The easy blue skies in this picture belie the difficulty in getting this shot. I arrived at Refugio Pehoe on a Tuesday afternoon with the intention of spending 3 days there, exploring the surrounding area. In particular I was quite excited by the prospect of hiking and photographing the French Valley. But the weather in Patagonia does not always play nice and I was socked in at the refugio for two and a half days, waiting for a wicked storm to clear. (Thankfully I was dry and comfortable in the refugio—money well spent once I saw the misery of the hikers who had to keep hiking in the pouring rain and wind.)
It was a bit tricky but I managed to add another night to my stay (not always doable in the booked-solid refugios) and was rewarded on Friday with the most incredible hiking weather imaginable. Gorgeous clear skies, almost no wind, and thanks to the heavy rains, fresh new snow on the mountain peaks. This beautiful first view of the glacier comes shortly before you hit the bridge to Campamento Italiano.
