How does one even begin to explain the unexplainable?

February 8-10           

For the first time this trip I actually slept outside of a bed. It was a glorious five minute nap on the three hour bus ride to El Chalten, the trekking capital of the world. No joke, of the world. I have never seen anything like it. Our bus rolled up to this little town dominated by the mountains that surrounds it. The first glimpse of Fritz Roy, standing boldly despite being surrounded by clouds, commenced its three day omnipresence in our lives. The hostel was hopping with a group of Germans playing a beverage game of dice called Mexley. It involves some strategy but mostly luck and beer. Our eyes and our brains told us to turn in early though so we crept into our room without having any clue what our roommates looked like since they had slipped in before us. Turns out they were a very nice Brazilian couple who left us with their extra tortellini after their departure from Chalten.

Here is a quick summary of our three days:

Day 1

Weather: Indescribably beautiful. (Intense climbers and hikers come from all over the world to trek here. We met some who have been waiting two months for a good day and here we come, two oblivious girls and get the best three days of the year).

Hike: Cerro Torre

Time: 5:45- up and down and up and down. Our legs were talking on our way back but the view was amazing.

Photo by Lena Page

Patagonia, you can make the check out to Emily Cornelius

Cerro Torre

Lena + cold water

Day 2

Weather: Brilliant. Not a cloud in the sky.

Hike: Chorillo del Salto waterfall, it's where all of the locals go to cool off.

Time: 4 hours- rest day

Waterfall Chorillo del Salto 

Chorillo del Salto

Heading back to El Chalten

Day 3

Weather: Clear.

Hike: The biggest, the baddest: Fritz Roy. (It actually wasn't too unbearable except for the middle bit with an immediate 17,000 thousand foot gain).

Time: We started hiking at 8:30am, and got back to the hostel at around 6pm. Our knees were throwing out some obscenities.

If you look closely you can see the path above Will's head. It looked small...until we were standing at the base of it. 

We made it.

On the way back to Chalten

I have only been on this earth 20 years, so clearly I cannot be old and wise, but here is my latest epiphany. If you are unhappy where you are at home, if you find your life to be monotonous and you are itching for a change, if you are irritable and frustrated, buy yourself a ticket to Argentina, specifically El Chalten, or, better yet, somewhere you have never been. Get completely dominated by the mountains, push yourself to the point where you just want to sit down forever, learn things about yourself that you never knew by talking with people who you have never met before. I have never been so spontaneous yet felt so centered in my life. Fritz Roy and Cerro Torre completely owned me, destroyed my legs, left my throat absolutely parched, not only for water but also for new adventures, but despite the strain I would go back and hike them in a heartbeat. They have become more than just mountains, they have become a symbol for a new way of life.