March 9, 2017
Bariloche, on the shores of Lake Nahuel Haupi, feels like a little ski town. With the towering peaks of the Andes to the west, the glistening lake in front and the Patagonian steppe to the east, Bariloche offers some great hiking.
In town, there’s a parks office to register for the day hike and provides (not very good) maps and instructions for taking the buses.
For a fun filled day of rock scrambling and lake views, I tackled Refugio Frey. After taking about an hour bus ride to the ski resort, I skipped the uphill and took Cerro Catedral lift to the top. Don’t worry, skipping the uphill is not considered “cheating.” Without adding the 2+ hour uphill, you’ll still have 6-8 hours of boulder climbing excitement to keep you honest.
The route is well marked with red circles spray painted on the boulders. The first 3 hours are traversing over rocks along the cliff which I found really fun (maybe not so much if you’re afraid of heights). After cresting the top, a lake appears below drop. Then a second lake appears after that which is Refugio Frey. Lovely place to sit and take a break for lunch. The first half of the hike is all exposed so be prepared for the elements.
The second part of the hike gently rolls downhill into the shaded forest for another 3 hours. There are side hikes you can do to a beautiful waterfall if you’re so inclined to add on to the hike. The hike ends at a different parking lot than where it begins. From there, grab the bus back into town.
A long day of hiking should be rewarded with steak and wine, so head to Alto el Fuego. One steak is enough for two hungry people – the portions are enormous everywhere!
