El Chalten

Two hours up from town the Fitz Roy peak first shows itself between the trees. A campsite sits across the water where people sleep and wait for first light.

The last kilometre is loose rock at a hard angle and takes an hour on its own. At the top the Fitz Roy wall rises directly behind the lake.

A needle thin spire stands under a cap of ice. Small blocks of ice drift over the water and the wind herds them to one side.

Forty minutes of climbing behind the town reaches a place where condors circle overhead. The whole town and the river below fall into one view.

A small waterfall lies an hour's walk from town. The path stays flat, so children and older walkers manage it without trouble.

From the bridge at the town entrance the river bends and the peaks stand behind it. On some days the wind on the bridge makes it hard to stay upright.

A full day on the trail puts both peaks in the same field of view. The ridge is open and there is almost nowhere to get out of the wind.

A boat approaches the largest glacier in the country. Some trips walk on the ice and pass through a cave inside it.

This route follows the northern valley and far fewer walkers use it. It crosses private land at the end, so a toll is paid.

At the town office climbing parties write up weather and conditions by hand. Walkers check what the wind will do the next day and plan from it.

Thirty-seven kilometres of gravel north of town, a long lake runs toward Chile. An hour's forest climb from shore reaches a pool under the Huemul Glacier, on private land that charges entry. Some ride the boat to its northern tip and walk across the border.

A cross-trail linking the Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy routes, passing two lakes named Mother and Daughter. Taking it lets you string both peaks into a single day. Forest cover breaks the wind, so it is also chosen as a bad-weather alternative.

A loop of about four days; from Paso del Viento the Southern Patagonian Ice Field stretches endlessly. Rivers are crossed hanging from a rope line, so bring a harness and pulley. Before setting out, you register your plan at the national park office.

A glacier lake well over half a day's hike from the trailhead south of the village; most walkers camp a night. The Toro Glacier comes down to its far shore, and ice floats on the water. Far fewer walkers come this way than toward Fitz Roy.

The Los Glaciares National Park office beside the Fitz Roy river bridge where the road enters the village. Rangers explain trail conditions, wind forecasts and camping rules. Many drop in on arrival day by bus to settle the next day's route.

A short scramble round the rocky knoll beside Laguna de los Tres reveals a glacier lake hidden far below. Ice pours straight off the Fitz Roy wall into it, and falling blocks echo. It is unmarked rock, so watch your footing.