Peaks, Condors, Ducks and Clear Skies

Another day, another slow pace: just 8km in 5 hours. But today, we have
some pretty good excuses.

Our first detour was to the Mirador de
Cóndores. After an hour of watching a playful group of Kestrels with no
condors in sight, we were about to give up. Then, as if on cue, a lone
condor passed right over our heads, no more than ten meters away.
Kiersten definitely got some amazing shots.


We then hiked on to the Mirador de
Águilas (Eagle's View). Guess what? No eagles. The fine view of the
icebergs floating on distant Lago Viedma was some consolation, but we
were starting to feel a little deflated about Argentine naming
conventions.

Our spirits lifted when we dropped down to a small lake nestled in a
dense Patagonian forest. Kiersten had a stroke of luck as two scarce
Spectacled Ducks (Bronze-winged Ducks) swam past, completely oblivious
to us. She also got good sightings of a Chilean Flicker. Her report will
no doubt be filled with superlative photos.

The other main reason for our slow progress was the landscape itself. We
were constantly stopping to stare in awe. A cloudless sky is a rare
Patagonian phenomenon, and to see the iconic peaks of Cerro Torre and
Mt. FitzRoy under clear blue skies provided one show-stopping moment
after another.

This perfect weather has made us realize we need to go higher while we
can. We have to take advantage of this window before the inevitable
clouds and winds return. With the fine weather set to continue, this
afternoon we'll pack for our first high-altitude adventure: an overnight
bivouac on Loma del Pliegue Tumbado tomorrow. Stay tuned!