Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

The willow is too close to the house.

The real work of an opposition party is to oppose.

Let me file that under fuck it.

Compromise? There is no middle ground between a firefighter and an arsonist.

I would gladly pay you tuesday for a hamburger today.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

There are more Russians standing up to Putin than Republicans.

I like political parties that aren’t owned by foreign adversaries.

I’m starting to think Jesus may have made a mistake saving people with no questions asked.

A tremendous foreign policy asset… to all of our adversaries.

Polls are now a reliable indicator of what corporate Republicans want us to think.

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

Not rolling over. fuck you, make me.

Shut up, hissy kitty!

“Alexa, change the president.”

Live so that if you miss a day of work people aren’t hoping you’re dead.

Disappointing to see gov. newsom with his finger to the wind.

The fight for our country is always worth it. ~Kamala Harris

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

Fight for a just cause, love your fellow man, live a good life.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

In after Baud. Damn.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

You are here: Home / Photo Blogging / On The Road / On The Road – way2blue – Torres del Paine, Chile March 2023 [2 of 2]

On The Road – way2blue – Torres del Paine, Chile March 2023 [2 of 2]

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way2blue

I hadn’t quite anticipated the press of tourist buses in Torres del Paine, even during ‘shoulder’ season.  I’d asked at the hosteria about hiring a guide to seek out wildlife.  The receptionist, not particularly energized, asked:  ‘Have you seen guanaco?’ Yes.   ‘Darwin’s Rhea?’  Yes.  ‘Southern Cara Cara’  Yes.  ‘Huemul?’…  Okay you’ve already seen everything except Puma.  Which you’re not going to see…

We did see significant wildfire damage from the Dec 2011-Jan 2012 fire.  Mainly as widely spaced tree skeletons.  The fire, apparently caused by a camper trying to burn toilet paper, raged for weeks in a park known for strong persistent winds.  Burned 176 sq km (68 sq mi) around Lago Pehoé, Salto Grande waterfall, and Lago Sarmiento.

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Hotel Lago Gray

We visited Lago Gray several times.  In part, because after a hike we could enjoy the resort’s bistro with its huge windows looking out across the lake.  Hence the fancy cheesecake with calafate berry topping & sorbet…

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Lago Gray

The lake had this amazing blue ice berg.  We’d learned during our cruise that the blue color indicates ice which has had the air bubbles compressed out.

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Lago Gray

Closer look at the ice berg.

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Lago Gray spit

The glacier which feeds the lake is at the far end.  Prevailing winds pile up ice debris along a long windy spit which connects the shore to a small island.

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Lago Gray

A ferry circumnavigates the lake, taking passengers close to the toe of glacier.  We opted not to take the ride since we’d already been up close to several glaciers on our cruise.

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Pingo Trail

Besides the island, there were a few other trails to hike near Lago Gray.  Note the tree skeletons on the left.  We walked this trail just above the Pingo stream valley, paralleling the lake till the trail headed steeply uphill.  I’m fine going uphill but hate hiking rough trails downhill as I need to watch.  Every.  Single.  Step.  (New stitches in my right elbow to reinforce the hard-won message.)

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Along trail to Lago Gray

Fun geology.

On The Road - way2blue - TORRES DEL PAINE, CHILE, MARCH 2023 [2 of 2]
Along trail to Lago Gray

A tilted stack of turbidites, I presume, with a few small faults cutting through.

Reader Interactions

12Comments

  4. 4.

    Madeleine

    Thanks for the photos yesterday and today. I should have commented yesterday—those mountains are so strange, strange and beautiful. Today: what a cute little blue iceberg!

  5. 5.

    Yutsano

    Blue iceberg is blue! I love how it’s out there in the lake doing its own thing. But all the scenery is stunning!

  6. 6.

    pieceofpeace

    Looks like miles away from ‘modern’ life as we experience most days.  And right now, that vision from your trip is very inviting.  Your photos give an immediate thought of planning a trip for getting away to nature’s grandeur, and those ideas will be desired often in the coming year.

  10. 10.

    StringOnAStick

    I think we did our W hike very early in the season because we had no crowds and we got snowed on a couple of times.  I got teary eyes taking that ferry back to civilization because I had so loved hiking in such a grand, wild landscape.  It is truly a magical place.

    The damage from that fire is horrific; the Lenga trees are extremely slow growing and are only found in this part of the world.  The guides were still very emotional about what has been lost and the hundreds of years it will take to restore those lost trees.

  11. 11.

    Dan B

    Blue ice is common in glaciers in the Cascades, unfortunately the glaciers are rapidly disappearing even from Mt. Rainier.

  12. 12.

    bjacques

    Cool pictures!

     

    I saw some blue ice once in Snoqualmie Park, WA, off the Mountain Loop (?), 30 years ago. It was a 2 mile hike from a spot where a 1920s grand hotel had burned down, then across a pebbly plain. The ice cave was in permanent shade. I wonder if it’s still there.

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