The majestic Perito Moreno Glacier
The majestic Perito Moreno Glacier produces one of the most impressive natural spectacles in the world, when large pieces of ice fall due to the effect of the advance of the glacier on the waters of the lake. It is one of the most important tourist attractions in Patagonia.
For reasons that still continue to cause debate in the scientific community and despite the fact that most of the planet’s glaciers are retreating due to climate change and global warming, the Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the few glaciers that remains in a steady state because it continues to accumulate mass at a rate similar to its loss.
The water of the Argentine lake has a beautiful turquoise color product of the sediments brought by the advance of the glacier.[/caption]
Perito Moreno Glacier Location
The glacier is located within the Los Glaciares National Park, in the province of Santa Cruz, in the Argentine Patagonia region, 78 km (48 miles) from the Perito Moreno Glacier is the town of El Calafate, also located 320 km northwest of the city of Río Gallegos, the capital of the province. Los Glaciares National Park covers an area of 724,000 ha and has 356 glaciers in total.
Unique show in the world
The glacier is an ice formation measuring 250 km2 (97 square miles), 30 km (19 miles) long, has a front of 5 km (3.1 miles) in length, and emerges above the lake level about 70 m (240 feet), plus the total depth of the ice is 170 meters (558 feet). It is one of the 48 glaciers that derive from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, this ice field constitutes the third largest freshwater reserve in the world.
The constant advance of the glacier at a speed of almost 2 meters per day and 700 meters per year, forms a dam with the waters of the Rico lake´s arm, producing a slope of the lake of up to 30 meters. Due to the pressure of the water, the ice leaks and then a tunnel is formed with a height of up to 50 meters. Every several years, -specifically in average of the last century; every four and a half years – the collapse of this vault occurs, producing an imposing and unique spectacle in the world, attracting tourists from different countries, being one of the greatest attractions of the Park. In recent years since the establishment of the international airport, there has been an important economic development in El Calafate, the international tourism represents an important source of income for the growing development in the region.
