As the tourist trade has boomed, it has become possible to escape the crowds only with great diligence. However, the average tourist rarely visits the extensive region located to the north of this southern portion (which could be dubbed "central Patagonia". It is a land of beauty and incredible natural wonders without the hordes of visitors. South of the settlement of Coyhaique Chile, the volcanic peaks of the Lakes District give way to the grey granite summits of the southern Andes, the glaciers grow larger, and the rivers that are born from these ice masses swell in magnitude. Still farther south, the Andes begin to sink below the sea leaving only their summits exposed. Huge lakes criss-cross the international border, some draining east and some west, forming a confusing natural barrier to travel. The North Continental Ice Cap, the smaller of the two Patagonian Ice caps, stretches for nearly 100 miles. A few travelers are familiar with the San Rafael Glacier, a tidewater glacier that falls from the Icecap and is closer to the equator than any other in the world. The climate is mild and in mid-summer (our winter) may reach the 70s F. In this part of Patagonia, two ranges form a north-south crest between the wet Pacific side and the arid pampas to the east. The coastal mountains collect the most moisture and the Northern Patagonia Icecap blankets the coastal peaks. The vegetation is lush and there are impenetrable birch forests. There is an impressive collection of ice-crowned summits, numerous lakes, crystal clear rivers and cascades. The second north-south string of mountains creates the frontier with Argentina and is home to San Lorenzo (12,156-ft), one of Patagonia's least climbed and most stunningly beautiful summits. There are impressive views and untrekked expanses. In the rain-shadow to the Atlantic side, the climate is dramatically drier and the ecology and landscape is radically different.