Parque Nacional Los Glaciares (South)

Introducing Parque Nacional Los Glaciares (South)

Among the Earth’s most dynamic and accessible ice fields, Glaciar Perito Moreno is the stunning centerpiece of the southern sector of Parque Nacional Los Glaciares (admission AR$30). Locally referred to as Glaciar Moreno, it measures 30km long, 5km wide and 60m high, but what makes it exceptional in the world of ice is its constant advance – up to 2m per day, causing building-sized icebergs to calve from its face. In some ways, watching the glacier is a very sedentary park experience, but it manages to nonetheless be thrilling.

The glacier formed as a low gap in the Andes allowed moisture-laden Pacific storms to drop their loads east of the divide, where they accumulate as snow. Over millennia, under tremendous weight, this snow has recrystallized into ice and flowed slowly eastward. The 1600-sq-km trough of Lago Argentino, the country’s largest single body of water, is unmistakable evidence that glaciers were once far more extensive than today.

While most of the world’s glaciers are receding, Glaciar Moreno is considered ‘stable.’ Regardless, 17 times between 1917 and 2006, as the glacier has advanced, it has dammed the Brazo Rico (Rico Arm) of Lago Argentino, causing the water to rise. Several times, the melting ice below has been unable to support the weight of the water behind it and the dam has collapsed in an explosion of water and ice. To be present when this spectacular cataclysm occurs is unforgettable.

Visiting Glaciar Moreno is no less an auditory than a visual experience, as huge icebergs on the glacier’s face calve and collapse into the Canal de los Témpanos (Iceberg Channel). This natural-born tourist attraction is ideally located at Península de Magallanes – close enough to guarantee great views, but far enough away to be safe. A series of recently improved catwalks and vantage points allow visitors to see, hear and photograph the glacier. Sun hits its face in the morning and the glacier’s appearance changes as the day progresses and shadows shift.

A massive makeover is in the works at Glaciar Moreno. At the time of writing, a hotel was being built near the glacier lookout; look for a new confitería and parking as well. Since trash is difficult and costly to remove from the area, please pack yours out.

The main gateway town to the park’s southern sector, El Calafate, is 80km east of the glacier by road.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009