GLACIAR PERITO MORENO

The glacier is explored via a 4 km network of wooden walkways. Each level allows you to admire the ice behemoth from a different angle. Despite global warming, the Perito Moreno is the only glacier in the world still advancing at a rate of two metres a day. With a surface area of 250 km² and a length of 30 kilometers, it forms part of a gigantic block of ice known as the Hielo Continental Patagónico. The front of the glacier regularly advances a few metres, then collapses on a two- to four-year cycle, forming the icebergs that float on the lake. The glacier collides with the rocky promontory on the opposite shore, cutting the arm of the lake in two. As the ice melts and the water can no longer drain away, the southern arm of the lake continues to expand. The flooding reached the shoreline and part of the forest was engulfed. After a while, the water rises to 25 m above its normal level, exerting a phenomenally powerful pressure, eroding the facade and digging a kind of ice tunnel. When the cork bursts, the accumulated water flows through the open breach and gradually weakens the ice bridge, which eventually breaks and crashes to pieces with a racket of the devil. On the night of March 11 to 12, 2018, the Perito Moreno arch at the front of the glacier broke during a violent storm. The park was closed at the time, and this magical spectacle occurred without the slightest crowd cheer... This phenomenon occurs approximately every four years in late summer and early autumn in the southern hemisphere. Last time, on March 11, 2016, the arch broke in broad daylight, delighting 2,000 lucky tourists. However, you may be lucky enough to witness a mini-collapse (although for reasons linked to climate change, of course, we hope they don't become more and more frequent!). With an incredible din, blocks of ice break away from the glacier and plunge into the water. Added to this occasional noise are the incessant creaks and groans of the expanding glacier. The colors of the glacier change in intensity according to the light. On a sunny day, the glacier displays a majestic sapphire-blue color. The last few hours of a sunny day are when the ice collapses. We hope that this white monster will escape the threat of climate change for a long time to come!