Hard to pick out one moment. Maybe going up to Lago Del Desierto. I thought I would not be able to get up there when I saw the ropes, but they actually helped a lot. I was blown away by the beauty of the site. Also, the glacier! I'd not read up on it prior to the trip. I just knew it was a large group excursion. I was kicking myself once we arrived and the saw the grandeur and awesome beauty of the glacier. The scale of the thing is so very humbling. Also most important to me was the opportunity to share the awesome experience with loved ones.

Life changing

There are a couple things that set off alarm bells in my head. First, in such a unique and pristine environment, it would be a disaster to allow invasive plants to decimate the ecosystem. I didn't notice much awareness of the concept. I cleaned my boots before I packed them in order not to bring in hitchhiking seeds in the dirt on them. The practice is recommended in a few places I've visited and seems like a good idea to me. Also, I think the park will have to address human waste in the future. A few people piddling behind a tree can be handled by the elements. But there were so MANY people. Their favorite spots for a potty break were very clear: they smelled and there was TP strewn about. The one latrine I visited was not much better. I hesitated to put my boots where so many had missed the hole before me! Speaking of many people, I suspect the park will need to limit the number of visitors in the future. Fewer humans mean we can be part of the environment without putting undue stress on it.

Each person in our group put a lot of effort into finding shiny new USD. It limited the denominations we were able to find. That whole project was completely unnecessary. Nobody looked twice. And, really, what are they going to say? - no I don't want the tip you're giving me b/c the dollars aren't pretty enough? Also, yes, you do really have to pack for, essentially, four seasons. Food in el Chalten was wonderful, but most of restaurants begin their dinner service late compared to US practice. If you're like me, hungry off the trail and loath to eat late and go to bed, that took some planning and real-food snacking.

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