Written 11/4/15

By Chrissy St. Hilaire (St. Michael’s College)

Patagonia is said to be one of the most untouched pieces of nature on the planet. Here, twelve students, three instructors, and two CONAF officials are searching for one of the most endangered mammals in the world, the huemul deer. Within the first three hours of setting foot on the mountain that slopes down to the Jorge Montt Fjord, we spotted two male huemul deer overlooking the ice-burg dotted fjord.

But first, let me take you back to a place we all now call home—our cozy quincho nestled into the hillside of a small sheep farm located in the little town of Cochrane. Here, we celebrated Halloween while preparing for our two-week trek through the valley east of the Jorge Montt Fjords, our longest trip yet. To pack, we split up into groups: 7 people on food, 5 on gear, 3 on research equipment, and individual packing which includes: tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, toilet paper, and clothing for extremely variable weather.

The next morning we packed up all our gear, said goodbye to the pups and cats, and piled into the three trucks. We were off to Tortel! Three hours driving southwest, we wound on dirt roads through mountains, forests, and farmland we hadn’t yet seen this semester. Epic waterfalls cascaded down some of the tallest mountain peaks I have seen thus far in Patagonia. We could see snow still covering just the top most areas of the mountains, while a bounty of greenery enveloped the land around us proving summer is near. I have yet to fall asleep on one of the many long car rides we’ve endured this semester. Patagonia is just too beautiful to close your eyes.

 

The group overlooks the village of Tortel: boardwalks above the fjords. (Photo by Adam Spencer)

 

Arriving in Tortel, we camped just outside the small town of 500, next to the Baker River. Here, we stayed for three nights awaiting our boat to take us to the Jorge Montt Fjord. During this time we caught up on classes, homework, and explored Tortel. One day we were lucky enough to be given a personal tour around town by Orlando Beltrán, our compatriot from CONAF who would later lead us around the fjords. It took us approximately one hour to walk from one end of the boardwalk to the other end. Oh yeah, did I mention the entire town of Tortel is made up of boardwalks? It stretches and winds all along the mountainside scattered with small houses, and was built over the fjord where locals use personal boats as a main mode of transportation. Just fifteen short years ago boating was the only way to access Tortel. Now, there is but one gravel road.

Four very long days later we were finally on the boat to Jorge Montt, a place we all dreamt about since the beginning of the semester. And a dream it was. In Patagonia, common weather patterns include rain, wind, and clouds. During our four hour boat ride on the Baker Channel we felt nothing but sunshine. “This is like something you would see in National Geographic,” I told Lilly as we basked in the sun looking out to the snowcapped mountains that encompassed our every surrounding. Thirty minutes into the ride, we could see nothing but water and walls of rock and vegetation further than our eyes could take us. “This IS something you would see in National Geographic,” Lilly laughed. We both were wide-eyed, all smiles, and sun-burnt.

 

The group’s campsite along the Jorge Montt Fjord. (Photo by Shalynn Pack)

 

Nearing our stopping point off the Jorge Montt Fjord was like entering a different age — the ice age. We motored ever so slowly past icebergs not ten meters from the boat. We all hung over the sides of the boat eager to get as close as possible without dangling our legs over the edge (captain’s orders). This being the first time in my life seeing an iceberg, I was utterly astonished. It was as if each hunk of ice wished to display their own masterpiece. Each one looked entirely different from another, ice jutting out in all directions and smooth enough where you wouldn’t dare step on it for fear of slipping into the icy cold water. The icebergs were majestic.

 

Passing through the Baker Channel, the group began to see icebergs that were coming off of the Jorge Montt glacier. (Photo by Adam Spencer)

 

Supposedly a peliroja (redhead) is good luck in Chile, or so I was told by Orlando, when he so graciously shared some maté with me at the CONAF house in Tortel. I think about this while standing on the rocky beach looking out over the Jorge Montt Fjord, my eyes moving across the water with the icebergs, which move by ever so slowly just meters ahead. Only about a third of their actual size shows above the water; the rest is hidden down below the water level. Underneath, the ice glows blue as it touches the clear water. Not a sound can be heard, but the slow rumble of icebergs turning not so far off in the distance.

 

Top photo: Passing through the Baker Channel, the group began to see iceburgs that were coming off of the Jorge Montt glacier. (Photo by Adam Spencer)