Cerro Catedral is one of the larger hills overlooking Bariloche. The steep walk to the top is popular with both hikers and climbers hoping to scale the cathedral like peak.
We took a taxi for 40 minutes to the start of the walk, the empty ski resort of the same name. Following the signs for Refugio Frey, the climbers hut at the summit, we walked in the hot sun through woodland at the foot of the hills.
The path began to rise and we followed Lago Guitierez to our left as the trail got rockier.
After a few hours it turned sharply into a forest as we followed a stream, crossing over many bridges as the path got steeper and steeper.
We stopped to rest for a while at a small Refugio almost hidden under a huge boulder in the forest before making the final push to the summit.
Unfortunately the last few km’s were non stop climbing, much harder than the hikes we did in Torres del Paine. The sun was getting hotter, our packs heavier and are legs more tired with each step. Fortunately the scenery was stunning enough to distract us from the gruelling hike every time we stopped to catch our breath.
The trees around us and in the curved bowls of the surrounding mountains were on fire with colour. Vivid reds and orange leaves contrasted beautifully against the jagged grey rocks that crested the mountains.
Once we cleared the tree line Refugio Frey finally came into view and after four hours we knew we were almost there. We celebrated with an expensive yet oh so delicious can of ice cold coke from the Refugio tuck shop and ate our lunch by the lake Toncek at the top. Whilst we savoured the view we watched a group of climbers scale the peak of the Catedral, awestruck at their guts and skill.
The welcoming sight of Refugio Frey and lake Toncek.
Climbers looking teeny tiny as they scale Cerro Catedral.
Our lovely lakeside lunch.
Coming back down was just as tough, the steep path jarring our knees with every step. We passed a large group of children making the climb who looked just as tired as we were under the weight of their backpacks that seemed to swamp their tiny frames. Offering them encouragement we continued our descent, passing the small Refugio again in the forest.
The steep descent, still beautiful.
The park ranger in town recommended a different route back, following Lago Guitierez, and as it was such a lovely day we decided to follow her suggestion. After an hour we really wished we hadn’t! The return route was meant to provide a view of the lake and be only slightly further than returning the way we came. Unfortunately not only could we not see the lake at all during the majority of the walk, the 4km she suggested had turned into 9km. The trail passed through grassy, rocky scrub land eventually coming into a wood as the sun began to disappear.
The point we wished we had gone the other way!
The temperature rapidly dropped as we passed through the wood eventually coming to a road beside a campsite. Cold, tired and physically exhausted we slowly trudged along the road for another 2km, passing lovely, expensive lakeside houses. Night was rapidly falling as we eventually made it to a small village and the bus stop which we were so relieved and happy to see. Just as we reached the stop a bus was pulling out and we ran towards it shouting but the driver didn’t see us so we glumly waited for the next one. Eventually one came and we made the long journey back to our hostel too tired to even eat. Fortunately we had planned a day a relaxation for the following day and that’s just what we did.
Kirstperson 