Note: Camp sites built on sand dunes + areas of high winds= bad. Really bad. Period.
You´d think I would have been dead to the world, but the night wasn´t so sound. The guidebook didn´t mention that this camp area is prone to sandstorms. I don´t like sand at the best of times, let alone in my teeth, in my hair, in my socks, everywhere, all over the course of a night...while in your tent! Check out the deposit in my hiking boots.
And to make matters worse, the lunatic in the tent beside me was ranting and screaming at the sand during the night. The first time it happened, I actually thought some madman had wandered into camp and was right outside my tent. Slightly unnerving, to say the least. In the morning, after de-gritting myself, I headed out to a nearby lookout to see Laguna Torre and the Glacier Grande. As soon as you popped up onto the rock bank, the view was awesome.
I took a little trail that skirted all along the lake to the near-side of the glacier. You can see the bits of ice that have broken away into mini-icebergs and the resulting exposed blue ice. Really, really cool.
One the way back, I noticed these little red flowers. The resiliency of vegetation never ceases to amaze me. These flowers are wind-blasted constantly (likely 60-80km/hr regularly) and exposed to everything from blarring sun to ridiculous snow. Yet still, at the end of summer, they have a few blooms left. That´s tough. So when someone tells you plants can´t grow on living roofs in Canada´s climate, tell them it would Club Med compared to here.
I went back and packed up and had a leisurely walk back to town. The weather had turned really clear (the clouds seem to usually blow off by 2 or 3pm) and the wind was pretty low and warm. The views on the way out gave spectacular panoramas of the area now behind me, and I couldn´t help take one more shot.
You´d think I would have been dead to the world, but the night wasn´t so sound. The guidebook didn´t mention that this camp area is prone to sandstorms. I don´t like sand at the best of times, let alone in my teeth, in my hair, in my socks, everywhere, all over the course of a night...while in your tent! Check out the deposit in my hiking boots.
And to make matters worse, the lunatic in the tent beside me was ranting and screaming at the sand during the night. The first time it happened, I actually thought some madman had wandered into camp and was right outside my tent. Slightly unnerving, to say the least. In the morning, after de-gritting myself, I headed out to a nearby lookout to see Laguna Torre and the Glacier Grande. As soon as you popped up onto the rock bank, the view was awesome.
I took a little trail that skirted all along the lake to the near-side of the glacier. You can see the bits of ice that have broken away into mini-icebergs and the resulting exposed blue ice. Really, really cool.
One the way back, I noticed these little red flowers. The resiliency of vegetation never ceases to amaze me. These flowers are wind-blasted constantly (likely 60-80km/hr regularly) and exposed to everything from blarring sun to ridiculous snow. Yet still, at the end of summer, they have a few blooms left. That´s tough. So when someone tells you plants can´t grow on living roofs in Canada´s climate, tell them it would Club Med compared to here.
I went back and packed up and had a leisurely walk back to town. The weather had turned really clear (the clouds seem to usually blow off by 2 or 3pm) and the wind was pretty low and warm. The views on the way out gave spectacular panoramas of the area now behind me, and I couldn´t help take one more shot.
I should also mention that I´ve heard the glaciers milking a few times now. It sounds like really, really loud thunder and I can imagine it´s a little nervy to be closeby when a big chunk lets go. But, from my distance away, it´s cool to hear :)
Now I´m at a camp area in town, preparing for an overnight hike to Laguan Torro- a little more backcountry than the last 2 days. I´ve got my smelly clothes at the laundry and I should be ready to go for tomorrow. Hopefully the weather will be clear and I´ll get to see more of this gorgeous place.
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