Face to Face with Strong, Shy Fitz Roy

PATAGONIA — 7 a.m. I wake up to the shrill of an alarm and roll over on my top bunk, releasing the warm pocket of air underneath my big wool blanket. With half of my body hanging off, I manage to pull back the drapes and take a peek out the window at the snow-capped mountains surrounding the quaint village of El Chaltén. I use my hand to wipe away some of the fog and dew on the window. The weather and visibility are the only two things on my mind at this point. Raining or snowing? Cloudy or clear? Cold or frigid?