UKH

I`m planning on going to El Chalten from Nov 2022 - February 2022 for alpine rock / mountaineering. I will probably be travelling solo. So my question is can you find partners there like in Chamonix or does everyone go with a partner in because it`s so far away.

There's two large campsites in El Chalten, adjacent to one another, which are mainly full of trekkers (like myself), however there are a number of climbers. I stayed at the one closest to town, however I heard the one behind it has more climbers. The countless hotels/hostels are rather pricey peak season (Jan-Mar), as the climbing/trekking season is so short, so camping is the cheaper option for long-term. 

Be aware the weather is absolutely dire. The Atlantic, Pacific and Antarctic weather systems all meet in Patagonia, so expect, rain, hail, sleet, rain, sun, more rain, a glimpse of sun, then snow, with intermittent 40 mph gusts that will blow tents into the trees! The winds are insane. Bring a sturdy tent, guy-lines and plenty pegs. I chatted to countless climbers who had been there for months and barely got anything done, besides sport in the valley. When a weather window appears you see them all marching up super-speed to get stuff done! So use the non-climbable days to keep fit doing the endless treks to Cerro Torre, Fitz Roy, Laguna de los Tres, etc. Plus take a few days to El Calafate to see the spectacular Perito Moreno Glacier!

Other advice is take a rock-solid suitcase with rugged locks, as there's endless baggage handling gangs at BA airport who will steal your kit. They arrested a gang, but it continues. Even pay to shrink wrap it at the UK departure airport. Bring spares of any kit you may break, as kit in El Chalten is like Snell Sports in Chamonix prices on steroids! Enjoy! It's a truly spectacular place!

Weather is indeed fickle.   I never did get to see Cerro Torre, 20 years ago.  Poor weather blew in every time I headed up the valley.

Also bring with you extra fuel for the flux capacitor as plutonium's prices are dire in town. 

A rod for harnessing lighting might be a good call as well in case of emergency, and if you find yourself back in 1970 by mistake keep a spatk plug spanner handy and maybe some sugar for good measure

I remember being told that there was never any lightning on the Patagonian mountains for some reason. Just LOTS of everything else. Mostly wind. Somebody said 40mph - that would be a good day!

And we got weeks of 30deg heat! 

I was there for 5 days in January 2010 on my own. I wasn’t climbing, but spoke to quite a few climbers whilst I was there. I spent as little time as possible in El Chalten itself.

Campamento Rio Blanco is the main climbers camp and is only for people with climbing permits. I went up to have a look and spoke to a few guys, but stuck to the rules and didn’t stay. The much larger trekkers site at Poincenot isn’t far away.

I also spent some time at The De Agostini site at Laguna Torre. This site a mix of trekkers and climbers. I spent a night drinking very rough Brazilian whiskey with a team of team two guys from Brazil and one from California who had met there and were planning a route on Saint-Exupery (I think). I did break the rules slightly the next day and had a short trip with them on to the glacier.

Few views to the contrary here.

No permits required to climb in the main ranges of Chalten, unless I believe you're heading around the back of Cerro Torre on the ice cap, which very few do. Could it be a camping permit you need for that De Agostini specifically? Even if that's the case you can probably just show them a rope or something. Nobody is much bothered in Argentina, stricter over in Chile/TdP.

OP: We met a bunch of people who had a met and successfully climbed with randoms over there, similarly an Aussie guy we hung out with a bit had climbed with a random who turned out to be a right d***head - same as anywhere really.

As mentioned there is a big campsite right in town with a noticeboard and several hostels popular with climbers around town. Seems like a lot of people spend extended time at Piedra Negra campsite (for Guillamet end) since it's fairly commodious. There were about 100 people there when we went as there was a good window, but only about three teams climbing - it was a bit weird. Might be possible to meet people there for some of the shorter climbs in the massif but it's a long way to walk in on spec.

Since another person commented on BA, though dodgy, it is really a great city and worth a look around. You just have to be careful really especially if you head to La Boca and make sure not to wander into any villas (slums). Chalten on the other hand feels pretty much totally safe, like a developing world version of Llanberis.

Finally, whilst long periods of mad windy and stormy weather do seem to predominate, there are nice settled highs too. We got out four times in a month, though the last time we were stormed off Aguja De l'S. Just a game of chance really.

So good luck!

I am going of what I was told in the National Park Office in El Chalten at the time (2010), which matches the guide book that I have from that time. It may have changed.

The restriction to climbers was very definitely on the Rio Blanco site, although I don't know if or how it was policed. No such restrictions on the De Agostini site.

I loved Buenos Aires, particular the San Telmo area. Certainly one of the safer cities in South America. I had to spend a night in Rio Gallegos (my birthday) on the return trip to BA, not an experience I am keen to repeat.

I spent a few months there several years ago. Whilst I went with a partner there was a degree of promiscuity with us both climbing routes with others we met down there.

The scene in modern times is driven by accurate weather forecasts, with a sleep in chalten until the weather clears, before going big ethos. As such staying in the town campsite or one of the climbers doss houses whilst being open and friendly is probably a good way to hook up with others.

Nothing is guaranteed though and you might find yourself watching the seasons best weather window pass with no partner. It probably depends what you want to achieve really. If you want to piss about in the mountains for a few months then go for it. If you want to tick the Raggni Route then you will probably be waisting your time.