Outside El Chaltén: Hiking Half the Huemul Circuit

El Chaltén is best known for the majestic Mount Fitz Roy, but adventure can also be found off the beaten path on the Huemul Circuit. This challenging trail requires extra gear and a permit from the ranger station. Discover the ins and outs of preparation, as well as our own journey.

Hopping on the Huemul

The first half of the Huemul Circuit requires crossing a river along a Tyrolean traverse, walking across a glacier and hiking up to the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Park officials mandate that each hiker bring a harness and two carabiners (one steel). Each group must pack a map of the area and a small gas stove. No fires are allowed.

Before starting the trek, backpackers need to stop by the ranger station to register for the free hike. Park rangers have put together a slideshow with all the essential information, including terrain breakdowns and safety tips. On the permit, they ask for your backpacking experience. I marked low. Thinking the ranger may not let me go on the trek, I quickly added a plus sign.

I traveled with my brother Eric, a biologist in Alaska who spends his free time tromping through the forests, and my boyfriend Connor, a rock climber who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail this year. I — a self-declared “low-plus” but enthusiastic hiker — have gone on a handful of overnight backpacking trips. But I was unprepared for the challenge of the Huemul Circuit.

Throughout our trip, we often talked about Type 1 Fun and Type 2 Fun. Type 1 Fun: drinking beer in a field, playing card games around the campfire, floating down a sun-soaked stream. Type 2 Fun: hiking enormous mountains along rocky terrain, silted and shifting earth, muddy ground — if only to reveal your own grit. The Huemul Circuit is definitely Type 2 Fun.

Let the Fun Begin

The hike begins with an uphill climb above the adorable town of El Chaltén. Following mucky fields, we opted for a side trip to the Fitz Roy lookout. As Connor shot up to the highest peak, Eric and I rested our feet while overlooking Fitz Roy and snacking on Cheetos knockoffs. We were about six hours deep into this four-day trek. I began wondering if the whole journey was the right type of fun for us. Eric had traveled from Alaska to visit me in Buenos Aires and then head to Patagonia together; did we really want a sufferfest?

Naw.

As a group we decided to establish basecamp at Laguna Toro. We could still fit in the river crossing and glacier walk, and we’d have more time to relax and chat and eat together at camp. Let’s call it Type 1.5 Fun.

Settling into Camp

After a full night’s sleep, I wandered over to Eric’s campsite to find him well-awake amidst a highly organized shelter. We’d officially set up shop. We made breakfast and stuffed a daypack with our harnesses, carabiners and lunch, and we set off for the day.

Crossing the River

The hike begins with a stroll around the lake before arriving to the river crossing. Park officials have set up a steel cable that spans the river, and backpackers are responsible for strapping themselves in and traversing the line.

The cable is tilted toward the entry point, so we ended up pulling ourselves across, one hand over the other. Once across, I dolled out hugs to the whole crew and we continued onward.

Glacier, Right Ahead!

After about an hour of slip-sliding across loose rocks, we came to the foot of the glacier. We scrambled up its side and kept toward the edge.

Our favorite parts of the hike took place on the glacier: hopping over narrow crevasses and filling our bottles with ice-cold water. The only other hiker we saw all day was someone who’d lost his way and found himself high above the glacier. He worked his way down the steep terrain as we wound up the other side.

We’re Halfway There

The path up to the ice field is slick — at times rocky and narrow, at other times dewy and soft. After several hours, we paused for a break and noted the clouds looming on the other side of the mountain. We could press onward, but it was late in the day and the unclear weather may have proven hazardous. Not wanting to risk danger, our resident billygoat Connor ran the last half mile uphill while Eric and I stayed back. While shoving down a quick lunch, we took in the view before us. Snow-capped rocky mountains dipped beneath the cerulean glacier; the river curved just beyond a hill which hid our campsite.

Connor caught up with us as we were digging our trekking poles into the shifting ground, and we crossed the river together. This time, with a bit of downward slope, we caught some speed and careened into the rocks on the far side. We all made it across in one piece, I issued more celebratory hugs, and we headed back to camp for dinner and drinks.

Heading Back to Town

Our final day on the trail featured a lengthy uphill climb, a leisurely lunch on the hillside, a tromp through the muddy fields, and finally, a glimpse of El Chaltén just beyond the ranger station.

Although we didn’t make it all the way around the Huemul Circuit, we made our own fun. And as far as I’m concerned, that’s the best type.