One of my main motivations for coming to South America was to see Cerro Torre. Given the notorious reputation of Patagonian weather, I'd expected to have to wait weeks for a glimpse of this legendary mountain.
This was a view from the bus (through a grimy window) from El Calafate to El Chaltén. Cerro Torre's the highest of the row of peaks on the left — the one that looks like a shard of glass. The highest peak, on the right and partly obscured by cloud, is FitzRoy.
[9 November 2011, Panasonic Lumix GH1, 100–300 mm at 150 mm, ISO 200, 1/3200 at f8]
All content © 2012 Pete McGregor
My god, what an incredible shot! My oldest and strongest desire to go visit Patagonia is also to see Cerro Torre. Wow.
ReplyDeleteUtterly surreal.
ReplyDeleteIncredible! Even through grimy bus windows you get the most incredible shots... Hard to believe it's been one year ago today that we arrived to El Calafate! -Maureen
ReplyDeleteMiguel, it's worth it. Allow plenty of time — even if you're lucky with the weather, as I was, it's the sort of place that would repay protracted stay (in retrospect, I'd stay longer). Avoid the summer crowds by visiting in October or early November; the weather will be colder, but you need to be prepared for that no matter when you go. Go soon.
ReplyDeleteZhoen, definitely surreal. Magical, otherworldly.
Maureen, yes, a year ago I had less than a month left of my South American journey. Seems like yesterday.
THAT is a mountain.
ReplyDeleteMichael, these Patagonian mountains certainly live up to their reputations. I love Reinhold Messner's description of Cerro Torre (translated, I assume) as "A shriek turned to stone".
ReplyDelete