As we walked quickly through the streets of El Chalten, the enigmatic shape of Monte Fitzroy appeared above the horizon, climbing higher as we headed southward down the main street towards the National Park headquarters and the start of the walk.

Fitzroy hiding behind the clouds - view from Mirador Condores
Leaving the ranger station, we headed off across a small flat area to the junction of a track leading up to Mirador Los Condores, 200m higher to our left. The clouds starting to form in the once clear blue sky were a bit of a worry, so I raced up to the Mirador to take a couple of photos (just in case) while the fair Nello pushed slowly on up the track. Not only were the mountains more impressive from the higher viewpoint, but the sight of El Chalten surrounded by snow-covered hills and grassy flats was spectacular.

Looking back over El Chalten
Rejoining the track, I hurried up past small stands of low-growing ñire beech, lining a stream that flowed out of a small gorge, crossing it on a wooden bridge. From the single set of well-known bootprints in the snow on the bridge, only the fair Nello was ahead - climbing steadily up through a feerique white-carpeted landscape, the shrubs and bright-green leaves of the lenga beech trees also wearing white mantles of snow.
Soon I caught up and we pushed on together, enjoying the stillness and the chillness of this wintry setting - it was good to be the only ones out here at this time. Or should I say the only humans, as the animals of Patagonia were also out and about, their footprints tracking through the snow in erratic paths. The condors were also out, one sweeping low overhead searching for old meat on new snow.