The World Through a Lens
Patagonia, Adorned in Autumn
Southern Chile’s snow-capped mountains, vast plains and windswept lakes are often depicted in summertime. See the landscape dressed in autumnal hues.
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I was awakened in the predawn hours by a raging downpour. Cold, howling winds were coming off the lake, and the screen door to our half-domed shelter was flapping violently. Huddled with a few other hikers, I quickly realized the value of our lodging’s design: It’s one of the few structures that can withstand the extreme weather conditions that are a common occurrence in Patagonia. Thankfully, all of us — along with my camera gear — were safe and dry.
But it was an ominous warning of what would become one of my most exhausting and exhilarating adventures as a travel photographer.
A day earlier, baqueanos — Chilean cowboys and cowgirls — had taken me and my guide on a three-hour horseback journey over mountains and across streams to a remote drop-off location. From there, we trekked over another set of mountains and streams for five more hours to reach the remote Valle del Frances, or French Valley, a stunning place nestled between jagged mountain peaks.
Our plan was to spend a couple of nights there, taking day hikes into the valley to see the waterfalls and gasp-worthy mountain vistas. As is often the case, however, the Patagonian weather forced us to change our plans.
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