Mythical Mount Fitz Roy

Reaching 3,405 meters of height, Mount Fitz Roy appears as one of the hardest mountains to climb in the whole world. It stands at Los Glaciares National Park and is one of the markers of the Chilean border.

In spite of not featuring a record height if we compare it to Mount Everest or other mountains in the Andes Mountain Range, Mount Fitz Roy has earned its fame as one of the hardest peaks to climb on the planet. The ice and the wind that hit it constantly make it that way, even in fine weather.

The ancient dwellers used to call this mountain "Chaltén", a name that in the “ahónikenk” tongue means “smoking mountain”. This responds to the clouds that rest on its summit almost constantly, which made the old denizens of the area believe this was a volcano.

On March 2, 1877, expert Francisco Pascasio Moreno gave the mountain the name Fitz Roy after the Captain of the Beagle, Robert Fitz Roy, who had toured around Santa Cruz fifty years before.

Today, speaking geographically, the Fitz Roy is the main summit of a range that has the shape of a croissant opening onto the East, with its main axis running from North to South.

In 1952, the French expedition made up by Lionel Terray and Guido Magnone, among other members, who went up the Southeastern side of the mountain, was the first to hit the summit. Thus, a new chapter in the history of Argentinian and world mountaineering was written.

Featuring changeable weather, the Fitz Roy may only be climbed during a very brief period in the summer. Those who attempt to reach the top must be really fast and play with the good weather to succeed.

The second ascent took place in 1965, when Carlos Comesaña and José Luis Fonrouge (from Argentina) tried and managed to go up the so called vía supercanaleta, a task that took them two days and a half.

In 1968, the third ascent took place and so far, not many more adventurers dared to go up and succeeded in hitting the summer. Of course there are Argentinian climbers in the list.

In order to appreciate the majesty of this mountain, amateur climbers should try a hiking tour to Laguna de los Tres (a beautiful trail starting at El Chaltén which implies a 4-hour hike). This way they will catch a stately view of the mythical Patagonian mountain.