El Chaltén is a young town in a very old landscape. It was founded in 1985, partly to establish an Argentine presence in a region disputed with Chile, and today it is the trekking capital of Argentina, a small cluster of lodges, cafes and gear shops beneath the granite spires of the Fitz Roy massif. Fitz Roy, 3,405 metres, is one of the most photographed mountains in South America, a jagged tower that the Tehuelche people are said to have called Chaltén, the smoking mountain, because clouds so often cling to its summit.
Getting here is half the point. The road from El Calafate, provincial route 23, leaves the famous Ruta 40 and runs for roughly two hundred kilometres across the open steppe, past Lago Viedma and beside the Río de las Vueltas, which twists in the valley below. The surface is paved, but the wind is the real obstacle. Patagonian gusts can blow riders across the lane, and a loaded bike is a sail. Lean into it, stay relaxed on the bars and pick the calmer early hours when you can.
The riding season runs from roughly October to April. Outside it, many businesses close, roads can ice, and snow falls on the passes. Even in January, the weather can swing from sun to sleet in an afternoon, so carry waterproofs and warm layers, and keep gloves handy. Summer daylight lasts until late in the evening, which gives the long ride a generous window.
Fuel is the practical question. The town has a small station, but supplies have been known to run short in busy seasons, so the sensible approach is to fill the tank in El Calafate before the run and again at the first opportunity after. Food in El Chaltén is excellent for a town of its size, with hearty Patagonian lamb, trout, empanadas and craft beer, and the evening crowd of hikers swaps stories over dinner.
The surrounding land is part of Los Glaciares National Park, a World Heritage Site, with the great Southern Patagonian Ice Field to the west. A short walk from town leads to viewpoints of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, and early mornings, when the peaks glow orange, are worth getting up for.