A Montanan's Take on Patagonia

“Patagonia is a lot like what Montana was one hundred years ago, wild, rugged and still untamed,” is what I remember someone telling me when I was in my late teens.  Because I am fascinated by Montana and its past this description intrigued me.  And ever since I heard that statement, I have been fascinated by this mystical country and wanted to venture down and explore it.  Additionally, I don’t want readers of this blog to think I love Montana only because I have never been anywhere else, so without further ado, here is my somewhat unbiased analysis:

There are many comparisons to be made between Montana and Patagonia, but overall it is not 1914 Montana (at least from my observations while there).  There aren’t range wars and copper kings battling it out although there are a lot of sheep ranchers.  When it comes to socio-economic comparison, the area seems more like Montana in the early 1980s.  Infrastructure is expanding at a robust rate to showcase the immense natural beauty found across the region, with several of the bus stations and airports being nearly new.  Most of this new growth is targeted toward backpackers and internationals, with cheaper lodging more readily available, multilingual guides and more public transportation.  The world seems to have just discovered it (or rather decided it is safe).  Chilean and Argentine business owners are incredibly welcoming and hospitable and seem excited to have people from all over the world coming to their corner, much the same way I imagine many Montanan business owners welcoming the influx of tourism in the 1980s.

I love hiking in Glacier National Park(GNP) Montana, but El Parque Nacional de Los Glacieres (directly translated: Glacier National Park) has unfathomably large advancing glaciers that make me think we should rename our GNP  “Formerly Glaciated National Park” or “Glacial Valleys National Park”  to be more accurate by comparison.  The granite slabs of mountain that forcefully stand out of the ground at Los Torres (Torres Del Paine National Park) and Monte Fitz Roy (El Parque Nacional de los Glacieres) are the most impressive mountains I’ve ever seen.  Beyond these two points I’d say the scenery is fairly similar. 

Two major issues I would say Montana has an advantage on when it comes to the outdoors are the abundance of wildlife and trail access.   Unless you find Guanacos (wild and skinnier Alpacas) or ostriches majestic and fascinating, there’s not much in the way of wildlife to get excited about.  There are stags further north and pumas, but it’s not the same as seeing a Grizzly in GNP Montana or a herd of elk in Yellowstone.  Trail wise our GNP has 734 miles of fairly accessible trail, while both Patagonian National Parks we were in had far fewer.  Additionally, even though we went in late season, most trails were fairly crowded. 

I can’t say Patagonia is better than Montana, although certain aspects are, but both offer a tantalizing flavor to the adventurous Montanan.  Kind of like a Cold Smoke and a Baerns Dopple Bock, both great beers, but I’d rather have the Dopple Bock in the winter and the Cold Smoke in the summer.  I feel so blessed that I can vacation in a place that is world renowned in natural beauty and come back to normal life in a place that is just as good with a different flavor, Montana!