RICHARD MACK PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG

We drove from Bariloche to San Martin of the Andes and spent 3 days in that area, once again driving on the dirt and gravel roads which were the main roads between places in this part of our journey. The mountains are not the jagged peaks you expect to see in

Patagonia, turns out they are mostly south of here about 500 miles and further in Parque Nacional Glaciers and Torre de Paines. That will be next year’s trip! We spent our first day driving down the lake here and found it very relaxing. We just happened upon a camping and beach area on the lake and spent a few hours wandering around the rocks and gravel beaches. While I made some photographs Dana was able to use his cell phone to do some business and talk to his wife. The coverage here is incredible!

We then hiked back to a waterfall and then on beyond to what we think is the border between Chile and Argentina. We walked a little further just to be able to say we climbed the Andes from Argentina to

Chile and back! The forest is more of a temperate rain forest, the floor covered with a cane which looks like bamboo.

The next day we drove up a different dirt road with the intent of crossing into Chile. But at the start of the Parque Nacional Lanin we were stopped at the guard house and after a few moments of them looking at all our documents were told we could not take the car across the border – not the right paper work. But they did let us into the park and we spent a great day ending up at a lava field which stretched for miles from the volcano down the mountainside and into a lake. Small trees, probably hundreds of years old sprouted up from the rocks in places. But the mountain itself was devoid of any vegetation we could see. 

The drive back to Bariloche was also nice, although we were being chased by rain all day. We stopped at another waterfall which happened to be right by the road. Then drove on. We stopped for lunch at Lago Traful, as the dark clouds approached we shot some of the storm clouds and light reflecting on the water. We also shot our last shots on the river Trafol.

Our final full day in Argentina dawned clear, with the rain clouds which dumped rain on us al night clearing off and revealing snow in the mountains! We went up a chair lift to the top of the hillside, which locals like to tell you National Geographic says is one of the 7 best views in the world. Maybe. Dana walked up the hillside while I rode the chairlift with the camera bag. The clouds we beautiful on the snowy peaks. But the wind and cold we something I battled in keeping the camera steady! We drove a small circle around and back to the hotel and have spent a very relaxing last day.

Tomorrow we fly home returning sometime on Tuesday afternoon. Argentina has left me wanting to come back often! I guess that is the measure of a great trip. Never felling you have photographed it well enough and wanting to experience it even more.компютри втора употреба

Adios for now…

Richard (and Dana)

PS: I was not able to upload the normal web pages of more images from here this time. Look for an update later this week! Plus it is almost sunset so I need to get back out there!

Well we made it! Sunday morning the weather was perfect and the smoke had cleared in Buenos Aires, although we hear it has come back again, and we made it into Patagonia without any problems. The first views of the Patagonian Mountains come as we approach our hotel. We are on a peninsula in the Lago Nahuel Huapi and have some very fine views from the hotel, Alderbaran – a small 8 room hacienda of stone and wood and cement. A beautiful place.

Our first day here we awoke to a heavy overcast and threat of rain and storms. The kind of day which can turn into some magnificent light and clouds to work with, or be very boring. We drove into Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi about 60 kilometers on a dirt road to a mountain called Tronador, which is one of the largest ones around at 3,478 meters and contains about 6 active glaciers.

The road ends near the bottom of the Black Glacier, so named for the dirt and rocks it has pushed down the mountain. But a small part of the road continues on up to a point to start hiking and we go there first. A short hike up the mountain and you can walk along one of the many streams pouring out of the mountain. While I stopped to make images, Dana walked on. We plan on meeting at the car at a specified time. The landscape reminds me a bit of Alaska with its short trees and clear rocky streams. But I have not seen this many waterfalls on the side of one mountain before. I count about 7-9 which I can see – all very big!

Back at the bottom of the Black Glacier I find some very interesting shots of the edge of the glacier and the ice in the lake below. It is fascinating to me how this all pushes down the mountain and yet has been doing so for thousands of years. And hopefully will continue to do so. The shapes of the ice and dirt are wonderful to work with. Trying to capture the essence of the place.And every so often you hear a section break off – we never saw any start – but we saw the clouds of snow billow up high up the mountain side. Once – just before I was ready to click the shutter a small piece fell into the water with a small splash right in front of me.

Not wanting to take the dirt road back in the dark we headed out as the light began to fade. I knew of a spot we had stopped at on the way in where we did our first shots of Tronador. I was hoping to be able to shoot there as the sun light up the clouds at sunset – if it would break just right! We pulled up at the side of the road just as the sun began to light up the clouds. Perfect! What a show as the light changed over about 15 minute’s time! And now for the drive back, in the darkness.

On our second day we drove back into Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi and headed for a place called three lakes. It is a series of three lakes all several hundred of feet below each other which you can see from the top of the ridge as you drive down in. As always, it is a dirt and gravel and rock filled road, making travel at 40 kilometers the fastest you can travel, and more likely at about 10-15 kilometers. As we descend through the forest the trees are incredible. Big trunks, lots of a cane which resembles bamboo covers the forest floor. It is fall here and many trees, especially the Poplars are in full bloom. After making a few river crossing in our trusty Chevy Cobalt we get to the first lake. It is a clear mountain lake where you can see the bottom as if there was no water! Dana begins his hike around the edge of the lake as I begin to photograph. I play with the reflections on the water and the mountains up high above us. Then some geese float by and I take several dozen shots of them! After spending what turns out to be several hours there taking it all in we decide to head south once again.

We end up at Parque Nacional Lago Puelo in the late afternoon. This park is small in size compared with the others and seems to be more like a state or city park back in the states. Parks here are not like in the states, here they encompass cities and towns as well as the natural areas. And there are no real ranger areas it seems. But this park is clearly bigger than what we see in front of us, when you look at the maps. It also shares the border with Chile and we discover we are only about 1 kilometer or less from the border now. Tonight’s drive home is on paved roads. But that does not stop us from stopping for some evening shots!

To see more image use this link to go to a web page: www.mackphoto.com/blog/Argentina/Patagonia1/index.html