Dickson to Los Perros

Not the most scenic hike, but still incredible for the payoff at the end.

Muddy trails

In contrast to the sweeping valley and mountain views from the prior two days, today was spent steadily (sometimes more aggressively) climbing up along the Rio de Los Perros and its tributaries. Likely from the rain the day before, the trail was essentially one puddle after another. I was in rain pants and rain jacket for the entire hike, mostly for warmth and wind protection.

Running Rio de Los Perros

The river was gorgeous, with river rock surrounding it and sometimes traversing along moraine fields. We crossed the river and creeks multiple times which meant lots of interesting bridges.

Karen crossing the very stable bridge

Loose planks, missing planks, and detached handrails were the norm. They were all easily navigable.

Lago y Glaciar de Los Perros

The payoff at the top, near the campground, was the Lago de los Perros and the same-named glacier. Would have been even prettier with blue skies and a clear view of the mountains behind, but still spectacular. The wind was even crazier than yesterday when we climbed a boulder mound near the lake. I don’t want to try to guess the wind gust speed. Perhaps: knock you over if you don’t take a power stance speed.

We hiked straight through with breaks only for photos, opting for lunch at the refugio. I rested a bit in the tent (Karen and I were both very cold) while Karen relocated her tent. She said she was heading back to the glacier and I couldn’t say no.

Me having some lake fun

It was so worth it. Without the packs it was easy to scramble around a bit. We skipped some rocks and cleaned up the mud from our rain pants and boots.

Berry foraging

We also did some berry hunting with Karen’s guidance: mountain berries (the big one above) and diddle-dee berries. The latter are like pomegranate seeds and tasty - sweet and tart. The mountain berries are… amazing. A bit floral but the ripe ones were so sweet.

Karen and Kate joining the harvest

We met up with the rest of our crew who were just arriving, and showed them the berry foraging ropes. They took to it quickly and even gathered some to bring to camp.

Tomorrow is our big summit, likely with snow and sub-freezing temperatures, as we climb through John Gardner Pass to make it to Refugio Grey.