Granite towers
Above the lake.
McKay Savage from London, UK — CC BY 2.0 · Gabo2012 — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fsl-dgtl — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Estany3 — CC BY-SA 3.0 · .Luc. — CC BY 2.0
Refugio Frey is a stone mountain hut on the shore of little Laguna Toncek, at 1,700 metres behind Cerro Catedral, ringed by sharp granite towers and needles that have made it one of Argentina's best-known climbing areas. It opened on 17 February 1957 and is named after Emilio Frey, the surveyor who served on the boundary commission with Chile, served as head of Nahuel Huapi park and co-founded the Club Andino Bariloche, which still runs the hut. The most popular route starts at the car park at the base of the Catedral ski resort, climbing through lenga forest and then along a rocky valley in about three to four hours, with a faster return. On arrival the rock towers mirror in the lake, and the hut serves hot meals and has beds for the night. The walk is free; nights and meals at the hut cost extra. Register your trek with the national park as advised, and go in summer, as snow covers the trail in winter.
Above the lake.
Rock reflections.
A hot meal.
Behind Cerro Catedral, Nahuel Huapi National Park, Bariloche
About three to four hours up from the base of the Catedral resort, with a faster return.