Backpack the Fitz Roy Massif and Huemul Circuit in Argentine Patagonia

The group enjoyed a mix of clear and cloudy weather, not unusual for south Patagonia.  Views were glorious in many places.  A visit to Perito Moreno and (for some) to the bird sanctuary at Laguna Nimez near Calafate were fantastic.  Then the outfitter provided a bus for the ride to El Chalten where the group met their guides and loaded up packs with food and group gear for the fairly short walk up past Laguna Capri (nice snack break) up to Poincenot Camp.   Only brief peek a boo views of Fitzroy.  The fixed tents, dining domes and nice meal were very welcome!  The river was immediately nearby for water.  The disgusting toilet facilities began to become evident even here.

Before dawn the next morning the group climbed the steep forest and moraine trail to Mirador de los Tres, above the lagoon of the same name and the cloud-obscured face of Fitzroy.  The sunrise light show was nonetheless gorgeous!  After descending back to Poincenot for breakfast, we set off on the well defined nearly flat trail along Lagunas Madre and Hija, in the open with nice views back to Fitzroy and then in forest to Thorwood camp.  Again there were fixed tents, a dining dome and great food prepared in the kitchen facilities by our outfitter's staff.

Another sunrise view over Laguna Torre to Cerro Torre the next morning, then  along the moraine to the lagoon's outlet and the first tyrolean rope (see info above).  From there the group turned steeply uphill  away from the main trail back to Chalten, ascending to Agachonas Pass and then steeply down on crumbly scree to the Rio Toro trail up to Toro camp a short way below Lago Toro.  This camp is dark, dingy and dusty with - you guessed it! - a disgusting toilet - and dust that continually blows into the tents.  The group was met by additional porters who carried the group's 4-season tents, cooking gear and food for the next 3 trail days (note:  lightweight 3 season tents are easily destroyed by the Patagonian winds so highly recommended to rent the outfitters' 4-season tents!).  

Heading on upriver past Lago Toro, the route winds through steep boulder chutes to the second Tyrolean traverse over a canyon.  Guide help is much apprecaited here because the cable has a fairly steep arc upward after the halfway point so some people won't have the upper body strength to take their own packs across!  And the exit from the cable is onto the cliff edge so a hand from the guide is very necessary.  From that canyon, the route then wanders up through more boulders, across a flat but heavily-crevassed glacier tongue, and then zigzagging and traversing steep moraine slopes above multiple glaciers to Paso del Viento.    Be sure you have all  your gear secured inside your pack because the wind here will rip off your pack cover and blow away your hats!  Poles really help you to keep your feet.

From Paso del Viento, a steep scree descent is followed by a two-mile boulder hop (with the added challenge of sideways 60mph wind gusts) to Viento camp on the shore of a small pond with a dozen or so rock-ringed camps behind the cliff wall and more space out in the open.  There is a small warming hut there and more disgusting toileting options.  Luckily the wind wasn't too horrible that night - in 2018 the mad wind gusts overnight broke a guyline and caused a tentpole to snap!   

From Viento Camp the group traversed up and down bluffs and cliffs above the Viedma glacier, on mostly defined trail.  The last stretch to Huemul Pass was steep scree.  After going over the pass, the trail descended more scree, passed through an area of wind-blasted beech (where we camped in 2018) and then descended a precipitous dirt and slab slope that required poles, butt-sliding, veggie belays and helpful guides to get everyone down in one piece (one wouldn't have fallen far with all the brush bit the chance of slipping onto your butt was high).  Finally the bottom of the slope was reached and the group crossed the lakeshore flats to a camp on the shore.

On the last day the group traversed with lots of upping and downing and some crumbling scree 'trails;' on very steep slopes to the last Tyrolean traverse.  This one had short posts that one needed to climb up on to clip onto the cable, and then land on and climb down at the other end, but everyone crossed without a hitch.  It wasn't far from there to the road end where the group was picked up and transferred back into Chalten for a nice dinner (La Tapera, highly recommended!) and then a ride to the airport at El Calafate the next morning.

This route requires very confident backpackers who aren't squeamish about steep boulders, even steeper scree ascents, descents and traverses, and a very steep butt-sliding descent near the end - plus the tyrolean ropes.   Careful vetting of participants and references that confirm the person's confidence on that kind of terrain are very important.  Also, it seems clear that there isn't much maintenance going on and some sections of this route (including the fast-receding flat glacier) may become virtually impassible without more technical scrambling in the not too distant future.  Be sure to follow up carefully with the outfitter to get photos and beta about the trail.  Also, because of the terrain difficulty it was beyond helpful to have guides who carried the heavy tents and cooking gear for the group.

Photos of the route can be found at this link and the gaiagps route can be found at this link.