glacier area in the World after Antarctica and Greenland. We enter the Icefield trekking through Paso Marconi and hiking southbound through the Western face of Mount Fitz Roy towards the legendary Cerro Torre west face and the Moreno Chain to the East, to enjoy the majestic of “Circo de los Altares”. We exit the Icefield through Paso del Viento and get back into Chaltén along the river Tunel valley. During this trek you will see the Lautaro volcano, the “hidden volcano”, according to the british explorer Eric Shipton, the Mariano Moreno range and many more mountains. This traverse expedition includes 4 nights camping expedition style over the ice cap. You do not need to have previous technical experience in the use of the equipment like snowshoes or crampons. It is necessary, however, a previous experience in trekking and camping and a very good physical condition to be able to enjoy the adventure and get the most of your trek. The equipment and the foods will be appropriate for this type of trip.

Departures 2019/2020:
Confirmed upon request. Please let us know your suitable dates, we will gather all possible departure dates from interested travelers and coordinate among them to establish a confirmed departure with at least 3 travelers.

10 days - 9 nights

Season: October to April

Starts at: El Chalten.

Ends at: El Chalten.

Itinerary
Day 1: El Chalten
After arrival we meet the Expedition guide. He gives us a short speech about the Ice Cap and details of the trekking program. We provide the technical equipment and the guide and assistant will explain how to use it. Finally we prepare our backpack for the next days.
Lodging at Hostel shared room & bathroom
Included meals : welcome dinner (D)
Note: It is ideal if travelers can arrive one day earlier in order to get familiar with the area. If not, they can arrive on Day 1 but they must do it in the morning bus from El Calafate (FTE).

Day 2: Foot of the Marconi Glacier
Today we start our trek with the first daylight, driving north and then west for 15 km. Once in River Electrico, we hike up the valley and after a couple of hours we leave behind the forest which is replaced by rocks eroded and polished by the action of the glacier many hundred years ago. We go around lake Electrico, get good views on Mt. Fitz Roy north face and we camp at the foot of Marconi glacier. Total approx. 6 hours trekking, altitude gain 300 meters.
Lodging in Expedition campsite
Included meals : breakfast (B), box lunch (BL) and dinner (D)

Day 3: Paso Marconi
This is a key day, as it is demanding and we depend on the weather conditions. We hike up glacier Marconi up to the Paso (Pass) Marconi (1500 mts above sea level). According to conditions, in some moment of this day we will use our crampons first to trek over the ice, we will use ropes according to the glacier conditions and our snowshoes later. Hiking up valley, we will first meet the Pier Giorgio glacier valley flowing into the Marconi glacier valley, and then an notorious change of steepness lead us to the pass itself. From Paso Marconi, an incredible view of the Paso de los Cinco Glaciares (the Five Glaciers Pass), Lautaro volcano, Cerro Gorra Blanca and an Antarctic type landscape. This will probably be the hardest day of the whole expedition. We have to overcome a level difference of 800 m along moraines and glacier terrain and, because of the funnel characteristics of this valley, the wind can be very intense. Total approx. 7–9 hours trekking. We climb 800 meters approx.
Lodging in Expedition campsite
Included meals : breakfast (B), box lunch (BL) and dinner (D)

Day 4: Paso Marconi - Circo de los Altares
After an hour on the Glacier, we cross Paso Marconi entering now the magic landscapes of the Ice Field. We hike on the Ice Field southbound towards our new camp at the Circo de los Altares (1250 mts above sea level) on the foot of the legendary Cerro Torre west face. We walk west of the Marconi range with its typical snow mushrooms topping the summit, with permanent view to the Mariano Moreno range towards west. Very likely we use our snowshoes today. Total approx. 6 hours trekking, no up hill today.
Lodging in Expedition campsite over the Patagonia Ice Cap
Included meals : breakfast (B), box lunch (BL) and dinner (D)

Day 5: Laguna de los Esquíes
We continue or way to the south still for some more hours on the Ice Field towards Laguna de los Esquíes, which is the exit door to the Ice cap. Then we hike east, looking for big moraines, walking along some lakes until reaching Viedma Refuge (900 mts above sea level), an ideal place for resting, with water and vegetation. Total trekking approx. 8-9 hours, no up hill.
Lodging in Expedition campsite
Included meals : breakfast (B), box lunch (BL) and dinner (D)

Day 6: Paso del Viento - Laguna Toro
From our camp we climb up to Paso del Viento (Wind Pass) at 1550 mts above sea level and give a final and spectacular look to the Ice Field, the Mariano Moreno range and glacier Viedma. We hike down into the upper river Tunel valley, across alpine meadows rich in alpine flowers. These flowers are the real welcome after days of only rock and ice. We cross the glacier Tunel and after crossing river Tunel with a tyrolean (horizontal fixed rope attached to both sides of the river) we get to our camp at Laguna Toro. Total approx. 7-8 hours trekking.
Lodging in Expedition campsite
Included meals : breakfast (B), box lunch (BL) and dinner (D)

Day 7: Loma del Pliegue Tumbado - El Chalten
This day features the end of our traverse, we walk on the river Tunel valley, wading a couple of streams, walking through forests and grasslands while having views of Cerro Huemul and Viedma Lake. We climb up and down Pliegue Tumbado, a gentle slope to spend our last energies, and our final downhill inside the forest lead us to the River de las Vueltas valley and to El Chaltén. From the watershed between the 2 valleys we have still spectacular views of Cerro Fitz Roy, Torre, Grande, Huemul and Paso del Viento. Total approx. 6 hours trekking.
Lodging at Hostel shared room & bathroom
Included meals: breakfast (B) and box lunch (BL)

Day 8: El Chalten
End of the Expedition.
Included meals: breakfast (B)

Days 9/10: Spare days
Reserved days to use in case of bad weather conditions. These days will be used in case of bad weather not allowing us to move forward. If this is not the case, they will be used on the ice field for rest or alternative activities like walks and photography. We retain the right to change the itinerary or to suspend some of the activities when some climatic cause or other cause of any other nature justifies it in favor of the security of each member of the group, leaving all decisions up to the guide. Also it his responsibility to decide any changes due to any problem one of the participants may have or due to mayor causes. In that case an alternative program will be offered. Please note that being an Expedition more than a classic hiking, the possibility of completing the cross of the Ice Cap is similar to the possibilities you have when attempting to summit a peak: if the weather is too bad you go back to the base and try it later.
Included meals: breakfast (B), box lunch (BL) and dinner (D)

Price (u$d):

Lodging type	Departure Month
	[ Oct - Feb - Mar - Apr ]	[ Nov - Dec - Jan ]
Hostel, shared	please	ask

List of Equipment and Clothes you should bring
• Backpack 80/90 litres capacity,
• Sleeping bag, duvet or synthetic, for -20ºC,
• Sleeping pad (therm-a-rest type recommended),
• Double plastic mountaneering boots (type Koflach, Asolo, Scarpa, Boreal, etc.) or waterproof leather mountaneering boots (where you can attach crampons),
• Thermal underwear: Interior synthetic clothes (polipropilene, lifa o capilene): 1 long-sleeved shirt, 1 long pant,
• 1 cotton t-shirt,
• 1 pant of polar fiber,
• 1 trekking pant,
• 1 fleece (polar fiber jacket) or coat,
• Goretex jacket with hood or similar (parka),
• Goretex shell pants with full-length sided zippers,
• 1 pair of gaiters,
• 2 pairs of wool or synthetic mittens,
• waterproof mitten shells (goretex or similar),
• 1 pair of thin synthetic (thermal) gloves,
• 2 pairs of thick synthetic socks, polar fiber or wool,
• 2 pairs of synthetic liner thin socks,
• Ski sticks or trekking poles, better if telescopic type,
• Thin scarf or handkerchief for your neck,
• Balaclava of wool or polar fiber,
• Cap of wool or polar fiber ,
• Sunglasses with UV filter for high solar radiation,
• Snow goggles / sun glasses with UV protection,
• Sun protector creme for skin (factor 30) and for lips (balm), UV radiation is very strong
• Thermo or plastic water bottle,
• Wide adhesive tape (cloth athletic),
• Personal hygiene kit, elements reduced to minimum necessity,
• Swiss Army knife, Victorinox or similar,
• Headlamp (miners type, like Petzl) with batteries.
• Personal medication.

The snowshoes, crampons, harness, snap links and ropes added to the general camp equipment like tents, heaters, pans, tableware, snow shovels and sledges are provided by us. We will carry all the general equipment for the Expedition, (tents, food, gas, ropes, sleds, snow shovels, first aid kit). You will carry your own personal equipment (backpack, spare clothes, sleeping bag and insulating mattress, personal items) and also carry the personal technical equipment provided by us: crampons, snowshoes, harnesses, the box lunch for the first 3 days and part of the tent (which will be divided among the passengers who sleep together) and a small gas cylinder. This is necessary not only to spread the weight but also to have it handy when you need it. Each passenger carries between 15 and 20 kg, total. This variation depends on the passenger´s personal equipment. The luggage that you do not take with you in the ice trekking stays at El Chaltén in our office. When this Expedition is organized as a private group, out of our regular departures, we offer you the possibility of hiring porters to carry up to a maximum of 8 kg per pax.

Note: At El Chalten or at El Calafate you may rent the mountain equipment, like the mountaineering boots. However, beware there is a limited and incomplete stock.

Included services: Bilingual (Spanish – English) experienced trekking/mountain guides qualified by the Mountain Guides Association of Argentina and licensed by National Parks Authority, tents, campsite & cooking equipment (dishes, heaters, light, utensils, etc.), ice equipment provision (snowshoes, crampons, ice peaks, harnesses, ropes, musket, etc.), the necessary security equipment (GPS, VHF radio, Satelite Telephone Iridium for emergencies), first aid kit, 9 breakfasts (B), 8 box lunch (BL) and 8 dinners (D), 9 nights lodging as shown in the itinerary (7 Expedition Camp, 2 hostel at Chalten), incoming services at El Chalten.

Not included: international and domestic flights, airport taxes, transfers in Buenos Aires, nights in Buenos Aires, drinks, foods not detailed, ticket entrance to 1 National Park (5/10 u$d), medical covering, tips, services not detailed in the program. More information