El Chalten is a small mountain village in Los Glacieres National Park, in Argentina's Santa Cruz Province. It is on the side of Rio Fitz Roy. The town is is a hub for international hikers. The winds can be fierce and persistent there, because the village is on the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and not far from the sea. The beauty is astonishing, from the spires of the mountains to the delicate wildflowers at your feet
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'In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods'
Valle De Revuelta, Laguna Capri Trail.
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| That flash of red is Firebush. |
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| Embothrium coccineum |
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View from the park visitor center.
The Laguna Capri trail starts at the other end of town. |
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Back across the Rio Fitz Roy.
Cerro Torre in the background |
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| Cerro Torre overlooking the village of El Chalten. |
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Vista approaching the trail head,
Valle De Revuelta is not yet visible.
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| Another view of the valle, farther up the Laguna Capri trail. |
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| And even farther up. |
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The Landscape is grand.
El Chalten, the smoking mountain, overlooks the trail. |
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| The Paramela is in bloom |
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As you can see, it is a pea (legume)
Adesemia boronoides |
Beauty at your feet. I knew it was spring,
but was still astonished by the variety of floral beauty
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Yellow Violet, Viola reichel.
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A flying flower. Yramea cytheris
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Geranium mangellanicum
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Anemone multifida
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Siete Camisas
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| Escallonia rubra |
After the grand landscapes, The trail winds into a native Northern Beech woods.
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| Northofagus genus, |
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Northern Beech leaves.
There are subtle differences between the types of Beech trees.
I did not master them.
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An elder beech
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| Gray Lichen, Linguen gris adorns the trees. |
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Then the goal is in sight. Moute Fitz Roy, El Chalten.
El Chalten is a Tehueche word meaning "smoking mountain",
because the peak is often covered with clouds. |
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Laguna Capri was my turn around point.
From the trailhead to here and back is about six kilometers.
A day trip. One could hike on and on..
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On the way back,
the Anemones were
nodding off.
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The Evening Primrose,
Oenothera genus, was waking up
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A Magellenic Woodpecker, was foraging in the shadows
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| Carpintero gigante, female. |
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| The male is more shocking! |
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| Down and out of the woods |
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| On the way down, glacial erratics were more noticeable |
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| Lake Viedma comes into view. |
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| Then the village of El Chalten. Time for dinner. |
Keep close to Nature's heart and break clear away once in awhile,
and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. ~ John Muir
