New Year's Day in Patagonia

1st January 2006

What an interesting way to spend New Year's Day - one of the optional extras was a walk on Glaciar Grey which was taken up by Jill, Dave, David, John, Danielle and myself.

We were taken over Lago Grey by boat to the western shore. Along this side of the glacier, the ice moves less than elsewhere making it safer to walk on. The highlight of the ice walk was the ice climb at the end - harder than it looks though!

After returning to Refugio Grey, we had our lunch and then Donal led us on the walk down to Refugio Pehoé. The rest of the group had already left to make sure that they would get there in time for dinner - we were going to be cutting it a bit fine... the afternoon walk was beautiful, following Lago Grey (although not down on the shore where it would be flat, but high up on the hillside, undulating rather a lot!). The weather was fantastic again as well! Despite our rush, photo stops were frequent so that we could turn and look back up towards Glaciar Grey.

Arriving at Refugio Pehoé - we were greeted by one of the nicest refuges we'd stayed in and with a view to die for!

060101_2013-pan-04.e2.bw.jpg	Icebergs in Lago Grey 060101_1868-01.web.jpg	Jill and Danielle on the boat ride over Lago Grey 060101_IMG_1227_Jill.web.jpg	The glacier from the water - mind the icebergs 060101_IMG_1235_Jill.web.jpg
060101_IMG_1237_Jill.web.jpg	Climbing out of the boat having reached the west side of Lago Grey 060101_IMG_1239_Jill.web.jpg	Crampons - the perfect accessory for that New York Subway commute! 060101_1873-01.e.web.jpg	Looking north-east across Glacier Grey 060101_1877-01.web.jpg
Standing on Glaciar Grey 060101_1880-01.web.jpg	Loooking out over Lago Grey 060101_1881-01.web.jpg	Looking down into a crevas 060101_1883-01.web.jpg	Jill 060101_1886-01.web.jpg
Looking into two large crevases 060101_1887-01.web.jpg	Climbing down the ice 060101_1888-01.web.jpg	A stream over the glacier 060101_1890-01.web.jpg	Danielle catches up with the rest of the group 060101_1892-01.web.jpg
060101_IMG_1248_Jill.web.jpg	060101_1897-01.web.jpg	Don't jump! 060101_1901-01.web.jpg	Walking over the ice 060101_IMG_1254_Jill.web.jpg
One of the guides tries to look cool! 060101_1902-01.web.jpg	060101_IMG_1257_Jill.web.jpg	060101_1903-01.web.jpg	060101_1905-01.web.jpg
Danielle, Dave, Jill, John, David and myself - possing for a group photo 060101_1907-01.web.jpg	060101_1908-01.web.jpg	060101_1912-01.web.jpg	Ice and mountain 060101_1914-01.web.jpg
Tackling the ice climb - it can't be that hard surely! 060101_1919.web.jpg	Trust me, it is! 060101_1922.web.jpg	Almost at the top! 060101_1927.web.jpg	Nearly there... 060101_1929.web.jpg
...coming back down - far easier than climbing up 060101_1931.web.jpg	Jill tackles the "easy" ice climb 060101_1941-01.web.jpg	Jill slowly walks back down 060101_1943-01.web.jpg	David takes a stab at the ice climb 060101_1945-01.web.jpg
Dave goes for the hard climb 060101_1951-01.web.jpg	060101_1953-01.web.jpg	060101_1955-01.web.jpg	060101_1956-01.web.jpg
060101_1959-01.web.jpg	060101_1960-01.web.jpg	060101_1961-01.web.jpg	"Life is good" 060101_1963-01.web.jpg
Water crashes down the hillside 060101_1971-01.e.web.jpg	Looking up Lago Grey towards the glacier 060101_1974-01.web.jpg	060101_1976-01.web.jpg	John and David 060101_1982-01.web.jpg
Lago Grey panorama 060101_1985-pan-01.e.web.jpg	060101_1989-01.web.jpg	Looking down Lago Grey 060101_1995-01.web.jpg	Which way does the wind blow here? 060101_2007-01.web.jpg
Donal 060101_IMG_1276_Jill.web.jpg	060101_2011-01.web.jpg	Lago Pehoé 060101_2012-01.e.web.jpg	Co. Paine Grande and Los Cuernos 060101_2013-pan-04.e2.web.jpg
Me at Refugio Pehoé 060101_2016-01.web.jpg	060101_2017-01.bw.web.jpg	Inside Refugio Pehoé - you can just make out the fantastic view we had 060101_2019-01.web.jpg	060101_2022-01.web.jpg