January 24 - to Campamento Paso and Beyond

I told you before I started that I planned to go to Campamento Los Guardos.  However, that campsite is closed, so on I went to Campamento Paso, a couple of hours further up the trail.

A suspension bridge on the way up.  

Close up of the toe of the glacier.  The glacier calved a few minutes before I took this picture - you can see the debris spreading out.













On the way, here's a gully with some ladders.  They use metal ladders here (good idea) with nice new rock bolts into the rock.  

ASAR Rope people - this is not an approved anchor!  These ropes were used to secure the hand line at the bottom of the first ladder.  I've seen better!

 A shot of the whole glacier looking north.  It is enormous.  Sometime I'll check the size on Google Earth

 Unfortunately, I met this Search team with their dog.  I believe they are looking for a missing Argentinian man.

Close up of a side glacier across the valley.  Note the dirty streak in the middle, caused when two glaciers join together.  The streak is the side of one of the branches.









So, I got to Campamento Paso and set up camp.  I was told if I proceeded on up the valley and climbed up the pass (Paso John Gardner) above the treeline, the views would be splendid.

Just so I could get some good pictures for you folks, I decided to do it.

I dragged my butt another 3 km., climbing another 500 vertical meters to an altitude of 1000 meters.

Here is a 4 shot panorama of the glacier, left to right.

Then I slogged back to camp.

Here is the final map.  I made up to about where I noted "PJG."  I was actually still 200 vertical meters below the highest point of the pass, but the view was good from anywhere above the treeline.