BIG ICE = Sore Legs

Today, we need every bit of wine and rest we could get from the night before. Today was the BIG ICE Tour which was an easy 8 hour hike to the middle of a glacier and back. I had no idea what I was in for.





We started by taking a tour bus to the overlook of the beast we were to conquer, the Perito Moreno Glacier. It was cracking and growling like a charged bear waiting for us venture its way. All you would hear was complete silence and then… cracking ice and a giant boom as a giant slab of ice fell to the waters below.

We then took a boat across the lake to meet our guides who were to take us on our journey at a small refuge where we would begin our trek. The boat docked at a naturally made dock of rock.



There we were sized for the Clamp-ons (spike shoes) that we would need for hiking on the glaciers.



The Clamp-ons were pretty heavy. I knew this because I had to add them to the backpack which I had to carry for 1 hour through the forest to the launch point on to the glacier. My pack that was already weighted with all of my equipment and Denay’s too, since she did not have a small pack to use. I ended up sweating through my clothes by the time we got to the glacier. The weather is much warmer in the forest than on the glacier.





On the way to the Glacier we walked by the first of hundreds of waterfalls that feed into the glacier from the surrounding mountains. Some waterfalls are fed by sometimes up to 5 to 10 other waterfalls above it.



By the time we made it to the starting point, 2 people dropped off from the team because it was too difficult of a hike. Starting at the edge of the glacier we put our Clamp-ons on our feet.



It was very interesting to walk in them. You have to be careful not to snag them on your leg or other foot – it could lead to a fall on the ice easily causing a broken bone or worse.



Our guides gave us a quick demonstration of how to walk up hill, down hill and on uneven ice. Basically, you need a wide stance the entire time and must really use your legs to ensure the spikes are in the ice so you do not slip.



Once we were on the glacier it was like being in another world to itself, like the planet Hoth from Empire Strikes Back, with streams, caves, deep pools, and waterfalls. We even went exploring in one of the caves!



















The cave that we explored was a glowing blue from light shining through the denser ice. The bluer the ice is the more dense the ice is. That was a really, really cool experience.













After exploring for a bit we found a good flat spot on the ice alongside a the most vibrant blue and extremely deep pools of water to sit and eat lunch. We just brought fruit and nuts. Variety in a lunch is hard to come by as it seemed Argentinos are obsessed with jamon (ham) and cheese sandwiches on white bread. Not Cleanse-friendly AT ALL. The lunch along with the whole day turned out great.





The guides told us that this weather was exceptionally good. The weather on the glaciers can vary tremendously, raining, windy, snowing then sunny a little while later. In this case it sprinkled a few times but barely. It was not as cold as it could have been and some parts of the hike had sun.











After lunch it was time to hike back. After 1 hour up, 3 hours on the glacier, we were all feeling it. Once we made it back we enjoyed a view of the glacier from the front porch of the refuge with shots and coffee. The boat came back and we crossed the lake back to the bus for a 45 minute ride back to the hotel.







That night we were done. I sweated through all layered of my clothing 4 different times. Everytime you stopped to explore something you would cool off. It was pretty disgusting, but the adventure was well worth the hard work. The shower that night was one of the best that I have had in a long time. We went to the hot tub upstairs in the hotel spa/gym for a little relaxation. The spa was set in front of a huge window with trees as the view and Denay saw an eagle peeping in at her. After the hot tub, we had some room service and headed for the bed. Over all the best day of the trip so far!