This is the hike. You get up close & personal to Fitz Roy. You also are able to obsessively stare at it for all but the first & last hours of the 4.5hr hike there which is helpful motivation. After the steep uphill first hour, Fitz Roy reveals itself to you in pretty spectacular fashion at a mirador & if you get your ass up before dawn, you can hit it for sunrise. Then you get to enjoy its beauty as it nears before disappearing again as you duck under the forest & then straight up the face of the mountain scrambling up boulders for the last 1km – the longest, most difficult 1km of my life. It’s because of this 1km that many people skip this hike – & the park service discourages it unless you’re in great shape & a very experienced trekker. I don’t fall into either of those categories but I figured how hard could it really be? Many people take a bus around (& up in elevation) to a different access point to skip the initial steep climb (& mirador) to save their legs for the last climb. Many people do the hike & then just refuse the final climb as they review all of the warning signs & head back (it’s still over a 7hr day minus the last climb). And many people who do the full trek, take 2hrs to make the final climb. I didn’t cut any corners but that last 1km was no joke. It took me 45mins for that climb & I was making pretty good time vs others around me. Now the same hike down took me 1hr thanks to my fear of heights & worthless knee but oh well. After you reach the plateau, & hike up another little tease when you just want to be done, is this amazing teal colored glacial lake, Laguna de Los Tres, views of 2 different glaciers, Mount Fitz Roy & Mount Poincenot right in front of you, & surrounded by a chain of mountains. It’s glorious really. But my goodness was it a long day, the hardest trekking day I’ve ever done in my life by a long shot that totally kicked my ass, but accomplishing it felt so great. I ended my trek at the spa where I promptly booked a massage for that very night as I wasn’t sure my body & feet could go on without one. And there were more treks to do.