By Eric Benson

Nestled in a river valley with the granite peaks of Cerro Torre and Cerro Fitzroy looming in the distance, the Patagonian village of El Chaltén has quickly become one of the most sought-after spots in the region. Yet despite it’s recent surge in popularity, El Chaltén remains pristine – an idyllic counterpoint to its bustling, more tourist-centred cousins like El Calafate and Bariloche.

It’s not only its quaint size that sets El Chaltén apart; it’s the village’s unique location inside the boundaries of Los Glaciers National Park. “El Chaltén is the only place in Patagonia where the mountains, the forest, and glaciers converge. Bariloche has forests and mountains, other areas have mountains and glaciers, but El Chaltén has all three,” says Alberto Del Castillo, director of Fitzroy Expeditions and Patagonia Aventura, a longtime resident of El Chaltén, and a bona-fide mountaineering legend – he’s summited both of the area’s august peaks: Cerro Torre and Cerro Fitzroy.

Those peaks cast a mythic spell over the region, and are El Chaltén’s most prominent claims to fame. Notoriously dangerous due to the harsh Patagonian winds that keep climbers wary of storms on even the most seemingly pacific of days, Cerro Torre and Cerro Fitzroy anchor the landscape of Los Glaciers National Park. Neither mountain was summitted until the 1950s, and many in the mountaineering community believe that Cerro Torre’s heights were not successfully reached until 1974. These are peaks that punish false steps with free falls, and reaching their summits requires both world-class expertise and the good favor of the mountain gods.

Photos courtesy of patagonia-aventura.com and fitzroyexpediciones.com.ar

While conquering Cerro Torre and Cerro Fitzroy is out of reach for mere mortals, all who set foot in El Chaltén can appreciate the dramatic beauty of Los Glaciers National Park. An expansive network of trails winds through the park’s wooded hills, providing views of mountains, glaciers, and over 100 species of birds that call the area home. Unlike other Patagonian towns, all of the trekking surrounding El Chaltén can be accessed simply by strapping on a pack and heading for the hills – no vehicles required.

El Chaltén may be an international Mecca for trekkers and climbers, but it’s a relatively new spot. It was founded in 1985 not for its proximity to the mountains and forests, but as a settlement staking Argentina’s claim to the Lago del Desierto region, then contested with Chile. (An international jury ruled in favor of Argentina’s claim in 1994.) Mountaineers quickly turned the town into much more than a border marker, yet despite its international flavour – during the summer months, there are more foreigners than Argentines – El Chaltén retains a strong sense of its native culture. “The people in El Chaltén feel very Argentine,” says Del Castillo, “but they’re not very nationalistic. We don’t get too caught up in things like politics and the presidential elections. We live in the real world down here, not the virtual world of the cities.”

This ‘real world’ that Del Castillo loves is on view year-round in El Chaltén, but it’s the quieter months that he prefers. “Patagonia has the reputation for having a terrible climate, but in truth, it’s nothing like Greenland, or Alaska, or other places far in the north. I lived in El Chaltén year-round for 14 years, and winter is my favourite time there. It’s very isolated and beautiful.”

Photos courtesy of patagonia-aventura.com and fitzroyexpediciones.com.ar

For those souls for whom sub zero temperatures and snow drifts sound less than idyllic, Del Castillo recommends the autumn – especially April and May – when the forest turns a vibrant red, the air is crisp and pure, and stream of visitors has slowed to a trickle.

While the winter and autumn are likely to remain the province of year-round residents and a few intrepid visitors, the high season has been getting ever more popular. El Chaltén’s relative isolation – it doesn’t have a major airport like El Calafate or Bariloche, and the parameters of the National Park set geographical limits on its expansion – has kept growth under control. Yet, longtime residents like Del Castillo have grown worried that the booming tourist trade could prove to be too much of a good thing. “I’d prefer if El Chaltén didn’t grow to the size of El Calafate or Bariloche, but there are really no controls here on tourism, so the growth is, in many ways, out of our hands,” he says. “I’d like there to be a limited, controlled tourism – one with a set capacity for the town and the National Park.”

While Del Castillo’s concerns suggest there may be challenges ahead for El Chaltén, the village remains one of the most pristine spots on the globe. It’s a treasure that hopefully can maintain its lustre for years to come, maintaining its delicate balance between human exploration and natural splendor.

Photos courtesy of patagonia-aventura.com and fitzroyexpediciones.com.ar