World Image issue 22 July 2015

Exploring Patagonia - Impossible Mountain
Michael Shmelev, Russia
Surprisingly, in the vicinity of the village of El
Chalten - trekking mecca National Park Los
Glaciares, above the endless ice fields dominate
just two quite similar to each other vertex.
First - Fitzroy - I have already shown, but the
second is constantly hiding under the shadow of
heavy clouds despite the fact that is located just
four kilometers west of the "smoking
mountain". Only two weeks later I was able to
see her clean.
The second peak - the legendary Cerro Torre. It
is one of the most difficult in the world, and
certainly, is among the most beautiful.
The height of the mountain (3102m) may not
seem particularly large, if not the height of the
granite tusk in excess of 1200 m above the
glacier.
Technical difficulty climbing the steep granite
wall combined with the incredibly complex and
unpredictable weather these places - here are
blowing strong winds, accompanied by large
changes in temperature.
The picture shows what a noble colour in the
light of dawn gives this mountain snowy gray
hair, covering the top, like a powder. It looks
like a frozen ice on the wall surface, reaching
tens of meters thick. They are called
mushrooms, or ice "mushrooms", it is
extremely dangerous for climbers.
Lionel Terran first conquered Fitzroy in 1952,
called the Cerro Torre «Impossible mountain."
The history of the past century mountaineering
fully confirms his words. It is believed that the
first time to the top of Cerro Torre man rose in
1959.
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