Picturing Patagonia: To the Ends of the Earth
Words By: Brigid Mander and Chris Burkard
Photography By: Chris Burkard
"It was the best trip I did last year. You can’t find all this, and all of this caliber, anywhere else. It hits all the notes of what really creates deep memories."
As a child, globe-trotting adventurer and photographer Chris Burkard was captivated by images of the remote Patagonian landscape. Largely untrammeled, Chile’s intricate coastal fjords and beautifully forbidding hinterlands have remained an inspiration throughout his career.
Burkard finally got to visit when he traveled to Eleven Rio Palena Lodge in late 2023. “It was a ‘pinch me’ moment,” he said. “I felt a humbling, overwhelming admiration for this landscape.”
Once there, he made the most of his time there, documenting everything with his camera. From the lodge, he went heli-skiing, fly-fishing, rafting, and explored local farm life, wildlife, and the wood-fired hot tub.
Here are some of his favorite impressions and photos from the trip.
Power of Nature
The vast and untamed landscape made a deep impression on Burkard, making it one of his most inspiring trips.
“This part of Chile is so remote and rugged, it is hard to comprehend unless you have seen it.”
Connection
For Burkard, the connection to place found at Rio Palena Lodge was everywhere, in every activity.
Skiing
“Being able to fly around these peaks is so inspiring. It is dreamy skiing, and really fun. You ski from summit to benches above the forest, with steep couloirs, big bowls, or mellow lines amongst all of this epic mountain terrain. It’s a massive amount of variety to ski.”
Rivers & Lakes
“You can legitimately ski and fish in the same day, and the multi-sport aspect is part of the beauty here. But the difference here is that nothing you do, is mediocre, it’s all of the best quality.”
Asado & Culture
The weekly asado gathering at the lodge is a festive, traditional event that completes the connection to the place and its people.
Lodge & Hospitality
“In this amazing place, everyone wants to be here, the lodge staff, the guides, the pilots.”
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