El Chaltén hiking forecast: which day to see Fitz Roy
The town forecast is not enough: what matters is whether there is cloud at Fitz Roy's height and how hard the wind blows at the lake. We read it for you, day by day.
· Booking Directo, El Chaltén
In El Chaltén you pick your Laguna de los Tres day by looking at the sky, not the calendar. The forecast for town can say sunny while Fitz Roy is hidden, because the clouds that matter are at 1,200 metres and higher. That is why we read the forecast for three places here: the town, Laguna Torre and Laguna de los Tres, each at its own altitude.
The next few days, for hiking
Loading the forecast…
Hiking hours (8 am to 8 pm). Cloud = the share of the sky covered at the height of Laguna de los Tres. Sustained wind at the lake: gusts can be quite a bit stronger. Forecast from MET Norway, updated every hour. This is our reading, not a guarantee: look at the sky in the morning before you set off.
How we read each day
- Good day for Laguna de los Tres: low and mid-level cloud over less than a third of the sky, sustained wind under 30 km/h at the lake and no rain. This is the day to leave early.
- Better: Capri or Torre: Fitz Roy may be hidden or the wind up high is unpleasant. Laguna Capri and Laguna Torre are just as worthwhile and more sheltered.
- Town day: strong wind up high (45 km/h or more sustained) or real rain in town. Chorrillo del Salto, the viewpoints nearby, a coffee, and save your legs for tomorrow.
Why the town forecast fools you
The town is at about 400 metres. Laguna de los Tres is at about 1,170, and the summit of Fitz Roy is over 3,400. A layer of cloud at 2,000 metres leaves the town in sunshine and the mountain hidden. It happens the other way round too: it rains for a while in town and up high it clears. What helps is knowing how much of the sky the low and mid-level cloud covers and how hard the wind blows at the lake.
A tip from here: if your trip allows it, do not fix your Laguna de los Tres day before you arrive. Get here, check this page in the evening and go on the first good day. And if you can, stay one more day: it is the difference between seeing Fitz Roy and a photo of clouds.
When to leave
Early. In the morning there is usually less wind and less cloud, and the final climb to Laguna de los Tres goes better on fresh legs. For Laguna de los Tres, from town, count on 8 to 10 hours round trip: everything you need to know is in Laguna de los Tres. If the day looks doubtful, the options are Laguna Capri and Laguna Torre. The weather in each season is in best time to visit El Chaltén.
Questions
How do I know if Fitz Roy will be visible?
Look at the low and mid-level cloud at the height of Laguna de los Tres, not the forecast for town. With less than a third of the sky covered at that height, the mountain is normally visible. It still changes fast: early morning is usually clearer.
How much wind is too much to hike up to Laguna de los Tres?
The last section is a steep, exposed climb. With sustained wind over 40 or 45 km/h at the lake, gusts can be double that and it is better not to go up. On a day like that, Laguna Capri or Laguna Torre are better, as they are more sheltered by the forest.
Is the El Chaltén forecast reliable?
For the next two or three days, fairly. Beyond five days, take it as a trend. In the mountains the weather changes within hours: check the forecast the night before and again in the morning.
What if every day looks bad?
Keep a spare day in your trip and do not pick your Laguna de los Tres day before you arrive. Cloudy days are good for Laguna Capri, Chorrillo del Salto or the viewpoints near town.
