An Inadequate Description of a Perfect Patagonian Hike

Let me start with a confession: I am utterly unequipped to do today’s
hike justice. My vocabulary fails me, and while I’m a perfectly
acceptable photographer, my images are but pale echoes of the reality we
witnessed. They capture a moment, but not the soul-stirring, immersive
feeling of being there.

So, I won’t try to wax lyrical. Instead, I’ll simply tell you about the
walk—the Cerro Paredón circuit—and why, if you ever find yourself in El
Chalten, you should make it your first priority. I’ll leave you with my
photos, which I’m genuinely happy with, even as I acknowledge their
inherent inadequacy.

The Stats Lie: A Leisurely
Five-Hour Stroll

On paper, our hike was a straightforward affair. A circular route of
just 9km, with a gentle 300 metres of ascent and descent. A brisk walker
could probably knock it out in two and a half hours. I am, therefore,
slightly sheepish to report that it took us a full, glorious five hours
to complete.

Why the glacial pace? Well, Kiersten and I are both knocking on a bit,
you know! But more importantly, the trail itself refused to be rushed.
This wasn't a route to be conquered; it was an experience to be
savoured, minute by minute.

The Real Reason for Our Slow Pace: Unfolding Beauty

Our delay was a deliberate, joyous rebellion against efficiency. From
the very start, the landscape demanded our full attention.

The morning began with a dramatic unveiling. Thick clouds clung
stubbornly to the peaks of the Fitz Roy range, hiding their summits from
view. Piece by piece, the granite peaks revealed themselves. And then
came the real showstopper: the emergence, for the first time since we
had arrived, of "the Tower" — the infamous, almost mythical Cerro Torre.
Its impossibly slender spire, often wreathed in a plume of cloud, stood
stark and clear against the blue sky. It was a sight that commanded
silence. We obliged.

The trail led us past three tranquil lakes, each a perfect mirror for
the mountains. Here, our progress was further hampered by the search for
our "flighty feathered friends." The quiet shores weren't full of
birdlife, but we spent what felt like an age, binoculars in hand, trying
to identify the few local inhabitants.

But the greatest time waster of all was the simplest: we simply stopped.
We found a comfortable rock in the heart of this marvellous mountain
arena, sat down, and just… existed. We ate our snack bars not as fuel,
but as a picnic in the grandest dining room on earth. Fitz Roy and Cerro
Torre were our centrepieces.

Why This Should Be Your First Hike in El Chalten

This circular hike to the east of El Chalten, up the slopes of
Cerro Paredón, is the most wonderful introduction to the area you could
ask for. Yesterday was a busy Halloween Sunday, and while the popular,
well-trodden trails west of town (like Laguna de los Tres and Laguna
Torre) were undoubtedly packed with a steady stream of pilgrims, we
encountered only a handful of other hikers on our route.

The solitude was a gift, but the real magic of the Cerro Paredón circuit
is its perspective. It doesn’t just show you one or two famous peaks; it
unfolds the entire mountain range before you like a completed jigsaw
puzzle. From this vantage point, you see how Fitz Roy, Torre, and all
their supporting cast relate to one another, understanding the grand
architecture of the place in a single, sweeping panorama.

It’s a hike that gives you context, peace, and a profound sense of
scale. It’s not the most challenging trail, but it is, without a doubt,
one of the most rewarding. It’s totally to be recommended as your first
hike in the area — a perfect overture to the landscapes of Patagonia.

And now, as promised, here are my humble, happy, and entirely inadequate
images from a day I will not soon forget.