Kevin and the Bearded Vulture
A short post about our encounters with a Marmot (we named him Kevin) and a Bearded Vulture, who didn't stick around long enough to name! In the last week of our stay in the Pyrenees, we planned a 3-da...
The day I met a Black Woodpecker
A brief account of an encounter with a Black Woodpecker, a bird that felt almost mythical until that moment, just a dark shape screeching through the trees.
Close encounter of the Lammergeier kind
We had a day out in the snow on Friday testing some new crampons. To top off an already great day on our drive back down the mountain I noticed an enormous bird flying up from below us. In my head I w...
The Return Journey, A Patagonian Farewell
The journey home was a breeze, a stark, welcome contrast to the stress and queues of the outward leg. This was the easy part, a long exhale after over a month of wonders.
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The Hidden Lake, To Share or Not to Share?
Water of a piercing blue, fringed by beaches of sand the colour of the Sahara. We were, of course, immediately captivated. A plan was formed.
The Condor's Call, A Test of Patience in Patagonia (Part 2)
The condors taught us that the most magnificent views often lie just beyond the point where you think you can wait no longer
A Hidden Loop - Discovering the Eastern Side of the Río de las Vueltas Valley
A short walk from the edge of El Chaltén, a metal bridge offers a gateway to the quieter, eastern side of the Río de las Vueltas valley. Our destination was vague, but the promise of exploration led u...
Feathered Findings November 19th, 20th & 21st
Some of my favourite finds, and log, from a 3 day camping trip. Magellanic Woodpecker Crested Caracara Ashy-headed Goose Patagonian Sierra Finch Austral Negrito White-browed Ground Tyrant Dark-f...
Down Memory Lane to the Refugio del Fraile
A return to a classic Patagonian refuge reveals how the landscape, and the experience of trekking through it, has transformed over nearly two decades. The Rio Electrico Valley felt familiar, but the s...
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Canuto de Paredón, El Chalténs Best-Kept Secret
The weather has finally cleared. After being cooped up by a spell of bad weather, we needed a hike to shake off the rust. The perfect solution? A half-day adventure in the Cerro Paredón hills, a range...
Expedition to the Bridge - A Tale of Patagonian "Toughness"
We fancied ourselves tough. I mean, genuinely hardy. Our resumes boasted five expeditions across the great Southern Patagonian Ice Cap, a place where the wind is less a weather phenomenon and more a p...
Feathered Findings November 16th
Some of the finds from Sunday's walk. We seized a small break in the Patagonian weather for a walk to Chorillo del Salto. As I write this on Monday, it's snowing in town—you've got to love a Patagonia...
From Pizzas to Pesos - A Foodies Guide to Eating in El Chalten
Food, Glorious (and Sometimes Surprising) Food When we first arrived in El Chalten in 2006, the dining scene was simple: one restaurant. Return today, and you’re met with a dizzying array of choices....
Chorillo del Salto and a Race Against the Patagonian Wind
We were stealing a day. Sandwiched between brutal weather alerts for wind and rain, we had a precious half-day window. The target? Chorillo del Salto, a popular waterfall just outside El Chalten. A 9k...
The Apartment
We’ve been housebound, or more accurately, apartment-bound, for the last few days. The reason? Patagonia is showing off outside our window with hurricane-force winds and driving rain that could strip...
A Windy morning on Cerro Antenna
The Patagonian weather is finally breaking. After days of settled conditions, the script has flipped: while patches of sun still linger, the peaks are now swaddled in cloud, and the wind has arrived w...
Feathered & Furry Findings November 13th
Some of my favourite finds from today's half day walk up a windy Cerro Antenna. Andean Condor Guanaco Long-tailed Meadowlark Just as predicted, it’s a windy day in El Chalten. We seized a brief lull...