En Niño

On the second-to-last day of 2009, I did venture into Parque National Nahuel Haupi and climb those mountains, a new and less comfortable way to celebrate the New Year (harsh winds and malfunctioning tents, camping in the snow, hordes of strangers on top of a dramatic mountain for three days).  It wasn´t so bad. I carried way too much stuff, and actually ate raw raviolis until I realized how gross that is. But other than those unfortunate problems and mistakes, I was pretty astounded by the mountain and environment. The 15 km walk up was through sunny, dry, burnt forest; then along a cool, green, fresh river; then straight up a path of craggy rocks, through scrubby trees, with la Catedral looming over everything, a comb-like mountain ridge of skinny, sharp pilars (apparently a rock-climber´s mecca).

La Catedral with me in the middle

In Argentina, popular hiking destinations are often serviced by refugios. Hikers can sleep, eat and relax at these little, basic houses, and for New Years, I camped by Refugio Frey. It was very nice to have this warm little house to rest at. Sitting in the smelly room, heated by a wood stove covered by dirty socks and wet jackets, trying to communicate with other trekkers from Israel, Argentina, Chile, Switzerland, France, Brazil, Spain, England, Holland, the Netherlands, etc and drinking wine was a nice alternative to the rainy wind that shook the walls of my tiny little tent, and often blew it over. In fact, the wind was so strong that it snapped the poles of the two Himalaya-grade tents that the Holland people were sleeping in, and they had to sleep in the crowded refugio.

My little tent

On my second day at Refugio Frey, the sky was grey with speeding clouds, and everyone was advised to stay put. But my tent and the refugio seemed very very small after a few hours, so I ventured out into the rain (thank you water proof pants!) to climb the first part of what was supposed to have been my second day of hiking. Thank goodness I didn´t try this part with my pack- an hour of negotiating 3 ft of snow over uneven rocks, then two hours of tripping straight upwards, over more uneven and loose rocks. And, of course, the wind.I think I didn't even notice that camera was in black and white mode...the valley below

I guess I was the first one to get stir crazy, so I had this walk all to myself, and I must admit it was a little scary. I could hear the water of ancient glaciar-melt streams rushing below the snow and rocks I was crawling up. The sky was moving so fast that it always seemed like an ominous new weather phenomenom was rushing over the pointy mountains. And when I was nearing the top, I could hear something howling! I thought that I was imagining it, but I kept hearing this sad sounding moan...and soon, a little dog appeared out of the rocks somewhere. I'm not a "dog person", and I have no idea what this dog was doing up there, so I was a little wary of it. But it looked clean and happy to see me, so I pet it and let it follow me into the grey world at the top of my climb. I sat under a rock that "el Niño" (the dog) showed me to and tried to appreciate the same dark grey mountains, grey clouds reflecting on white snow, and a grey frozen lake. I took out my little camping cup and drank from the lake, decided not to give El Niño any of my food (because he looked like he was surviving very well up there on his own), and let myself head back down.

El nino, my helper

I´m happy I got to be up there all by myself. It was amazing to feel so alone, and small in this ancient and inhospitable mountain world.

La laguna at the top