This 5 kilometre wide , 75 metre high , wall of ice is something of mythology . Within metres you feel the microclimate it creates , the much cooler air that surrounds it and the gush of wind when unfathomable mountains of ice fall from the face .
Puerto Moreno is the third largest reserve of freshwater anywhere on our planet and while most glaciers around the world are retreating this natural wonder remains stable , it ’ s accumulating mass at a rate similar to its loss . Scientists are in regular debate as to the reasons .
Sitting at waters edge , sun beating down , adventure riding gear creating moisture where moisture should never really be , it ’ s hard to image the immense amount of water , cold , and pressure required to create such a natural formation . Yet , there it is moving ever forward as the glacier slides down the mountains that surround it .
Spectacular ruptures occasionally occur at the Puerto Moreno glacier . The ice forms a blockage between two arms of the Argentino Lake , water levels change by as much as 30 metres and when the ice breaks the water is released in biblical proportions . It ’ s a sight that many travellers hope to see yet rarely do .
Tourism is now a popular form of income for the nearby communities including that of El Calafate , the main hub for the adventurous traveller or that of the more tourist variety .
We made our way back along the shores of Argentino Lake , still marvelling at witnessing one of natures most astonishing creations .
Pink flamingos , in the dozens , stood knee deep in the waters added to the vision . Snow capped mountains , subpolar forests , arid desert like lands all in the one landscape . The riding , paved , gravel , and off road , all a dream for anyone wishing to explore .
A cold beer punctuated an end to the day , a debrief of what we had witnessed , including a whisky with ice from the glacier , and what this now meant for the ride north and our exit from Patagonia . I ’ m not sure of my riding partner but I will commit , I ’ ll be back to explore more of this amazing land known as Patagonia , it might just take a lifetime … LW
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