Continental Ice Cap information and expeditions history

""Cuadernos Patagonicos"
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The Continental Ice
The Continental Ice south is the one great glacier that occupies a good part of the southern tip of South America and it extends to the west of the southern Patagonian Range and therefore is almost entirely in the territory of Chile. This immense ice field is almost 400 kilomenters long and between 50 and 80 kilometers in width. The official beginning is at 48 degrees 15 latitude near the penetration of the Becker canal to the north. The southern mark is at 51 degrees 40 latitude and connects with an almost unexplored chain of mountains and forms the Sarmiento peninsula and is therefore still farther south than the fjord of Last Hope and the Union canal. During a large part of the year this region receives forceful western winds that at times exceed 150 kilometers per hour. To the winds are added violent disturbances with the humidity of the Pacific that is unleashed on the first obstacles, which in this case is the mountain range. These storms at times last for a month or more presenting one of the most severe tests for mountaineers in spite of the lower altitude of the mountains. The environmental challenge is greatest on the Continental Ice where unstoppable disturbances and fog in the unexplored higher planes challenge the crossings. Today this region still offers explorers and adventurers a strong sense of contact with untamed nature. But before we delve into the history of exploration we will try to complete the geographical description. Such a frozen extension is composed of two large masses separated by a deep arm of the sea. To the north, smaller but important ranges with smaller summits exist. The continental Ice is dominated by the massive Mount San Valentin, the highest summit of Patagonia at 4058 meters to the north. To the south it almost reaches the edge of the Baker Canal and the edge of the Pacific in the south. Just upon the northern edge of one of these is the Calen fjord. A good launch in optimum conditions Caleta Tortel is the farthest advance of human civilization. It takes 7 hours to reach the other side of the fjord and from there the Continental Ice south begins. About 40 kilometers more to the south over the Jorge Montt glacier is a vast succession of frozen plateaus that proceed for total the Continental Ice. Complex tongues of ice that discharge from Argentina flow toward the Pacific coast overflow. The total surface is covered with ice and is estimated at nearly 20000 square kilometers. The surrounding are covered in large part by forests and mountains. The average height of the caps is between 1500 and 1700 meters.

The first encounter of this massive ice is about 1557 when captain Juan Fernandez Ladrillera was leading an exploration fleet for the government of Chile. Don Garcia Hurtado of Mendoza was sent to verify the western route of the Magellanes and during a storm his ship was separated from the fleet. The flagship became lost in the labrynth of fjords and canals formed by the vast archipelego and found firm ground. December 4 the sailors interred a large fjord when suddenly before their eyes appeared a grand view that consisted of mountains and ice that seemingly originated in the glaciers more vast than they had seen. Some centuries later these fjords were traveled by geographers of the British Navy and it was baptized the Eyre fjord. On three other occasions Ladrillero found different routes to the icy internal regions. From that he correctly conceived the idea that the vast region of Patagonia was covered entirely of ice and called the area Sierra Nevada. This was the first determination of what was later called the Continental Ice South.
In Search of the Mysterious volcano
Almost all of the explorers have spoken of plumes of smoke that seemed to indicate volcanic activity in diverse areas in the zone. The Perito Moreno was identified directly as a geological phenomenon with the beautiful pyramid of mountains that the Tehuelches Indians called Chalten and that he rebaptized the Fitz Roy volcano. During many years until the expedition organized by Shipton of Britain the search for the mysterious volcanoes was one of the principal motivators for the exploration of the interior of the continental Ice. Jointly with this incentive was a second geographical mystery, that of the supposed link between Lake Argentina and the Peel fjord. It was promptly understood that the link didn´t exist, but some explorers continued to follow the mythical existence. The first concrete account of penetrating the heart of the continental ice was registered in 1914 by the naturalist Frederico Reichert a german naturalized in Argentina. In the course of the expedition Reichert recognized the particular type of glaciarism that he classified as ¨patagonian¨, which is the formation of immense tongues of ice that like rays leave from the unique basin to feed the interior altiplano.

The Exploration from 1920 to 1940
The first explorations of De Agostini date to 1928 when he carried out some smaller ascensions in the Eyre and Falcon fjords for the purpose of getting a better view of the interior zone. In 1930 there are records of exploring the eastern section and the arms of Lake Argentina. But some of the biggest explorations of the Italian priest date to 1931 when explorers reached Mount Tormo from where they could make out the waters of the Pacific.
Still many years later Patagonian explorers continued the search for the mysterious volcano. These concluded with the expedition of Sir Eric Shipton. On the slopes of the volcano, Reichert and his companions advanced still further until they reached the separation of the waters. From there they returned on routes that required much strength and caution towards the base camp. This exploration was considered a success because they had discovered 3 new mountain chains, one with the name GAEA and discovered another vast interior plateau and many northern glaciers that were baptized the Hicken Corridor. Finally they had localized the volcanic activity. In 1935 in the course of exploring the slopes of the Fitz Roy they traveled through the valley of the Electric river and having crossed the Marconi passage reached the Five glacier passage. On this expedition they were recognized and baptized as two mountain chains as found in earlier expeditions of reichert, the Pio XI and the Marconi. It was during this expedition that De Agostini discovered geographical evidence of the existence of one or more volcanoes hidden in the interior.
Land of the Tempest - the Years of Sir Eric Shipton
Sir Eric shipton is surely one of the figures that most represents British exploration. He was originally attracted to the summits of the Himalayas and after a half century in 1958 had his first view of Patagonia and became dedicated to its exploration. The explorers remained for various months completing various tasks and collecting geographical and botanical information. Between the end of 1959 and the early part of 1960 shipton returned to Patagonia with the intention of discovering the volcano that was hidden within. Following the information of the previous expeditions they proceeded to the base out of the region of Lake San martin. The expedition left the coast from the south arm of the lake on December 4 1960 with 19 Enchlish. They reached the edge of the plateau and were able to have an optimal vision of the mountains dominating the Continental ice to the west towards Pio XI. They could make out the slopes of Mount Lautaro and a crack with a thick column of vapor hundreds of meters in the air. This was without a doubt the volcano they had been seeking.

The following day the explorers reached the slopes of the mountain and were closer to the activity of the magma. However, the bad weather did not allow them to calculate the exact geographic position of the mountain which had already been well documented by other before. The intention of Shipton was to leave the Jorge Montt glacier and cross north to south to the banks of Lake Argentina. On January 2nd they reached the latitude corresponding to that of Mount O´Higgins and the Lautaro volcano, a zone which their leader was familiar. In the middle of a furious snowstorm they returned to the route on January 23 and reached the slopes of Mount don Bosco. The following day was exceptional with excellent visibility. Shortly thereafter they intended to climb Mount Murallon which was then unclimbed. Unfortunately they were forced back by a violent storm when they were only 6 meters from the summit. The adventures of Shipton opened the way for other interesting explorations of the ice. In 1976 the first expedition of reverse longitude (south to north) was registered by the Club Andino of Bariloche. Led by Pedro Skvarca they entered at the Upsala glacier and intended to exit by the Marconi Passage.
The Early 80´s and the disputed feat of Giuliano Giongo
In the early 80´s the Continental Ice south took on still more of a sporting connotation and at times the challenge of this desololate terrritory motivated people to search for new achievements.
In the winter of 1985 the most controversial exploration ras realized by Giuliano Giongo. He was a valiant climber with exploits in the Himalaya as well as Patagonia. He climbed the Egger tower of the Fitz Roy by a new route. Giongo was determined to try a solitary winter crossing of the Continental Ice, but the explanations and accounts were inexact and at time false, which stirred up more than a few doubts among the experts and in particular the great Walter Bonatti.
To Our Days
From April 4 to May 5 1991 a group of 5 alpinists intended to attempt a north to south crossing of the Continental Ice. The group consisted of Alberto del Castillo, Alberto Gabriel Ruiz and Marcos Jose Couch of Argentina and Alexandre Portela from Brasil and Jose Carlos Tamayo from Spain. They took many supplies and had prepared deposits of provisions along the route, but those were never reached. After 31 days and after many moments of frustration, happiness and fatigue they had traveled 145 kilometers and in anticipation of the fierce winter they were forced to exit the white hell by way of the Windy passage.