Day 1:
Multiday hut to hut guided trekking in Bariloche, Patagonia ArgentinaWe begin this guided trek at the Cerro Catedral Ski Resort near Bariloche, Argentina and hike for approximately four hours through the Nahuel Huapi National Park to Refugio Frey. The first part of the trail traverses along the mountain and there are excellent views of the large Lake Gutierrez and the surrounding mountains. Then, you reach the Van Titter Valley and hike through a lush forest along a beautiful stream until the last climb up to Frey Hut and Laguna Toncek.
Or, there is an alternate path to Frey Hut with your mountain guide: if the weather permits, we have the option of taking the Alta Patagonia Ski Lifts from Cerro Catedral Ski Village up to the ridge. This way, we gain a lot of elevation quickly, and from the top of the lift, the terrain is mostly a good, solid alpine trail formed on scree.
Multiday guided trek in Bariloche, Patagonia Argentina
While hiking along the ridge of Cerro Catedral, you will have excellent views of the Argentinian Andes Range, the mountains of Northern Patagonia, waterfalls cascading down in the valley, and many of the huge lakes of the Patagonian Lakes District. After about two hours hiking along the ridge, your mountain guide will take you down into Toncek Valley which has high meadows, golden granite boulders, and Refugio Frey sitting beside a bright blue alpine lake at the base of a cirque of huge granite spires. You may get to see some rock climbers that look like little ants on the golden granite spires. Possible splash in the lake, and then a homemade meal in the hut with a good Malbec or local microbrewery on tap.
Night in Frey Hut.
Approach through the Van Titter Valley: Approx. 13 km with 800 meters elevation change in 4 hours of hiking.
OR, along the ridge of Cerro Catedral: Approx. 9 km with 400 meters elevation change in 3 hours of hiking.
Day 2:
Multiday guided trek in Bariloche, Patagonia ArgentinaWe leave from Frey Hut early in the morning, and hike up the rocky flanks of Cerro Catedral all the way to the ridge. Views of Volcanos Osorno (2652m), Tronador (3354m), and Lanin (3776m). Hike down to the bottom of the Rucaco valley with help of your mountain guide. Climb Cerro Brecha Negra Mountain (1900 mt) to enjoy the view from the second summit of the day. Then hike down the mountain to Refugio Jakob.
Night in Jakob Hut.
Approx. 15 km with 600 meters elevation change in 6 hours of hiking.
Day 3:
Multiday guided hut to hut traverse in Bariloche, Patagonia ArgentinaToday is the most challenging day of hiking. After departing Refugio Jakob, we scramble up to Pico Refugio. This is a 300 meter ascent with easy scrambling that takes more or less one hour to the top of the ridge. For this section of the trek, your mountain guide will rope you up for extra safety. From Pico Refugio, we traverse to Cerro Navidad, Christmas Mountain, to get the view of the beautiful alpine lake Laguna Navidad. The hike down to Goye’s Valley is through a huge gully with basalt walls. Beautiful terrain and lots of fun! Once we get to the valley, we will climb up to Laguna Negra where the Manfredo Segre Hut is located on the shore. Now we can relax, have a well deserved snack, and hang out by the lake. Laguna Negra is called the Black Lagoon because the dark rock makes the water look black. But really, the water is crystal clear and nice for a swim!
Night in Manfredo Segre Hut.
Approx. 13 km with 600 meters elevation change in 7-9 hours of hiking.
Day 4:
After a nice breakfast in the mountain hut, we hike around to the other side of Laguna Negra and then to the top of Cerro Bailey Willis. Down the valley and crossing to the other side you and your mountain guide climb to your 2nd summit of the day, Cerro Lopez. Cerro Lopez has excellent views of Lake Nahuel Huapi and it’s arm, Brazo Tristeza. You can see deep into the Nahuel Huapi National Park, and the huge glacier-capped Mount Tronador, the biggest peak in the Bariloche area. To the west lies the Chilean Volcanoes Lanin, Osorno, and Puntiagudo. It is about 2 hours of hiking from the summit to Refugio Lopez, a little mountain hut, and another 2 hours down to the trailhead. With your mountain guide you will descend compacted scree and on rocky domes, through little alpine meadows, and along a little lake. In the spring, there are still little snow patches on the dome.
Multiday hut to hut trekking traverse in Bariloche, Patagonia ArgentinaAnother beautiful and long day of guided hiking in the mountains with mostly good consolidated scree and rocky terrain. The trekking trail ends in the Llao Llao area of Bariloche, and even the drive back to town is incredibly scenic!
Approx. 16 km with 1200 meters elevation change in 7-9 hours of hiking.
Day 5:
Spare weather day.
For this trek, we strongly recommend hiring a Professional IFMGA UIAGM or AAGM Mountain Guides.
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