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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 31, 2010 - 01:30am PT
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We got back last week from our first Argentina trip. Heidi and I went with our younger and fitter friends Jerry and Angie.
Since I knew enough about Argentina to value better mountain weather and tourist amenities: we went to the Bariloche area.
I had lined up a five-day "trek" for us in the mountains west of Bariloche with a local outfitter named AndesCross. After a few emails back and forth with the head-guy Jorge: I discovered this was not the luxury, pack-animal supported trek I had come to expect. We would (shudder-gasp) be doing a "backpack trip" and would be sharing loads.
After more emails with Jorge, he lined up a porter (for just a little more money) to carry some of our loads. Jerry & Angie both do cross-country ski racing all winter and were in top shape, and even Heidi and I had trained for the trek, as opposed to our usual winter non-conditioned condition. However, only Jerry wanted to carry a 40-50 lb. pack for 5 days.
After a couple days of getting a "big-city fix" in Buenos Aires, we flew to Bariloche, got picked up by Jorge, who is a climber and local boy, acquired our supply of "nerve tonic" for the trip------and slept restlessly, waiting for our backpack adventure.
The first two days of the trek were pretty much trail hiking with a long ugly downhill "the bobsled run" on the morning of day 2. Although we were staying in tents, the first night was near a hut and we had cool beer for cocktail hour and flush toilets at the hut.
Jorje had brought his friend Herman as a porter and his American girlfriend Sarah as cook, so we had a variety of folks to talk with on our trek.
Night two, the wind picked up and the next morning brought low clouds and shrieking wind in the trees.
Welcome to Patagonia!
Day 3 was going to be "the long day" with two passes, and a trail that existed mostly in Jorje's memories.
Once we reached the pass, we had the full force of wind hitting us. You had to stay low, and keep a "wide stance" to avoid being blown down. (please---no Senator Larry Craig jokes). We estimated the highest gusts to be around 50 MPH. Luckily, it didn't rain much.
We traversed around the side of a mountain into another valley, then had our first experience of the trip with "light mountaineering" in high winds. Heidi & I both have a climbing background. Jerry & Angie have natural abilities that have been honed in desert canyoneering and mountain backpack trips.
We just did not expect to have rock-climbing in high winds as part of our trekking experience. It was "very invigorating." We now knew why Jorge had been concerned about the possibility of rain. With rain, the rest of our day would have been very, very ugly: as opposed to merely "extremely stimulating."
So why, you may well ask, are we climbing this mountain?
Well------this is a climbing forum. However
It was much better than the alternative of descending into this valley.
After a late, but wonderful lunch (Sarah provided great eats for our epic) we ascended a "wet meadow" that was just dry enough-----with some route-finding, that no-one got their feet wet.
Then once again we were on rock with high winds, climbing towards the "Col Crystal". I kept looking for quartz crystals but never found "a keeper." Sarah was more avid and soon had a pocketful.
Day 4, after a hard overnight frost, we climbed over another pass. This one was pretty pleasant. The wind was present, but not ugly.
We had a late lunch below the pass and discovered we were back in "cow country." Although livestock is banned in the park, it is good cattle country. With or without the help of local ranchers, the cows range high.
When we first set up the trip with Jorje, I brought up the subject of filtering water. Like every other local source: he said the water "was great."
Night one of our trek, Sarah said she had gotten stomach problems drinking out of the lake we were at: Laguna Negra. The rest of the trip: Sarah and the tourists filtered our water with a Katadyn Hiker Pro microfilter. Bad guts away from home, are such a downer!
We were safe rather than sorry. Jorge finally got interested and accepted our gift of the water filter when we left.
We again had a lakeside camp, with a beach, and a great view of Monte Tronador for our last night.
The next morning, with a late start, we hiked the steep trail down to the valley. Only a river crossing of a cold glacial river from Monte Tronador kept us from once again becoming "tourists." (We had only seen two hikers in the last 4 days).
Then Jorje mentioned there was cold beer and lunch at Pampa Linda on the other side of the river.
So----the rest of our trip was not close to climbing related. But for those readers that are seeking a ST respite from politics, bitterness, or religion-
The weather broke after our trek and was "unsettled" for the next week. After a day of rest, when we wandered Bariloche and bought our chocolate, we rented a car and drove north to San Martin de las Andes-----which many consider the "cool town" in this area. It was a windy and cold day in San Martin.
We ate our "bag lunch" on the windy beach (had to save money for gourmet dinners you know) and then walked downtown. After that we did a big drive through an area that seemed a lot like South Idaho.
The weather stayed "uncertain" the rest of our trip, but we managed a day hike up to the "Frey Hut" where no-one was climbing, due to wind and rain.
Our whitewater rafting was cancelled, but Jerry and I managed a windy day of drift-boat fishing on the huge river that drains Lago Nahuel Huapi, with a guide recommended by a friend.
Ivo the guide, had been fishing in Southern-Patagonia and was a little tough to get in touch with. He finally showed up at our hotel room for cocktail hour, and informed us that he had been fishing all week with the legendary billioneer Ted Turner. Someone stammered: "you're Ted Turner's fishing guide?"
Ivo replied: "I wish I was his fishing guide, I'm his ski guide."
Ivo was a good, and entertaining fishing guide for us.
Then it was back to Buenos Aires and one more night in the big city. Of course, the women wanted to go to a Tango venue. It was a dinner show, and shortly after we sit down, the manager came for us.
He said "you are from the U.S."
We replied: "Si"
He said; "You are from Idaho."
We replied "Si"
He said; "Do you know western swing dancing?"
With some hesitation, we agreed that we were acquainted with it.
We were then carried off and introduced to two Tango Performers and forced to work with them on "swing dance" moves.
Our reward was this photo.
A tough adventure for us "old farts."
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Mar 31, 2010 - 01:38am PT
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Great trip report! Sure to bring many smiles and chuckles to ST.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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Mar 31, 2010 - 02:30am PT
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Awesome! I can't wait to go next year!
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goatboy smellz
climber
लघिमा
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Mar 31, 2010 - 03:28am PT
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That cloud cap on Lanin volcano is phenomenal.
cool trip!
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Edge
Trad climber
New Durham, NH
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Mar 31, 2010 - 10:25am PT
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What an awesome adventure! That trout photo got my blood a boiling...
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Willoughby
Social climber
Truckee, CA
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Mar 31, 2010 - 11:45am PT
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Cerveza Quilmes!!!
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Hoots
climber
Toyota Tacoma
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Mar 31, 2010 - 12:09pm PT
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Frey, Nahuel Huapi Traverse, Condors, Tronodor, that place is pure magic. Thanks for sharing!
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Roman
Trad climber
Bostonia
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Mar 31, 2010 - 12:24pm PT
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Thats one hell of a nice fish Fritz!
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Mar 31, 2010 - 12:58pm PT
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Looks like fun - for someone else! Ha! (All that walking - blargh). Thanks for sharing.
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L
climber
Training for the Blue Tape Route on Half Dome
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Mar 31, 2010 - 01:06pm PT
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I loved it, Fritz!!!
Great photos (many of which reminded me of all my "warm-n-sunny" adventures in Alaska--LOL!) and humorous commentary--you could write about shopping in Watts and I'd still enjoy it.
Many thanks.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 31, 2010 - 08:04pm PT
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Thanks all for posting up. When I did this last night, it was getting late and I forgot photos of Frey Hut area.
Also a belated thank you to Prod and his wife who gave us good beta on Bariloche. Their fav dinning spot was also ours: El Boliche de Alberto, the lakeside location seemed friendlier than the downtown one. Best steak I've ever had! They do fill up later at night, since they are the local's favorite.
Also: we do highly recommend Andes Cross and Jorje for a guide service. He guides climbing and backcountry skiing too. This man is smart, patient, tough, and pretty damn nice. info@andescross.com
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Ah Fritz, you always know how to have a good time.
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Prod
Trad climber
Dodge Sprinter Dreaming
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I was just thinking of you on my drive to work this morning Fritz. Great to put a face to name. Looks like you had an awesome trip. I plan on sending your TR to my mom and step mother as a nudge for them to give the treking a shot. My mom has done about 1/2 of the AT.
I miss this place, and that woman. (She is in Denver working, I move there in a week and a 1/2)
Prod.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Nice TR and pics! Tell Jerry I said hello. I think he was one of the better people I worked with in the outdoor industry. Come a little further south to Lago General Carrera and visit us next time.
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
SoCal
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Great idea! A summer vacation in the winter.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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So do you know why that big lake is called 'Arm of Sorrow'?
Maybe an Argentine version of Lake Wobegon?
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 1, 2010 - 08:56pm PT
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Guido: Trust me: the trip was “a sufferfest.” I think this photo illustrates the fact.
Donini: I’m going out and knock off 50 pull-ups right now. When you visit in August bring some photos, or a CD, or a slide show. I'll be done with the 50 pull-ups by then.
Reilly: You do have a sharp eye. Brazo De La Tristeza is an arm of the huge lake, the National Park is named for: Lago Nahuel Huapi. I would be sorrowful if I fell off one of the big cliffs that tower over, what is essentially a fiord.
Yes! Nahuel Huapi is a Mapuche Indian word that the guidebook says means “island of the tiger.” (Jaguars have been hunted out of the area).
And finally, since no-one more qualified has commented on Bruce Kay’s question?
I was there just before their big economic disaster. Any body know how the Argies are doing these days?
Better than during the early 2000's meltdown, when their currency inflated to oblivion and those with savings in Argentian currency lost everything.
There is inflation, and lots of political fighting, (reminded me of the crap happening in the U.S), but things seem OK. None of the locals we befriended were bitching. They do like Yankee dollars.
It is not a super-bargain destination, but is a heck of a lot cheaper than Europe, in what is essentially a European environment. Best example I can reliably cite for pricing: is our first night dinner at Boliche de Albertos. We split the huge entrees and had salads and a side dish, a few glasses of beer, and a bottle of mid-priced wine. A whole lot of food & drink for $57.30 U.S. for 4 people.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 2, 2010 - 01:08am PT
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Bruce: Fritz - did you really manage to avoid doing battle with the dreaded Lingus?
Bruce?? Is that the beech forest? Lenga?
Or is it something we didn't battle? Horsefly season was supposed to be over, and I have read they are horrible in summer, but we only had a few retarded (I mean challenged) horseflys to deal with.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 2, 2010 - 11:47am PT
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Bruce: I think we are talking the same vegetation. Ranges from a tree to a shrub. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenga_Beech
On day 3 & 4 of the adventure we had some pretty tight passages through Lenga in its "slide alder" form. We always had a slight trail though, generally with mud-holes at strategic spots.
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yosguns
climber
Durham, NC
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Love the Quilmes in the first photo!! Awesome fun. Thanks for sharing.
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