9
ediciones
Cambios
→Season 2025/26: Added trip log
=Overview=
=Section Log, Alerts and Suggestions=
==Season 2025/26==
'''GPT40 /2026-02-11 to 2026-02-13 / 2.5 days / RR / Counter Clockwise / Alex and Aoife'''
Attractiveness: 5 / 5
Difficulty: 2 / 5
The views of the Glacier Viedma are expansive and incredible. It's a well maintained, signposted, quick track. Felt nice to switch off from navigating and follow your nose. I think we checked the map only on a couple of occasions.
We read getting to the ranger hut before 7am would mean free access. That info is no longer valid it would seem. We got there at 0620am and a ranger was waiting to collect our 45k ARS pp.
-49.338487, -72.885043
We originally planned on hiking up to Laguna Torre for sunrise then up and over Paseo de las Agochonas. This would provide free entry and another Tyrolean experience.
Hired our ‘Huemel kit' for the Tyroleans from ‘Oeste Viento’ at the N end of town. 10k Per day for Harness, 1 steel and 1 aluminium biner and a sling. For an extra 2k per day we got 35m length of cord for pulley retrieval on the Tyrolean. We did actually have to use it once as a fixed line wasn't in place at the time so would advise to carry. We only hired one set of gear for 2 people.
Day 1
We got to camp on day 1 at 1030am so decided to push on and combine the first 2 days. It meant to got to the first Tyrolean at around midday where only one other person was there so no queues.
After a big day we camped near Refugio Viento with everyone else.
Paseo De Las Viento, is exactly that. Mucho Viento.
No issues with water.
Day 2
Short day, the descent from Huemel Pass is steep as expected but very manageable. I personally would have found it difficult without the use of hiking poles. But that's my preference. We chose to camp near:
Camp {41-01} [0.4/255
-49.482010, -72.963736
in a nice sheltered nook from the prevailing winds. No other people around and 1 min walk to views of icebergs and glaciers.
We filled up water and carried from the stream before the previous Tèmpanos Campsite.
Day 3.
We got up early for sunrise, saw no one until we got to the highway.
Easy walking. The Tyrolean was fun.
We were back in town by midday.
Water along route. We filled up at the streams before the Tyrolean, if its a sunny day it's quite a hot dry walk back to El chalten through the pampa so carry a little extra.
In El chalten we camped at Complejo turístico El Relincho, 22k ARS pp. Most expensive campsite yet. Great kitchen and showers though.
Numerous camp stores and supermarkets. We used the 2 on the main street. Great fresh produce here. Gas cannister was 8500ARS from Oeste Viento.
<big> '''December 31 to Jan 3, 2026/ 4 days/ Hiking/ Anti-clockwise/ RR/ Edwin'''<big>
Classic 4 day trek staying at the recommended camping sites except that I camped the second night a few hundred meters before the refuge to avoid the crowds. Seems to be getting pretty popular, there were at least 20 tents each night. Rightly popular I like to add, it is very beautiful... Trails are usually quite clear, also where it says cc in the trackfiles.
I did not carry a harness. Crossing the glacier fed rio Tunel the first time was easy, I crossed just above the lake, early in the morning and without rain, so flow was low. The second crossing was a bit more difficult, I crossed early afternoon on a hot day and the night had been warm to, so the water came up to my crotch and I am 1.90 meters tall. Not too fast flowing but quite a few big slippery boulders in the river. Don't change into your sandals I would say!
The downhill from paso Huemul was very unpleasant. In my opinion, the national park authorities need to do their bit and improve safety on this part. Don't wanna think about descending there when it rains...
Be prepared to hang around a bit in el Chaltén to wait for a good weather forecast, even though in my experience these are not that reliable when it comes to forecasting wind speeds.
<big> '''December 22 to 24, 2025/ 3 days/ Hiking/ Anti-clockwise'''<big>
I did the hike anti-clockwise by following the traditional campsites on the first two nights: Camp Toro [16.6] and Paso Del Viento (Shelter): [27.9]. On the third day, I finished the trek. The first campsite is in the forest and has very nice wind barriers, so not much to worry about in terms of weather. The second camp is much more exposed as well as having much stronger winds. I was told that the weather matters for "days 2 and 3," which is really anything inbetween Camp Toro and Paso Huemel because inbetween those two points you are on a different side of the mountain. So, check either on Wind Guru or with the ranger station about the weather for the days you expect to be there. However, even the weather reports can be quite misleading. I received a report of gusts up to 100 km/h on Paso Huemel, and while they were quite strong, they were probably closer to 75 km/h at their maximum. However, it could easily go the other way with winds being stronger than the prediction. Unfortunately, while both camping areas themselves are beautiful, humans have made them very dirty by not digging holes when going to the bathroom and simply going on the surface as well as many tissues and wipes visible when walking around. Therefore, I see the appeal in going to one of the campsites the rangers do not suggest (e.g. Tunel, although the wind is much more of a factor there). The hike is very beautiful, and you see incredible views of the Viedma Glacier and other smaller glaciers, making it very rewarding.
Regarding the Tyrolean traverses, the first one [18.2+0.3, 664], I did with the harness because others around me were also doing so, but it seemed quicker to simply ford. The second zip line, I didn't want to waste the time fishing out my harness, so I simply forded. I'm ~185 cm and the water was very cold and came up to my middle to upper thigh.
Overall, while the rangers will question your motives for not doing their plan of 4 days, trek is very doable in 3 days--I even saw people doing it in 2 days by only camping at Paso Viento Shelter. You should definetly check the weather before leaving because the wind really is strong and can push you around at Paso Viento and Paso Huemel.
<big>'''December 9 to 11, 2025/ 3 days/ Hiking/ Clockwise/ RR/ Greg Carter'''<big>
A challenging hike with truly spectacular views of Viedma Glacier in the middle section.
Attraction: 5/5
Difficulty: 4/5
Direction
Initially my preferred direction was anti-clockwise (the direction recommended by the parks service), but I arrived too late at the access control point (they open at 7am). When asked to pay 90,000 ARS for a 3 day pass I politely declined and started walking clockwise (no control point in that direction). At the end I walked past the same control point at 3pm (it was open) and was not questioned. In the end I preferred going clockwise.
Day 1
A relatively tedious walk in along the main road, then a dirt road, then along a fence line, but eventually you are rewarded with better views, especially once you can see the mouth of Viedma Glacier.
I forded where indicated, downstream of the zipline at Ford {40}(44.2/253). Be very careful: I’m 182cm and the water came up almost to my hips - I couldn’t see the bottom and it was fairly fast flowing. I had a few nervous moments and was relieved to get across.
I found a nice sheltered camp at -49.48236, -72.95872, at Camp Bahia de Hornos, at the eastern end of the Bahia (Bay) de los Témpanos. There are plenty of other good camp spots in this location. Anecdotally I heard that the official camps (eg Camp Bahia de los Témpanos) suffer from human excrement.
Day 2
I started the day following the easy coastal ridge line around the Bahia de los Témpanos, to Camp Bahia de los Témpanos, at the western end of the bay. From the ridge line you have wonderful views of the mouth of Viedma Glacier and icebergs in the bay. If you hike the RR you will be in the valley behind the coastal ridge with no views. I suggest that this ridge line become an optional route.
The initial section of the hike up to Paso Huemel is steep and scrambly in places, with some fixed ropes for assistance. Everyone I spoke to disliked descending because of steep loose dirt and rock. I’m glad I ascended.
The Paso de Huemel was super windy, but with sublime views of Viedma Glacier. The views leading up to and from the Paso del Viento are divine.
Instead of stopping at Camp Paso del Viento, I hiked all the way to Camp Rio Tunel (hard long day), to avoid forecast gusting winds of up to 120km/h on Paso del Viento the next day. As it was the wind was gusting well over 60km/h on the Paso del Viento, which made hiking difficult (a few times I had to brace and not move until the gust subsided). There was also a strong headwind leading up to the Paso del Viento.
Camp Rio Tunel consists of 3-4 small and large rock shelters, which provide protection from direct wind, but are still exposed to strong turbulence. I had an uncomfortable night during which I discovered that I need more long tent pegs!
Day 3
The cross-country hike along the moraine of the Rio Túnel Inferior Glacier was slow and challenging, with various potential paths and cairns to follow. It only got easy once I found a way to ascend the hill to the south of Rio Túnel Inferior Glacier. From there it’s straightforward to get to the zip line or to the Ford (40) [18.2+0.3, 664].
Again, be very careful fording: it had been raining all night, and the water came up to my crotch - I couldn’t see the bottom and it was fairly fast flowing, but not as fast as the ford on day 1. Again I was relieved to get across.
The hike is straightforward after the ford, and somewhat monotonous in places. There is an emergency shelter at Camp Toro.
Overall
I recommend carrying gear to use the ziplines if you are not confident fording, and especially if it has been raining. I was happy going clockwise, to avoid the control point, and the steep descent. For me the main factor against going clockwise is the strong headwind leading up to the Paso del Viento, but this is not decisive if the wind is not too strong.
<big>'''2025-11-18 to 2025-11-19 / 1.5 days / hiking / SOBO (counter clockwise) / RR / Ohad & Bailey'''</big>
Another Beautiful section. Very attractive, not very challenging except for the decent from Huemul Pass
Fees:
none, we passed the checkpoint before 7am therefor we did not pay the 45000$
Camps:
Camp {40} [41.3+0.2/286] - very protected with many shielded spots. Beautiful cove with icebergs floating in the lake. Stream runs through, would filter as there are cows present.
Fords:
We decieded against renting gear, we forded on the waypoints where the river forks, they were at most thigh high (im 185cm).
Trail Conditions/Challenges:
On the way to Paso del Viento the trail was wet and frozen.
The CC part before the pass could be dangerous if a person walks above you and toppels rocks. No big deal just spread out if moving as a party.
We encountered wide snow patches coming up to Paso del Viento, if passing early in the morning may require microspikes.
The wind can be relentles, the forcast showed winds up to 120kmph at Paso del Viento, we waited before the climb for the wind to die down. Crossed in ~60kmph.
The trail on the western side is very wet. The Refuge, Camp {40} [27.9/925], is completley flodded.
The descent from Huemul Pass is not pleasant to say the least.
Attractivness: 5/5
Difficulty: 4/5 (only for Huemul)
==Season 2024/25==