Cerro Chaltén

Infobox Mountain
Name = Cerro Chaltén
Photo = Fitz_Roy.jpg
Caption = Cerro Chaltén in 2008 with unusually good weather
Elevation = convert|3375|m|ft|0
Location = Patagonia ARG / CHL border
Range = Andes
Prominence = convert|1951|m|ft|0|abbr=on
Coordinates = coord|49|16|16.6|S|73|02|35.6|W|type:mountain_region:AR
Topographic

Type = granite
Age =
First ascent = 1952 by Lionel Terray & Guido Magnone
Easiest route = Franco Argentina (650m., 6a+, 6c/A1)
Listing = Ultra
Translation = Smoking mountain
Language = Tehuelche
Pronunciation =

Cerro Chaltén, also known as Cerro Fitz Roy or Monte Fitz Roy, is a mountain ('cerro') located near the El Chaltén village, in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, in Patagonia, on the border between Argentina and Chile. It has been agreed by the two countries that the international border detours eastwards to pass over the main summit [cite web | url = http://www.difrol.cl/acuerdo_de_hielos.htm 1998 | title= Border agreement between Chile and Argentina| accessdate=2006-08-07] , but a large part of the border to the south of the summit, as far as Cerro Murallón remains undefined [cite web | url=http://www.turistel.cl/v2/secciones/mapas/informacion/ruteros/aisen.htm | title=Map showing border between Chile and Argentina (partly undefined) | accessdate=2006-08-07] .

The name Chaltén comes from a Tehuelche (Aonikenk) word meaning "smoking mountain," due to a cloud that usually forms in the top of the mountain, and it was considered sacred by them. The mountain is the symbol of the Argentinian Santa Cruz Province, which includes its representation on its coat of arms.

Perito Francisco Moreno named it "Fitzroy" in 1877, after the "Beagle"'s captain Robert FitzRoy, who explored some of the area in 1834. It was first climbed in 1952 by French alpinists Lionel Terray and Guido Magnone.

The mountain has a reputation of being "ultimate," despite its average height (although being the highest peak in the Los Glaciares park, it is less than half the Himalayan giants), because the sheer granite faces present long stretches of arduous technical climbing. In addition, the weather in the area is exceptionally inclement and treacherous. It also attracts many photographers thanks to its otherworldly shape.

The area, while still fairly inaccessible, was even more isolated until the recent development of El Chalten village and El Calafate international airport. The mountain climb, however, remains extremely difficult and is the preserve of very experienced climbers. Today, when a hundred people may summit Mount Everest in a single day, Cerro Chaltén may only be successfully ascended once a year.

References

*Kearney, Alan, 1993. "Mountaineering in Patagonia". Seattle USA: Cloudcap.

External links

* [http://www.guiachalten.com Information about El Chaltén]
* [http://www.peakware.com/peaks.html?pk=82 Fitz Roy at Peakware]
* [http://www.interpatagonia.com/paseos/cerrofitzroy/index_i.html Mount Fitz Roy]
* [http://www.patagonia.com.ar/santacruz/elchalten/fitzroy.php Cerro Chaltén in History] (Spanish)
* [http://users.frii.com/mrobbins/BigTrip/hikes/FitzRoy.html Some photographs of Cerro Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre]