Patagonia Diaries: First Stop – Perito Moreno Glacier 🏔️❄️ The adventure has officially begun, and there’s no better place to start than the Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the most breathtaking and geologically fascinating landmarks in Patagonia. Getting There: To visit Perito Moreno, I took a taxi in El Calafate, the gateway town to the glacier. The scenic drive takes about 1.5 hours (80 km) through stunning landscapes of steppe and mountains. You can also opt for a tour bus or a rent a car, both of which are great alternatives. Why is Perito Moreno So Special? 1️⃣ Dynamic Glacier: Perito Moreno is moving about 2 meters daily, creating dramatic icefalls and thunderous calving events. 2️⃣ Ice Bridges and Ruptures: The glacier occasionally blocks the Brazo Rico arm of Lago Argentino, forming a natural ice dam. Eventually, the water pressure causes spectacular ruptures—nature’s own grand spectacle. 3️⃣ Size: It spans 30 km in length, 5 km in width, and towers up to 70 meters above the lake surface. Geology Behind the Beauty: The geological history of the Perito Moreno Glacier is as captivating as its current state. • Ancient Ice Sheets: Millions of years ago, this region was covered by a vast ice sheet stretching across much of southern South America. As the climate warmed, the ice sheet retreated, leaving behind smaller glaciers and ice fields, including the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, where Perito Moreno now resides. • Little Ice Age: The glacier itself is relatively young, dating back to the end of the Little Ice Age (16th–19th centuries), when snow and ice accumulated and compacted under their own weight to form the glacier. • Shaping the Landscape: The glacier has carved out deep valleys, gorges, and U-shaped formations through erosion. As it advances and retreats, it deposits moraines, piles of rocks and sediment that mark its previous edges. • Volcanic Influence: Surrounding the glacier are volcanic and igneous rock formations, remnants of a time when the region was volcanically active. This activity contributed to the formation of the Andes Mountain Range, which dominates the landscape along South America’s western coast. Why Are the Waters Two Different Colors? The grayish waters of Lago Argentino are rich in glacial flour, the fine sediment created when the glacier grinds against the volcanic bedrock. The turquoise-blue waters on the other side of the glacier reflect sunlight differently due to fewer suspended sediments. This color division is caused by the glacier occasionally damming Brazo Rico, altering water flow and sediment distribution. Follow My Journey! This is just the beginning of my exploration of Patagonia. From a geologist’s perspective, Perito Moreno is a living laboratory, revealing the raw power of Earth’s natural forces. Stay tuned for more updates and upcoming vlogs as I uncover the secrets of this incredible region.
Excellent post David Jasinski! Beautiful glacier! Two meters a day, wow! Thank you for sharing!
We are watching your adventure!
Insightful! 2 meters daily is wild! The contrast in water colors is fascinating too.
Director of Business Development | Water Never Sleeps
2wYou’re going to love it.