Guides and group sizes
Ratio is 1 mountain guide/assistance per 3 guests. Maximum group size is 9 guests 1 guide and 2 assistants guide.
Difficulty and prerequisites
Guest must be comfortable using crampons to flat foot and front-point on moderate angle ice up to 30 degrees.
These are all physically demanding days and participants must be in good hiking shape.
Guests are required to carry a backpack with their personal gear (clothes, sleeping bag, pad, etc), group (tents, pot, stoves, etc) and food. About 20 to 25 kg. Personal porters could be arranged in advance, if needed.
No mountaineering experience is required, however if you have some it helps a lot.
Transportation
Participants are responsible for their own transportation to El Chaltén, Argentina. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need any help regarding this subject.
Weather consideration
The fame of the area regarding wind and fast changeable conditions are not a legend. Be ready to experience nature and all its beauties and power.
Accommodation & meals
All food during the expedition is included.
Please let us know of any special dietary requirements you have when booking.
If you need any help with your lodging, do not hesitate to ask us. We can find the best for your taste and budget.
Glacier Trek to Paso Marconi- 3 days
Itinerary
Day 0
Welcome from the mountain guide who will join you on the expedition. Equipment check and a brief informational talk about the characteristics of the region, the Patagonian Ice Field, and the program for the coming days.
Day 1
We take a land-transfer to Puente del Río Eléctrico, head of the trek.
We hike for 2 hours through lengas and ñires forest. We pass by Piedra del Fraile Hut and Campsite; our last contact with civilization for a few days.
Leaving the camping and forest behind, we keep hiking in a U-shaped glacier-created valley, most of the time on a moraine terrain. After an hour’s hike, we run into Valle Pollone where we have to wade the Río Pollone; an adventure in itself.
We follow Río Electrico until we reach our camp for the night: “La Playita”, by the river shore. We’ll find rock and wind protection for our tents.
After a rest or, even better, a meal, we hike to Marconi’s snout to check the next day’s route.
Altitude gained 100 meters
14 km of distance
Estimated 6 hiking hours.
Day 2
The second day is a key day of the trek. Glacier Marconi is one of the accesses to the ice cap.
Most winds and weather come from west/north and funnel through passes like this one. Therefore, if the weather/wind allows us, we get up early, have breakfast and hike. Depending on glacier conditions, the guide will decide which route to take either Laguna de los 14 with a Tyrolean traverse, or through Marconi.
We get on Marconi Glacier, a combination of bare ice and rock at first. We make our way to the base of “Cambio de Pendiente”.
We rope up, put harnesses and crampons on. After a section of approximately 40 degrees and 1 hour on the ice, we reach Marconi Pass. A breath-taking view of the third largest fresh-water ice mass in the world just in front of us!
We will be gifted an amazing view… Kolliker Range, Lautaro Range, Gaea Range and Mariano Moreno Range.
We return to our camp in La Playita the same way we came up.
Altitude gain of 900-meters,
Distance of 10 km.
Walking time 8 to 10 hours.
Day 3
We return to El Chaltén passing by Piedra del fraile. Check in Hosteria/hostel and a well-deserved dinner, maybe some asado, and red wine.