Bariloche, Argentina
Happy New Year!

We finished off 2013 in a big way by taking on The Ridge Walk here in Bariloche. We are staying in the middle of a magnificent national park called Nahuel Huapi, which includes some of Argentina’s most popular and spectacular trekking and rock climbing sites. We joined nine other travelers from the estancia and were accompanied by two guides. Together we tackled a difficult trek called The Ridge Walk.

Leaving the estancia at 8:45, we drove about 30 minutes north to the popular ski resort of Cerro Catedral. In the winter this place is pure white. Today it was bare, with a few lingering patches of snow. It’s the height of summer here, so the primary activities are hiking, not skiing.

After taking the gondola high above Bariloche, followed by another long chair lift to the summit, we began our descent.

The trek kept us above the tree line for most of the day where the winds were strong and it was quite chilly. We traversed across massive rock fields on a trail marked only by spray painted dots on the rocks. Each step took concentration to move through the terrain. The massive canyon below us only added to the intensity and fun.

After going across the high rocks we entered a saddle which held a large piece of ice and was like a wind tunnel.

We held on to each other as we went through this small area as it began to snow. We weren’t really prepared for this kind of weather with our shorts and yoga pants but we made it. From there we went straight down through large and small boulders for another hour until we reached an alpine lagoon.

Several of us fell during this excursion and luckily no one got hurt. My fall was at the lagoon while crossing the wet rocks around the water. One step, slip, and my butt was on the rock and feet were in the freezing water. Others slipped and fell in the mud later in the day, so my cold, wet fall was at least clean.

After about three hours of the rocks we reached Refugio Emilio Frey. The refuge is part of a circuit of huts built throughout the region which allows trekkers to get warm, get a bite to eat, and sleep between long treks. We stopped for lunch and participated in the “hanging out with the trekkers” in the warmth. It is an interesting culture up in the mountains with some pretty interesting people up there.

Our three hour walk down was through mostly forest, which means we were protected from the wind.

The forest is lush and different from any we’ve seen other places. In this part of of the hike we encountered rain and then more rain. Instead of jumping on rocks we were avoiding mud. It sounds awful, but our group was so much fun and so positive that we enjoyed every minute. At the end, we were met at the lake, offered beer and coffee, and then transported by boat back to the estancia.

The entire trip took about seven hours of hiking and almost ten hours in total. We were filthy, cold, exhausted and very happy with ourselves. We’d do this adventure again in a heartbeat!

After a warm shower and a little rest we began the New Years celebration which included cocktails, a classical music concert with local musicians, followed by steak dinner and champagne toast at midnight with all of our new friends.

Tomorrow we’ll rest, get a massage, and enjoy our final full day at the estancia.

May your New Year be filled with health, happiness, and many adventures!

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Bariloche, Argentina

This place puts out a huge spread for breakfast and we took advantage. Eggs, ham, croissants, fresh fruit…it seemed to go on and on. It’s really fun to chat with the other guests during meals. Last night we dined with an very interesting couple from Raleigh, NC and shared breakfast with two large families from New York. In these families, between them they have six kids aged 10 to 15 and the kids are having a blast. There are more Americans here at the Estancia than we met in Mendoza. In fact, we were the only Americans at Club Tapiz. The international connections are what we truly love about these trips. We learn so much.

We’re getting plenty of opportunity to speak Spanish too. The staff here at the Estancia speak both English and Spanish and don’t seem to mind when we butcher a request or question.

Today, despite the threat of rain and some strong winds, we headed out on the trails behind the Estancia. Serving as our trail guides were Gandhi, Alpha, and Cocoa, three of the resident canines. The trails are marked with colored ribbons and we had a map in hand. Still, there were times when the dogs helped us find our way or showed us something we might otherwise have missed along the way. Since Mia and Nica are not real hiking dogs, today was a special experience.

We still love our little poodles but these big dogs were incredible companions.

In all we covered about 6.5 miles and walked every trail on the map in less than four hours. There are several options for longer, more strenuous hikes that we may do in coming days. For our first day back to physical activity in about two weeks, today’s distance was good. It felt so great to be exercising again. It makes the fantastic picnic lunch that we enjoyed on the trail that much sweeter. The chef here prepared a lunch of vegetable quiche/tart, grilled vegetable sandwich and ham and cheese. We also had fruit, homemade trail mix and cookies. You can see the photo of Steve eating while Alpha looked on drooling.

Our afternoon was was spent napping and reading. I’m almost done with the first two Hunger Games books and hope to finish all three before we get home. Steve is reading some kind of philosophical book. He thinks a lot on these trips.

We’re not sure what we are doing to do tomorrow but it will likely involve something outside and fun! Stay tuned!

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Bariloche, Argentina
Today we travelled to Bariloche which was a two hour flight south of Mendoza. We in the North Patagonia region of Argentina in an area called the Lake District. Our dear friend Lucia raved about her visit here last year, so we had to check it out. Lucia, you were right when you said Bariloche is bellisimo.

Our driver said there are 30 lakes in the area and our estancia is on the southern tip of Lake Gutierrez. An estancia is basically a ranch but we’ve compared this one to Cheley Camps with luxury accommodations, gourmet meals, and happy hour each evening. Here we will be able to hike, ride horses, kayak, and do any number of other activities. Or do nothing.

It’s hard to describe this paradise and hopefully these initial pictures will give you an idea of this heaven on earth. This afternoon, after a wonderful three course meal, we did a little hike on the mountain above the property. We made it to a nearby waterfall and an old avalanche area. We’re hoping the weather holds out in the coming days so we can more exploring. Rain is in the forecast and it’s really windy today. However, up in the forest you are protected from the elements and the hiking was perfect.

The estancia has four Golden Retrievers that accompany hikers, greet you at the gate, swim in the lake, and pretty much bring the joy that only a dog can bring. So far we’ve met three of the four dogs. Tara is the youngest and we found her chasing geese into the lake. She enjoyed our game of fetch and then got in trouble for not coming when the owner called her. Gandhi appears to be old, wise, and very happy to have his ears rubbed. Alpha also made a welcoming appearance and we’re stilling waiting to meet the fourth. Stayed tuned on that one.

Tonight we have happy hour followed by dinner. We’re looking forward to meeting the other guests who come from all over the world and with whom we’ll share the New Year celebrations.

Please keep your comments coming as we love to hear from you all.

Adios por ahora!

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