Nahuel Huapi traverse

Argentina
4 days in March, 2011

During our first attempt of this hike almost two months earlier, it snowed and they closed the section from Jakob to Laguna Negra. Therefore we aborted the trek, saying that we could return for another attempt later. This time that section was closed again, and also the section from Laguna Negra to Lopez was closed. So we didn't get to see the two most interesting sections :(


Day 1: Villa Catedral - Frey hut - Jakob hut

We first crossed the Cerro Catedral mountain, which
we had already walked once before in february
(click here to read about that trek).

 

The wonderful hut Frey
 

The amazing Cerro Catedral
ridge seen from Frey
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Next, we crossed that valley and the pass above it.
 
 

Cerro Catedral from the other side
 
 

The lake with the Jakob hut
(it's hardly visible on the first peninsula to the right)
 
 

The Jakob hut
 
 

Inside the Jakob hut
 
 

Day 2: Jakob hut - Colonia Suiza

As the section to Laguna Negra was shut, due to ice on the rocks, we had to descend to the south to reach the road. From there we took a taxi to the village Colonia Suiza, where we slept in a camping.

We walked down with a team of other trekkers who shared our fate, which made the walk fun
(otherwise it was quite an uninteresting valley).
 
 

A lake above the Jakob hut.
 
 

Day 3: Colonia Suiza - Laguna Negra

The walk from Colonia Suiza to Laguna Negra was quite nice, especially in it's upper part.
 
 
 
 
 

The Laguna Negra hut was really nice,
and beautifully situated next to the lake
surrounded by steep mountains.
 

Day 4: Laguna Negra - Colonia Suiza

The night was very windy, and the winds just grew stonger and stronger. In the morning it was just crazy, so walking the high route to the Lopez hut was just impossible. What a disappointment... now we had to walk down the same way to Colonia Suiza again :(

But it turned out to be quite fun. These winds were stronger than anything we ever felt before. We had to crawl and grab hold of the rocks on the ground - but still our legs would be taken by the wind and we rolled over a few times! After 20 meters (which took several minutes) we were behind some rocks and then the wind got weaker. Soon we arrived in the forest, and from there on we could walk normally. For us, experiencing that wind was probably the highlight of this whole trek :)