In late October 2019, I embarked on a truly epic journey to the far southern tip of South America. Patagonia has a reputation for incredible scenery, wild weather, and extreme adventure...and it did not disappoint. The unpredictable weather dogged our small group with literally everything possible -- sun, rain, wind, snow, and everything in between. In two weeks of traveling, I hiked roughly 70 miles including right under El Chalten (Mount Fitz Roy), along Perito Morena Glacier, through Torres del Paine National Park, and in Tierra del Fuego National Park. I was particularly surprised by the immense variety of bird life, capturing dozens of amazing bird shots throughout the trip, including penguins at an island in the Beagle Channel near Ushuaia. In Torres del Paine, we were treated to hiking in several inches of snow the first day -- beautiful but couldn't see the mountains much. The second day we had some sun and clearing along with powerful 70mph wind gusts and nearly blew us off the trail. Then the third day brought unrelenting torrential rain with probably 30mph wind, causing some of us to skip that day's hike and stay warm and dry in the lodge. Despite our best efforts, we all still got completely soaked waiting for the boat shuttle back to our van lol! I came home having experienced a lot of adventure and some incredible photographs, though not quite everything I'd hoped photographically due to the weather. I hope to return someday, probably on a last minute trip when a good weather window appears!
