One of the main reasons I came to South America was in the hope of seeing the greatest mountain in the world — to my mind, Cerro Torre. I came prepared to camp out for as long as I could in the hope of catching a glimpse of the mountain famously described by one of the greatest mountaineers ever, Reinhold Messner, as "a shriek turned to stone".
Yesterday I arrived in El Calafate; this morning I caught the bus to El Chalten, gateway to Parque Nacional Los Glaciares' northern sector, which includes the Fitz Roy Massif where Cerro Torre and its satellite peaks shriek at the Patagonian sky behind the enormous pillar of Fitz Roy itself. The infamous Patagonian weather relented; the relatively small amount of cloud dissipated and even the wind, which blows with extreme violence almost constantly, had subsided. I walked partway to Laguna Torre in the afternoon and this is what I saw. That, my friends, is the greatest mountain in the world.
Tomorrow I walk back up to Laguna Torre to camp there in the hope of better light for photographs, particularly at dawn. Given my unbelievable luck so far, I don't hold out too much hope, but who knows?
[9 November 2011, Panasonic Lumix GH1, 100–300 mm at 201 mm, ISO 100, 1/800 at f8]
All content © 2011 Pete McGregor
Brand spanking new, geologically speaking. Teeth biting the sky.
ReplyDeleteThis is breathtakingly beautiful. Please post more images when you are able!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful... certainly a shriek turned to stone... what an amazing photo.. Thankyou for being there and sharing with us what you are seeing!
ReplyDeleteZhoen, indeed. The comparison with teeth — fangs — is irresistible.
ReplyDeletePatricia, thank you. Rest assured, this won't be the last photograph I post of Cerro Torre :^)
Christopher, you're welcome. Glad you enjoy it:^)