Akshayuk Pass (Baffin Island)

A high Arctic traverse through granite giants. The Akshayuk Pass in Auyuittuq National Park is a 97km traverse across Baffin Island, near the Arctic Circle. This is a land of sheer granite towers: Mount Asgard and Mount Thor (known for one of the tallest vertical rock faces in the world, approximately 1,250m of vertical relief) rise above ancient glaciers. There are no marked trails, no bridges, and no cell service. It is a raw, demanding journey through a landscape shaped by ice ages.

One of the most frequented day hikes from El Chaltén, the route to Laguna Torre leads to a glacial lake at the base of the Torre massif. The 18 km out-and-back trail follows the Fitz Roy River valley, moving through sub-antarctic forests of ñire and lenga. The terrain is primarily well-maintained gravel paths and packed dirt, with a short initial ascent followed by mostly level walking through the glacial valley. The destination offers direct views of Cerro Torre (3,128m) and the Adela range, with icebergs frequently calving from the Torre Glacier into the lake.