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| Day 10: December 31, 2005 - Ushuaia, Argentina |
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Today's main activity was
a hike up Cerro del Medio. The cerro is outside
of the national park, but it was a stunning day
for a hike. The Patagonian winds were blowing pretty
hard in the morning, but the start of the hike was
in an older growth forest.
The trees were around 100-150 years old and were
standing straight up. When they had fallen, the
red wood inside was exposed and was decomposing
into the forest floor. The walk was springy and
we went back and forth over some muddy ground. Apparently,
only 2 weeks ago, there was a fresh snow on this
trail.
As we climbed, the trees became more stunted and
jutted away from the ground at odd angles. This
is because they are compensating for the weight
of the winter snow. These trees were gnarled and
had smaller leaves.
Suddenly we broke through the tree line and could
see the top of the Cerro at 912m. There were some
steep ascents, but after a few minutes (oh - more
like 20), we came to guanaco paths that were much
less steep and easier to climb. We zigzagged our
way up to around 700m where we paused at a glacial
pond that forms there from runoff due to snow melting.
It was windy but very pretty. Big white clouds flew
over the larger peaks in the distance (Mt. Olivia,
etc) and we pushed on to the summit.
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View from Col Medio |
Ushuaia from Col Medio summit |
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At the summit it was windy, but spectacular. You
could see everything for miles around. As the wind
died down, we all decided to have our lunch at the
summit. We pulled up a comfortable rock and ate
sandwiches and salads while clouds buzzed mountaintops
in the distance. It was serene and a very moving
spot. Many pictures were taken.
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Family picture at Col Medio summit |
The steep path down |
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After lunch we started our treacherous descent from
the peak down a gravel strewn slope of anywhere
between 45 and 60 degrees of pitch. At times it
was hair-raising, but we all made it down, just
a bit dusty and windburned. The descent landed us
in a meadow that was being fueled by a melting snowpack.
The water was clear and cold and Howard tried some
- before Robin warned him of possible side effects.
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Robin on Col Medio |
Col Medio descent |
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The next section of descent took us back through
the forest to a large peat bog which we crossed
quickly to avoid getting stuck in it. Walking on
peat is really squishy and spongy. Everyone made
it through and we finished the hike near one of
the hotels on the other side of town from where
we started.
We were all hungry so we cleaned up and then headed
out to get ice cream. We were the last patrons in
before they closed for the New Year. Dinner was
at 9:30pm at a Chinese restaurant. It was an odd
buffet that mixed Chinese looking dishes with traditional
barbeque and other (french fries for example). When
we finished around 11pm, we walked the main street
back to the hotel. There was no one else out an
just a small handful of cars driving around. It
really felt like we were the only people in town.
We arrived back at the hotel and cleaned up for
bed. Everything was still very quiet until midnight
when a motley orchestra of car horns, sirens and
ship whistles blended in a perfect cacophony to
herald the arrival of the new year. This was followed
by many more people in the streets and some very
loud music from within the hotel. |
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