Laguna Torre (Argentina)

For those of you planning to climb the legendary Fitz Roy, I suggest you leave from El Chaltén and walk to the Torre Lagoon. There are other routes, but this was the one that I tried and tested during my trip to Argentina. Let me take you through my amazing adventure!

I started out under a clear blue sky. Seven-hours walk lay ahead. Right from the start, the trail was waterlogged from the previous day's rain. The path was boggy and slippery on the parts that weren't covered in snow. The Patagonian countryside was stunning. I came across a frozen river that crossed the plain. The spiky mountain peaks seemed really close. It's hard to be unmoved by such scenery. And it was at this point that nature decided to do its thing.

Huge clouds gathered overhead. Rain started to fall, quickly followed by large snowflakes. You need to know that in the heart of the Andes, weather conditions can rapidly deteriorate. I was still an hour's walk from the Torre Lagoon. There was no question of turning back, seeing as I was so close to my goal. I managed to find shelter under a stone arch and grabbed a bite to eat.

Two hikers, who were also heading to the lagoon, rocked up and told me that, according to rangers they'd met, the weather wasn't due to worsen. As it can change so quickly, I was relieved to have company and we headed off together in the direction of the lagoon. Even though we may have taken a risk, we realised we'd made the right decision. The Torre Lagoon was frozen solid and the glacier beyond a beautiful blend of blue tones. It was the first time in my life I'd seen such a thing. It was breathtakingly grandiose. Unfortunately we couldn't stay long. The snow was getting heavy. And we needed to start heading back! My boots were soaked. With every step, my right boot blew bubbles! At this point I realised they'd seen their final trek. But I didn't care, the walk had been amazing.