Refugio Jakob, PN Nahuel Huapi, Argentina

Following the Lonely Planet suggestions, we embarked on 'the most popular hike in Argentina'.

Though the first day it was windy and snowing up high, we walked up the sheltered Arroyo Van Titter to Refugio Frey. We spent the afternoon watching the snow storm over the cirque from the warm of the Refugio and marvelling at all the amazing Towers with hundreds of rock routes..

Day two was spent climbing up over a couple of beautiful snow slopes to neat passes and down steep ugly scree faces to Refugio Jakob.

Day three was to go through a scramble route to the next refugio, but when we saw the route, we thought better of the idea. It was steep snow, with a short exposed section of grade 16 rock. We had no rope and not everyone was keen to solo that grade with exposure and a full pack.. So instead we tried to force a route up a snow coulior and along a ridge. Our less experienced team members found the coulior a good challenge, but above the ridge we couldn't find a suitable route for our experience and gear, so we had to retreat back to the Refugio. We had a wonderful feast of campstove pizza and a couple of beers from the refugio.

Day four was up and over Passo Schwiezer and down a long poorly marked and swampy track to a wonderful campsite on the shores of Lago Mascadiri. Our final day was a good track in lovely warm weather via the lake shores and a swim to the road back to Bariloche.

Walking up Arroyo Van Titter towards Refugio Frey

Argentine Civil Engineering

Setting off from Lago Jakob

Pip above Lago Jakob

Hiking up to the Laguna Scholl cirque, searching for a route onto the skyline ridge

Pip gets her first taste of mountaineering in a moderately steep coulior

The crew retreats after failing to find a safe route through the mountains

Amazing blues of the frozen Laguna

Pip and Dan on Paso Schwiezer

Rio Mascardiri

Dr Pip deals with Mikes sore knee

Lago Mascadiri

Dawn light on Cerro Tronador from our campsite

Lookout over Lago Mascadiri and Cerro Tronador

Almost time for a swim..

Banos de Caulle, PN Puyehue, Chile

This was a varied and interesting 3 day 'out and back' tramp to some hot springs over and around Volcan Puyehue.

Though the first day began cloudy, the clouds cleared enough for an ascent of the volcano on the mostly snow free south east ridge. The second day was a long slog over soft snow through a bizzare volcanic plateau to the hotsprings, which were in a sublime setting. Day three was simply a return to the car, but had amazing weather and great views through the Chilean Andes.

Starting off under grey skies

Leguna Beech Forest


Ascending through highly eroded tephra gullies

Above the refugio, we climb toward Volcan Puyehue

Andy climbs the scoria SE ridge of Volcan Puyehue

The crater of Volcan Puyehue

Back down the SE ridge towards the clouds below

Happy campers.. So nice when it isn't raining...

Sunset over Lago Puyehue

Strolling on snow on the south flank of Puyehue

Andy gets stuck in a deep drift

Amazing terrain and great views

Traversing volcanic ash and fumeroles towards the hot pools

Testing the waters at the first hot springs

Andy and a neat snow cave over a warm river

George and Andy 'enjoy' the hotsprings.

A mix of scalding hot water, frigid snow melt and orange mud..

BYO Cervezas..

Curious cloud and no wind as we return early on day 3

Finally off the snow and enroute to a well earned beer.

Refugio Puyehue and the Volcan

Salto del Indio, PN Puyehue

We went for a short wander the night before our Banos de Caulle trip to the Salto Del Indio, a fantastic waterfall. Very powerful falls and amazing rock formations..

Volcan Lonquimay Ascent, PN Mallelcahuelo, Chile

After being drenched in constant rain whilst walking round Volcan Lonquimay, when the weather cleared after we'd returned, it was time to go for a drive to see the volcano we'd been walking around.

As soon the lads laid eyes on the beautiful peak, they decided it was something that they needed to climb. So we spent the afternoon trying (successfully) to hire extra crampons and ice axes.

Conditions were perfect as we began. Clear skies meant a good freeze and a full moon lit the way for our alpine start. The dawn was incredible, its just such a fantastic time to be up high in the mountains.

The climb was very straight forward, with perfect cramponing conditions until the last few hundred meters where it began to soften a little in the sun. About halfway up the mountain, we encountered very strong winds which made climbing on the ridge much more 'interesting', but the day was perfectly clear and the views sublime.

Daybreak on Volcan Lonquimay's eastern flank

Mike enjoys the sunrise


Getting high on Lonquimay

The ridge begins to narrow and steepen as the wind increases to near gale.
But at least it isn't raining...

Nearing the summit rocks

Mike and Dan on the summit of Volcan Lonquimay, 2865m

Volcan Osorno and many other major peaks can be seen from the summit

Mike descending in softening snow

Strolling back to our car, 4h30m round trip, 1000m of altitude gain.