WHAT?! Beautiful couloirs in every direction.
There is a piece of potential through PowderQuest, the leading ski touring company in Patagonia. This country is one of the most beautiful to ski, see, experience, drink and dance to. Make sure you brush up on your tango skills, as it is, when in Argentina, do as the Argentines do. This is a place of limitless potential for fun.
See what I mean?
The outdoor pursuits barely begin with alpine touring. The Andes mountains offer some of the best climbing, hiking and fishing in the world. The southern part of the continent is also home to incredible surfing that attracts professionals and amateurs alike. some of the surfing is documented in the film, 180 degrees South.
Steelhead straight out of the river
For the fisherman, the most popular area to find the coveted trout, salmon and native trahira; is Tierra del Fuego. To get there (one of the finely remote islands along the archipelago, you have to take the Argentinian airline, Aerolineas, from Buenos Aires, to Ushuaia or to Rio Grande. From there, you can take tourism buses or hire a taxi to get to your local spot. On a day off, or if the fish aren’t biting there is hiking and glacial travel on Glacier Martial.
Hiking is another popular activity along the Andes. In Chile, the rich biodiversity entices and allures all of the senses. An adventurous traveler can experience glaciers one day, high alpine lakes and wildlife another, follow that to peaks that slice the sky in half, and end with a barren desert.
Just one of the views along Torres del Paine NP into the sky-slicing peaks.
The landscape is truly unimaginable unless you go there. The ‘W’ 4-day trek along Torres del Paine National Park remains one of the most beautiful and popular. Travel arrangements can be made out of various outfitters. Depending on the season, entry fees range from $8.50 during the low season and double ($17) for the high season.
If you have the bold moves to travel to Patagonia, bring your gear.
- A 40L backpacking bag
- A good alpine tent like Hilleberg
- Rainproof pants and alpine jacket
- High quality base-layers and mids like Merino wool from Icebreaker, Ibex and Chalky Digits
- A hard-shell jacket
- AT Skis! With skins, Avalanche probe, beacon and shovel
- Well built hiking boots
- A good and committed friend
Cerro Torre with Compressor Route on Right side and Rime Ice Cap on Top
Climbing in the Andes is a dream of only the most bold and skilled technically sound alpine climbers. Cerro Torre is by far the most famous in the Andes. It is on a disputed border, however, that does not make it impossible to climb. The fabled and highly controversial ascent of the Compressor Route by David Lama in 2010 only added to the mysticism surrounding this mountain. If you choose to break out of the common path, make sure you bring your own sleeping bag and pad. If you plan on climbing multi-pitch and multi-day routes, a satellite phone is essential for emergency situations; though in some cases you will reach a point of no return. Safety First.
You must be logged in to post a comment.