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.All Trips / California / North America / Southwestern USA
Magnificent Mt. Shasta, California
One of the most memorable drives I’ve done in recent years is the road that stretches between Klamath Falls, Oregon, and Mount Shasta in Northern California. Route 97 heads southwest towards the ever looming presence of majestic Mount Shasta, one of the prettiest mountains anywhere.
We did this drive last month and the views of that beautiful peak were one of the highlights of our trip. It was a clear day and Mt Shasta was visible for more than an hour. We stopped frequently for photos because we were worried the peak might disappear the closer we got because of hills obstructing our view, but that was not the case; some of these images are interspersed with this narrative, each subsequent …
Tagged California, Cascades, glacier, Mount Shasta, volcanoe
.All Trips / Chile / South America
Exploring the Fjords of Patagonia: 4) Pia Glacier
Having finished a hike in Tierra del Fuego and studied birds up close on Tucker’s Islets, we completed a memorable day with an evening of fine food, good companionship and restful sleep. During the night our ship re-positioned itself and the next morning’s excursion was a visit to Pia Glacier.
Pia Glacier is in the north-west arm of the Beagle Channel and lies on the Darwin Range. It’s an advancing glacier, meaning …
Tagged fjordlands, glacier, Patagonia, Pia Glacier
.All Trips / Argentina / South America
Nowhere is a Place. Visiting Patgonia, 5) Viedma Glacier, Argentina
Situated close to the small Argentinean town of El Chalten is Lake Viedma, a large glacial lake. You can take a boat tour to visit the largest glacier in the Southern Patagonia Ice Field, the Viedma Glacier, from a dock on the northwestern shore of the lake, near El Chalten (which you can reach by bus from town).
The following overview photo, courtesy of NASA, will help orient you a little better. Viedma Lake is obvious, as is the Patagonian Icefield. The Viedma Glacier is at 12 o’clock in this photo (actually direction is west). The boat launch is in the little thumb at the top right of the lake at about one o’clock. El Chalten is in a non-snow …
Tagged Andes, El Chalten, glacier, lake, mountains, Patagonia, Viedma Glacier
.All Trips / Argentina / South America
Nowhere is a Place. Visiting Patgonia, 4) El Chalten, Argentina
Our next stop in Patagonia is the small town of El Chaltén in Argentina. This town rests in the rain shadow of the massive spires of the Patagonian Andes and is a dry, windy and cool place.
The region around El Chaltén is part of Los Glaciares National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and is very remote. It is usually reached by taking the bus or driving from El Calafate some 220 km to the south, El Calafate itself a remote town which we’ve previously discussed here.
The town resides in a glaciated valley adjoining the Rio de las Vueltas. The most dramatic aspect of El Chaltén is the beautiful mountains that frame it to the west, including the amazingly steep and narrow spire …
Tagged adventure travel, Andes, El Chalten, Fitz Roy Massive, glacier, hiking, mountains, Patagonia, trekking
.All Trips / Argentina / South America
Nowhere is a Place: Visiting Patagonia, 3) Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina
Our adventure in Patagonia is just beginning! We’re going to start visiting and exploring those places people travel thousands of miles to see. El Calafate may be a pretty little town but no one comes to Patagonia just to see it. They come here to experience the magnificent landscapes of the Andes, the extensive Patagonian ice-fields, and the vast barren steppe. The main Patagonian attraction close to El Calafate is the Perito Merino Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Glaciares National Park entrance is about an hour’s drive west of El Calafate . You’ll drive mostly near the shore of Lago Argentino, the majestic Andes coming ever nearer. …
.All Trips / Argentina / South America
Nowhere is a Place: Visiting Patagonia, 1) El Calafate, Argentina
While they look extraterrestrial, those aren’t flying saucers or wormholes in the sky; rather, they’re some of the most unusual cloud formations I’ve ever seen. The above image (and more in the photos below) was captured at dusk my first night in Patagonia and it affirmed my desire to visit this corner of the world. It had taken 20 years, but I finally made it! The breath-taking and sometimes surreal and barren landscapes of Patagonia are unlike any other!
Many people don’t know where ‘Patagonia’ is, or consider it just the name of a famous outdoor clothing brand. My first in depth exposure to Patagonia (the southern portion of South America) came from reading the book, “Nowhere is a Place“, written …
Tagged El Calafate, glacier, Patagonia, Sunset
“Pic of the Week”, November 8, 2013. Greenland from 30,000′
One of the advantages of the polar route between Europe and western North America is that on the westbound flight you generally travel during daylight. The route takes you over southern Greenland and on a good day the view out your window is spectacular! You’ll see part of its massive icecap, with thousands of square kilometers of mountains, ice and snow, and dozens of sharply defined glaciers. It’s really a unique view, almost like flying over another planet. Sadly most people have their shades closed and miss this spectacular scenery, napping or watching their video screens instead.
In the past few months I’ve had the opportunity to sit by the window on this route without a wing or engine blocking my …
Nov 7, 2013
Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”, November 8, 2013. Greenland from 30,000′
“Pic of the Week”, Oct. 4, 2013. Stanley Glacier, Kootenay National Park
Stanley Glacier is easily accessible, so it’s a popular day hike in the Canadian Rockies. It’s situated by the border of the B.C. and Alberta, near Castle Junction in Kootenay National Park. The trail provides a great half day hike with an elevation gain of 365 m (1200 ft), taking you to the foot of Stanley Glacier. The hike encompasses much of what makes the Canadian Rockies special, with wonderful panoramas, cascading creeks, rugged mountains and the hanging Stanley Glacier in a hanging valley.
If you hike in the fall, about this time of year or a little earlier, you’ll be treated to some wonderful colors along the lower portion of the trail in the area of an old …
