El Chalten or Fitz Roy is the youngest town of Argentina that has in recent years experienced a population explosion in two ways: by the amount of people coming to settle and the impressive number of tourists who visit during the season that runs from December to late March.
There are already more than 300 permanent inhabitants, and the number of tourists jumped from 14,000 to 40,000 in a couple of years.
Most are foreigners who visit for trekking in various degrees of difficulty, or just to meet an unknown and impressive part of Los Glaciares National Park.
Argentinians who venture to this corner of Patagonia do it especially to know a territory that was the subject of border disputes between Argentina and Chile over possession of Lago del Desierto.
In fact, these were the geopolitical issues that caused the decree of foundation of the town, which became effective on October 12, 1985.
El Chaltén resembles a stone amphitheater, surrounded by ice and snow.
All the houses are low with gabled roofs and a few gravel roads. What makes it unique is the impressive silhouette of the needles of the Fitz Roy which can be seen from anywhere in the village.
Photos: Alex Proimos, Colm Linehan, M. B., Reeve Joliffe, xray, Magallie Labbe, James Byrum.
