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National Park : Perito Moreno in Santa Cruz (Ar) (Argentina)
   

What is it ?

Glacier in Los Glaciares and one of only 3 Patagonian glaciers not retreating
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Perito Moreno

The Perito Moreno Glacier (50°29′S, 73°03′W) is a glacier located in the Los Glaciares National Park in the south west of Santa Cruz province, Argentina. It is one of the most important tourist attractions in the Argentine Patagonia.
The 250 km² ice formation, of 30 km in length, is one of 48 glaciers fed by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field located in the Andes system shared with Chile. This icefield is the world's third largest reserve of fresh water. The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of only three Patagonian glaciers that are not retreating.

photobook National Park : Perito Moreno in Santa Cruz (Ar) (Argentina)
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The dam burst

Periodically the glacier advances over the L-shaped "Lago Argentino" ("Argentine Lake") forming a natural dam which separates the two halves of the lake when it reaches the opposite shore. With no escape route, the water-level on the Brazo Rico side of the lake can rise by up to 30 meters above the level of the main lake.

  

The enormous pressure produced by this mass of waters finally breaks the ice barrier holding it back, in a spectacular rupture event. This dam/rupture cycle is not regular and it naturally recurs at any frequency between once a year to less than once a decade.

photobook National Park : Perito Moreno in Santa Cruz (Ar) (Argentina)
Click for photobook
How to get here

The Perito Moreno glacier, located 78 km from El Calafate, was named after the explorer Francisco Moreno, a pioneer who studied the region in the 19th century and played a major role in defending the territory of Argentina in the conflict surrounding the international border dispute with Chile. From El Calafate you can book bus tours to the walkways in front of the Perito Moreno. And you can also include a boattrip to the otherside of the Lago Argentino and have a (small) organized hike on the glacier ending with a malt whiskey on 600 years old rocks!


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Photobook

Lago Argentino at the Park entrance Los Glaciares� - Perito Moreno View on Perito Moreno from the upper walk ways � - Perito Moreno View on Perito Moreno from the lower walkways� - Perito Moreno Side view of the glacier Perito Moreno� - Perito Moreno Close up from the upper layer of the glacier� - Perito Moreno View on the natural dam � - Perito Moreno Walk ways along the Lago Argentino with the glacier milk� - Perito Moreno
View on the glacier � - Perito Moreno Crumbled ice from the glacier� - Perito Moreno Moving front of the Perito Moreno� - Perito Moreno Ice towers at the front of the glacier� - Perito Moreno Glacier hike (with crampons)� - Perito Moreno River of melting water dissappearing  in the ice� - Perito Moreno River of melting water dissappearing  in the ice� - Perito Moreno
Whiskey on the rocks - For once the rocks are older then the wiskey� - Perito Moreno Glacier cafe� - Perito Moreno Nature art from melting water and ice� - Perito Moreno The towering 60 meters front� - Perito Moreno Picknick with a view� - Perito Moreno The contrast between the ice and the surroundings is fantastic � - Perito Moreno  



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Park map

No map file available

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GPS Download files

 link description
Leaflet of National Park Los Glaciares
GPS trackmaker (GTM) best tool for using GPS files (freeware)
EasyGPS softwaretool for using waypoints (freeware)
Question and Answers for using the GPSfiles


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Related Links

linkLanguagedescription
English/EspanolDay cruises to the glaciers
EnglishMapquest route planning to starting point of Perito Moreno
EnglishGoogle satelite maps from starting point of Perito Moreno