snow days

With the bikes cleaned up and happily resting in the garage of a friend, Martin, new arrival Marissa, and I gathered enough mountain gear and puffy layers to fill our 100 litre backpacks and we sent off for Cerro San Lorenzo, some 45km south east of Cochrane. 

I first saw the massive San Lorenzo on my NOLS course and I never thought I would be on an expedition to her foothills almost 2 years later. The ascent from Glaciar Cayuqueou features a truck ride to the end of the road, a day of bushwalking to the best glacier access, crossing the crevasses to a nunatak (giant rock feature that the glacier ice could break through) for camping. Then a long ascent day brings us up the snow covered glacier, through the cascada de seracs, up the ridge line that divides Chile and Argentina, over the North Shoulder and then a final ascent to the peak. The mountain is notorious for wind, snow, and rain and we expected nothing less from a weather forecast that didn't look like our ideal window. 

After many hours spent sipping cappuccinos on the corner in Cochrane, we left our wheels behind and set off with heavy packs. Now, my sore back is questioning why anyone would bushwhack with so much weight when biking has been so good to our bodies, but walking makes more sense on the glacier so I was happy to endure the sore joints. Ultimately, we made our summit attempt on a very pretty day down at the nunatak camp, but once we gained elevation close to the cascada de seracs we were blasted with wind and snow drifts. After a mate break under some rock cover, we decided to turn around, happy with our progress and our days on the ice. 

We learned a lot about access and conditions on the mountain and I know a return to the mountain will be in store for at least Martin. I felt like I got a little vacation from the bike and was happy, I wouldn't quite say refreshed but happy, to start back up on the road this past Sunday after a long break. 

Our next section is Cochrane to Villa O'Higgins! And that's about all there is in between. We have at least 5 days of food and coffee in our bags and we are ready to ride to the end of the Carretera. We have already made reservations in a hostel for Christmas Eve and Christmas, as a little treat, and by the 26th we hope to be taking the ferry to Argentina! After the first 100ks or so we pass a side road to Tortel, the farthest point south that either Martin or I has been on the road. So after that, the last 130km are the Unknown! I also recently learned that this section is the "rainiest section" on the Carretera so goodbye Cochrane sunshine and hello rainy coast. I may have more cold and precipitation on Christmas than you all back in the Northern Hemisphere winter! 

For now, happy winter solstice and happy days preparing for Christmas 🌲