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Incredible cloud cover overlooking Lagos de Los Tres in Parque National Los Glaciares.

It took thirteen hours from El Chalten to hike back and forth to Lagos de Los Tres in Parque National Los Glaciares in Argentina.  Just before the final, almost 1400’, ascent there is a  sign warning trekkers that this hike is not for the feint of heart. On a snowy or windy day the hike up to Lagos de Los Tres can be extremely treacherous, on a good weather day it is just too long, too steep, too uneven, too rough and too exhausting.  However, when you stumble over the final moraine you are treated to one of the great views in all the world.  There right in front of you, so close that you feel you can almost touch them, you’re standing at the base of three massive, magnificent, majestic granite peaks- Agua Raphal (8,143’),  Cerro Poincenot (9,850) and FitzRoy (11,171)- overlooking a large glacial lake.  I was lucky that the rapidly moving, midday, clouds stayed behind the mountains long enough for me to make some images.  But, just before leaving for the knee pounding descent, FitzRoy was more typically invisible, covered by clouds.