"LA VUELTA AL HIELO" - FKTs

Fastest known times for the circumnavigation of the Chaltén Massif via the Southern Patagonia Ice Field & variations

By Rolando Garibotti, 29/03/2022.

- Versión en español

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“La Vuelta al Hielo" involves circumnavigating the Chaltén Massif, starting from town, past Laguna Capri, Río Blanco, Piedras Blancas, up the Río Eléctrico valley to Paso Marconi, onto the Southern Patagonia Ice Field (Campo de Hielo / Hielo Continental), past Circo de los Altares, exiting Glaciar Viedma at Laguna de los Esquíes, up to Paso del Viento, out via the Río Túnel valley, over the slope of Loma del Pliegue Tumbado, to get back to El Chaltén.

Originally it was done from town to town, as a counter-clockwise “closed, trails loop”. This version, covers 88 km with 3050m of vertical gain, and is the “gold standard,” the preferred route, the FKT to beat. One can start from and return to the point in town of one’s choosing.

When the road to Laguna del Desierto was built, in the late 1990s, most people started doing a shorter variation, the “U variation.” Skipping the first 13 km, by starting from the Río Eléctrico bridge, and returning to El Chaltén. This variation covers 75 km with 2600m of vertical gain.

In 1915, Alfred Kölliker and partners were the first to explore the Southern Patagonia Ice Field, traversing from Paso del Viento to Paso de los Cuatro Glaciares, and back. But it was not until 1954, that the loop from Paso Marconi to Paso del Viento was completed. Folco Doro Altán, an Italian emigre living in Argentina, was the first to do it, and he did it solo. He was instrumental in the early exploration of the massif. Two years earlier he had been on an expedition that went from Paso Marconi to Paso de los Cuatro Glaciares, so he was familiar with the terrain. He is responsible for many toponyms in this area, including “Circo de los Altares”.

In the late 1990s the “closed, trails loop” was done for the first time in running shoes, solo, in two days, sleeping at Circo de los Altares. But the first proper FKT happened in 2010, when Dave Turner, using skis and a kite, did the “U variation,” unsupported, counter-clockwise, in 15:00 hrs. That year Dave had spent several weeks kiting alone in the Southern Patagonia Ice Field.

A year later, at the end of 2011, Sergio Camacho and Leonardo "Cuny" Proverbio did the “closed loop,” clockwise, unsupported, but from the Río Eléctrico bridge, they run back to El Chaltén via route 41. They left from the door of the Chocolatería at midnight, reached Circo de los Altares at 9 a.m., Paso Marconi at 2 p.m., and were back at the "Choco" at 9 p.m., completing the “closed loop” in exactly 21 hrs. They carried snowshoes, which they did not use, and put crampons only during the descent from Paso Marconi. Cuny suffered an ankle injury that slowed them considerably.

In 2017, Tomás Aguiló and Germán Roberts completed the first FKT of the “closed, trails loop,” counter-clockwise, and unsupported in 21:02:49 hrs. They carried skis, but didn't use them.

On February 3rd 2022, Kaytlyn Gerbin and Fernanda Maciel, did the “U variation”, supported, in an incredibly fast 13:15:11 hrs. These are their split times starting from the Río Eléctrico bridge: Laguna de los 14: 03:30 hrs; Paso Marconi: 04:18 hrs; Circo de los Altares: 06:15 hrs; Laguna de los Esquíes: 8:30 hrs; Campamento Laguna Toro: 11:05 hrs. As mentioned earlier, their traverse was supported. Seventeen kilometers in, at Laguna de los 14, they met with Miguel Andrade and Pedro Crespo, who had started two hours earlier carrying some of their gear (crampons, ice-tool, rope, inReach), clothing, food, and water - 8kg each. They also filmed, and navigated through the following 32 km of glaciated terrain. At Laguna de los Esquíes they parted ways, Fernanda and Kaytlyn left the gear they did not need anymore, and continued ahead. During their support run for Fernanda and Kaytlyn, Miguel and Pedro completed the “U variation”, unsupported, in 18:27 hrs. They had very dry conditions, with no snow on the glaciers, hence little to no danger of a crevasse fall. They wore crampons initially, and roped up to Circo de los Altares.

Barely 20 days later, on February 23rd, Jenny Abegg completed the “closed, trails loop”, counter-clockwise, unsupported, in a blazing 15:29:58 hrs, beating the previous FKT by more than four hours. She left the front door of her lodging in El Chaltén at 2:30 a.m., and was back just before 17:30 p.m. These are Jenny’s split times starting from El Chalten: Río Blanco: 1:22 hrs; Piedra del Fraile: 2:59 hrs; Entrada Hielo: 5:15 hrs (past Laguna de los 14); Paso Marconi: 6:39 hrs; Circo de los Altares: 8:15 hrs; Laguna de los Esquíes: 10:16 hrs; Campamento Laguna Toro: 13:04 hrs. She had very dry conditions, with no snow on the glaciers, hence little to no danger of a crevasse fall. She carried no crampons, or ice-axe, but wore "micro spikes" on her running shoes for the entire glaciated portion of the traverse. She carried an inReach, shell-pants, and a down jacket.

Note that an accident in this circuit could have a very dire outcome, and a rescue would be complex and would involve upwards of 50 volunteers. Attempting to do this traverse in-a-day, with minimal equipment implies a huge commitment.

FKTs Summary:

Closed loop - all-trails. 88 km & 3050m of vertical gain:
- 15:29:58 hrs. - Jenny Abegg, solo, unsupported, counter-clockwise - 23/02/2022
- 21:02:49 hrs. - Tomás Aguiló & Germán Roberts, unsupported, counter-clockwise - 2017.

Closed loop - route 41 variation. 88 km & 2600m of vertical gain:
- 21:00:00 hrs. - Sergio Camacho & Leonardo Proverbio, unsupported, clockwise - 2011.

U Variation. 75 km & 2600m of vertical gain:
- 13:15:11 hrs. - Kaytlyn Gerbin & Fernanda Maciel, supported, counter-clockwise - 03/02/2022.
- 15:00:00 hrs. - Dave Turner, unsupported, counter-clockwise, using a kit and skis - 2010.
- 18:27:00 hrs. - Miguel Andrade & Pedro Crespo, unsupported, counter-clockwise - 03/02/2022.