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Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre Circuit (Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre Trek, Mount Fitzroy, Mount Fitz Roy, Monte Fitz Roy)

Hiking Trail

Hard
24.73 mi
4,876 ft
Multi-day trek linking the most classic views of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre in Los Glaciares National Park.

Mount Fitz Roy’s granite pinnacles form one of the most iconic mountain profiles in the world. Together with its equally-impressive neighbor Cerro Torre, they are an unmistakable symbol of Patagonia. These forbidding peaks have been renowned by explorers for centuries, and more recently by rock climbers and backpackers. To view them, travel to El Chaltén in Argentina. Shoulder your pack and hit the trails to earn up-close perspectives of the peaks, plus glaciers and lakes that surround them. A circuit connecting views of Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy can be done as a 2-3 day loop that begins and ends in El Chaltén, with nights spent in campgrounds along the way. It can be completed in either direction, and variations are possible because of different options for day hikes. The route mapped here heads to Cerro Torre first, then to Fitz Roy, and includes a side trip to Glaciar Piedras Blancas. Well-marked trails and designated campsites make the trek easy enough to complete self-guided, but guide services are also available for hire. Starting out on the Laguna Torre Trail, you will follow the Rio Fitz Roy into the foothills, and reach the first eye-popping panoramas in less than half an hour of hiking. As you continue up the river, the valley becomes narrower and more heavily forested, and the rock spires grow even taller ahead. The destination is Laguna Torre, a lake with Cerro Torre as its backdrop. It is formed by the massive Glaciar Grande, from which icebergs often break off and float across the lake. Hike a little farther to the Mirador Maestri for an elevated view of the glacier. You can spend the night here at DeAgostini Camp or continue on to Poincenot Camp if traveling at a faster pace. The trail to Poincenot traverses a mostly flat plain with large lakes at the foot of a mountain. Once there, establish camp and rest up for the most strenuous but most scenic portion of the journey. This is the hike up to Laguna de los Tres for an incredible vantage of Mount Fitz Roy. Carry only what you need for a day hike from camp, then take on the steep and rocky trail to your reward. Another worthwhile day hike from Poincenot is to Piedras Blancas, a glacier and lake that it forms. From there you’ll get a different perspective on Fitz Roy and the surrounding topography. After taking it all in, backtrack to camp, pack up, and make the return journey to El Chaltén via the Fitz Roy Trail. Sources Written by Jesse Weber
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Strava Routes

Route and Elevation

Segments

NameDistanceElev. Diff.Avg. Grade
Las Loicas Climb0.30 mi144 ft9.0%
Mirador Torre1.94 mi604 ft5.8%
Mirador Margarita0.48 mi236 ft9.2%
Laguna Torre up4.33 mi499 ft1.9%
Costanera Norte Climb0.22 mi135 ft11.4%
Las Loicas Climb0.42 mi236 ft10.6%
Las Loicas Climb0.43 mi256 ft10.9%
Mirador - Laguna3.68 mi335 ft0.6%
Las Loicas Climb0.47 mi135 ft5.4%
Laguna de los Tres - uphill final0.83 mi1,214 ft27.7%
Laguna de los Tres - last uphill0.90 mi1,306 ft27.3%
Climb laguna 1km0.62 mi981 ft29.6%
Laguna decent1.11 mi-1,358 ft-23.1%
Ruta Provincial 23 Climb0.40 mi154 ft7.3%
Ruta Provincial 23 Climb1.14 mi341 ft5.6%
Ruta Provincial 23 Climb0.59 mi141 ft4.5%