When American Eric Shipton crossed Chilean Patagonia's Northern Ice Field, in 1963, it seemed like a frozen hell. But with porters, resupply camps, and a less severe route, Azimut 360's 11-day Ice Field Circuit will feel posh. After a three-hour flight from Santiago to Balmaceda and a long drive down the winding Carretera Austral, Azimut's 37-mile circuit sets out from the tranquil Terra Luna Lodge into the Leones Valley. After crossing Leones Lake, it's on to the Neff Glacier and six days in snowshoes or crampons. The route spits you out in the village of Puerto Bertrand, on the shores of the mighty—and dam-threatened—Río Baker. Monthly departures between November and March; $1,890 per person with a group of four; azimut360.com
The view from Cristal Camp on the Northern Ice Field Photographer: Courtesy of Azimut 360
Comments