27/11/2025 – 29/11/2025 Bariloche – Refugio Emilio Frey – Laguna Toncek – Laguna Jakob Rucaco – Refugio San Martin – Tambo Báez
Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi
(Nahuel Huapi National Park)
Rio Negro Province
Patagonia Lakes District
ARGENTINA
Distance: 46.6km Time: 21.5hours
Total Ascent: 1692m Total Descent: 1848m
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)
A much-anticipated start after multiple delays.
Getting to the start of the walk was an adventure in itself. We were lined up to board our international flight from Sydney to Buenos Aires when the line came to a standstill. The staff were looking stony-faced as they were given the news. There was no announcement, but they came over to the line and started speaking to individuals. We soon learned that our plane had been “struck by lightning” and the flight was cancelled. Great start to our trip! We were offered overnight accommodation if we didn’t live in Sydney and a meal voucher. A few hours later, I received an email saying our flight had been rescheduled for the following day, 27 hours late. We were transferred by bus to the Holiday Inn Sydney Airport, where they were keen to give us free food. Dinner and breakfast were included as well as the shuttle back to the airport. We settled in for the afternoon.
We did take off at the new time the following day, but I had to adjust our travel plans, accommodations and our flight into Bariloche for the following day. The new flight time, unfortunately, had us waiting for seven hours in Santiago for the connection. We arrived in Buenos Aires close to 10:00pm, and I had organised accommodation close to the airport. Our flight the following day was at 3:15pm, but we had to check out of our accommodation at 10:00am, so we just headed for the airport. We checked our bags in, and soon after, I received an email saying the flight was delayed another six hours! So we had an 11-hour wait at the airport!
We eventually arrived in Bariloche close to midnight and fell asleep as soon as we hit the pillow.
Day 1: Thursday 27/11/2025 Bariloche – Villa Catedral – La cueva Catedral – Senda Laguna Toncek – Arroyo Van Titter – Refucen Petricek (Piedritas) – Refugio Emilio Frey – Luguna Toncek
Río Negro Province, ARGENTINA
Max elevation: 1747 m
Total climbing: 781 m
Total descent: -96 m
Average speed: 3.11 km/h
Total time: 05:14:18
We were really looking forward to starting our walk, as it had taken us four days to get to Bariloche. We caught an Uber to the trailhead at Cerro Catedral and started on the trail at around 9:30am.
The trail started as a wide gravel road and soon narrowed through bush with lots of varieties of wild flowers. We climbed along with scenic views of Lago Gutierrez. We saw some interesting but flighty birds and some small lizards scuttering around the rocks. The trail then followed a cascading creek with lovely verdant forest.
There were lots of people on the trail, mainly daytrippers it seemed. We were frequently standing to the side to let people pass us.
Steve did really well despite suffering from recent knee pain. He kept up a steady pace and seemed to manage the walk well.
We reached the Refugio Piedritas, which appears to be an emergency shelter. It is built under an overhanging rock. There was also a shrine to a doctor, which resembled a church. We stopped here for lunch, but unfortunately, the sandwiches I had bought from the shop near our hotel were very stale and hard to swallow. We don’t come to these places for the food and drink!
View upstream along Arroyo Van Titter
The views really improved as we approached the refugio. The dolomite spires of the surrounding peaks dominated the scenery, contrasting with the deep green of the forest below.
Refugio Frey is very basic, you need to bring your own sleeping bag, toilet paper, but on the positive side, the toilets flush! You can’t take your backpack upstairs, and that are kept outside wouldn’t be good if it rained! We were told to bring cash to pay for our lodging, but the man ahead of me paid for his beer by card! I was told it was better for them. Not better for me as I had to buy US dollars and then exchange them for Argentine pesos at our hotel.
I ordered a coffee with milk, which was barely drinkable. Oh well, it does make us appreciate good food and coffee when we have it.
Evening Hike – Refugio Emilio Frey – Laguna Schmoll Track – Laguna Toncek
Max elevation: 1749 m
Total climbing: 16 m
Total descent: -16 m
Average speed: 2.26 km/h
Total time: 00:55:23
We took the short walk around Laguna Toncek, where some brave people took a dip. We had to wait until 7:30pm for dinner and 8:00am for breakfast, which is later than we are used to.
Ridgeline past Laguna Toncek
We chatted to a friendly Canadian climbing couple from Jasper, Isabella from the Gold Coast and another young couple from Canberra. We were definitely the senior citizens of the group.
Steve did a time-lapse at the lake, and it was very still and mild. We took great shots of the reflections of the surrounding peaks.
It was a warm night in the upstairs dorm on the sleeping platform next to all our new friends!
Day 2: Friday 28/11/2025 Refugio Emilio Frey – Laguna Schmoll Track – Laguna Toncek – Laguna Schmoll – Paso Brecha Negra 1936m – Jakob Rucaco – Refugio San Martin (Laguna Jakob)
Río Negro Province, ARGENTINA
Max elevation: 2029 m
Total climbing: 772 m
Total descent: -910 m
Average speed: 2.41 km/h
Total time: 09:04:16
A long two-pass day.
We were offered an early breakfast, and we were concerned when we were given a small bowl of processed cereal. Luckily, some toast followed.
We knew today would be more difficult than yesterday, as the National Park recommended hiring a guide for this route.
It was cold and windy as we set off along the lake before starting our climb up to Lake Schmoll. We walked to the end of the lake to get some photos before attempting the second stage of the climb. The terrain was very rocky and the gradient steep, but we gained good views of the lake as we ascended. Up up we climbed. We found some interesting alpine flowers, including one with a wreath-shaped arrangement.
The descent was long, steep and brutal. It seemed never-ending! The fine gravel enabled us at some points to do a controlled slide, which was a welcome break. A beautiful forest was waiting for us just before the valley floor. We followed a babbling brook with red bell-shaped flowers near the banks. We crossed several streams and refilled a water bottle at the clearest, widest one.
View back to the first ridgeline from above Arroyo de la valley
Then the second climb of the day began! We hiked through and above the verdant forest, and a trail runner passing us said the top was just ahead. We were disappointed to find it was a false summit and there was still a significant distance to climb. The trail was not as steep as the first pass, but it was seemingly unending! We were happy to reach the top but disappointed to see the scale of the descent ahead of us. It was steep, rocky and long. The views were incredible and distracted us to some extent from the pain of going down on unstable scree. I fell several times as the rocks below me just gave way. Luckily, I survived unscathed.
The views of the blue waters of Laguna Jakob, surrounded by towering snow-capped mountains, were really something. The descent was brutal, and we realised what they mean when they say slippery slope. Unlike the first descent, there was no sliding down in control. Every step needed to be planned, requiring sustained concentration. It was very tiring, and the sun was warm in the afternoon.
Sue descending towards Refugio San Martin / Refugio Jakob
After what seemed like forever, I finally arrived at the refugio not long before 5:00pm. I must have looked exhausted as a couple clapped and cheered as I approached the end of the trail. Steve followed about half an hour later. Once the refuge manager realised I had a husband (I tried to explain, but I didn’t know the words in Spanish), he offered us the honeymoon suite! A double bed and no sharing!
Dinner wasn’t until 8:00pm, but the afternoon passed quickly, resting and chatting to our fellow English-speaking travellers, Isabella, a dental student from the Gold Coast and Catherine, an Environmental Lawyer from New York. It was a long, tiring day, but we felt satisfied that we had got through the day and we had enjoyed perfect weather! We averaged a little more than 1km per hour over the day, but at least we beat the maximum estimated time of 10 hours!
Day 3: Saturday 29/11/2025 Refugio San Martin (Laguna Jakob) – Casa de Piedra – Arroyo Casa de Piedra – Río Casa de Piedra – Tambo Báez
Río Negro Province, ARGENTINA
Max elevation: 1571 m
Total climbing: 212 m
Total descent: -909 m
Average speed: 3.34 km/h
Total time: 06:09:32
A hike out on tired legs!
Overnight, it was a long walk to the toilet, and you need to remember to bring your toilet paper because it’s not supplied!
Breakfast was not until 8:00am, so we had time to pack up and take some photos of the stunning scenery. We were too tired yesterday afternoon to venture too far from the refugio. We enjoyed chatting to Catherine and exchanging stories. She is the only person we have met who was attacked by a grizzly bear and lived to tell the tale. She was mountain biking in Alaska and came across a mother bear with cubs. The bear pushed her off the bike, and she fractured her shoulder and sustained a gravel rash in the fall. The bear came over and bit her upper arm with one tooth, seemingly to give a warning. What an incredible story, and she showed us the scar! We said our goodbyes to Catherine, and she gave me two big hugs. We really hope we get to see her again.
The walk today was a long, gradual descent following the Arroyo Casa de Piedra and through beautiful beech forests. The descent was initially steep with stone steps. This was a little tough on already burned-out quads. The stream carved a gorge that we followed and featured a lovely waterfall.
Arroyo Casa de Piedra valley
We continued to descend along an undulating track with more uphill than we would have liked. The bonus was no steep descents or scree slopes. The stream was crystal clear, cascading with aquamarine pools. The sun was very warm in the afternoon, and our legs and bodies were very tired. Luckily for us, the distance was only 14km, not 16km, which was indicated.
Track downstream of Refugio San Martín along Arroyo Casa de Piedra
We were very relieved to reach the Tambo trailhead but disappointed when we didn’t have enough reception to hail an Uber. Desperate, I asked a couple who were returning to their car if they were heading to Bariloche. They said they were not, but they would give a ride to the road where we would have better reception. They were so lovely and dropped us off on the main road where an Uber arrived within five minutes. We were very fortunate!
This was a tough walk, particularly Day 2, which involved brutal descents, but we felt so happy that we were able to complete it and emerge virtually intact at the end. A thunderstorm rolled into Bariloche later in the afternoon, so our timing could not have been better. Perfect weather for a very scenic walk.
Amongst other photographically recorded observations during this walk, we were able to confirm sightings of each of the following species: Large-leaved Lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus), Eina Capegorse (Aspalathus hirta), Cutleaf Anemone (Anemone multifida), Black Vetch (Vicia nigricans), Cutleaf Anemone (Anemone multifida), Chilean Fire Bush (Embothrium coccineum), Elongate Smooththroated Lizard (Liolaemus elongatus), Quinchamali (Quinchamalium chilense), White-throated Caracara (Daptrius albogularis), Plumbeous Sierra Finch (Geospizopsis unicolor), Yellow-bridled Finch (Melanodera xanthogramma), Wintergreens (Genus Gaultheria), Viola sacculus, Dog Orchid (Codonorchis lessonii), Ourisia ruellioides, Quinchamali (Quinchamalium chilense), Cutleaf Anemone (Anemone multifida), Darwin’s Fungus (Cyttaria darwinii), Magellanic Vetchling (Lathyrus magellanicus), Aegorhinus nodipennis, Aegorhinus nodipennis, Common Painted Smooth-throated Lizard, Chilean Fire Bush (Embothrium coccineum)
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The local landscape features, geology, scenic highlights, flora, fauna, Indigenous history, white history and other nearby walks in the area (Perplexity AI Model)
The traverse from Cerro Catedral through Refugio Emilio Frey, Laguna Toncek, the Rucaco valley, Refugio San Martín (Jakob) and down Arroyo Casa de Piedra to Tambo Báez crosses a compact section of the southern Andes marked by steep glacial cirques, granitic spires and beech forests within Nahuel Huapi National Park, on Mapuche–Tehuelche Country.
Landscape and geology
The immediate landscape around Refugio Frey and Laguna Toncek is a classic amphitheatre‑shaped cirque cut into the southern flank of the Cerro Catedral massif, with near‑vertical walls enclosing a small high‑altitude lake at about 1700 metres. The cirque rim is crowned by dozens of sharply weathered granite spires and pinnacles, many between roughly 20 and 250 metres high, which give the area its reputation as a climbing arena and define the skyline views from the lakeshore.
These spires and walls are composed of massive orange to grey granite intruded into the Andean basement and later sculpted by Pleistocene glaciation, which carved over‑deepened basins, hanging valleys and narrow cols such as the passes between Laguna Schmoll, the Rucaco valley and Laguna Jakob. The descents you followed on loose gravel and scree reflect ongoing frost‑shattering and mass wasting of this granitic bedrock, which feeds alluvial fans and the coarse, block‑strewn channels of streams like Arroyo Van Titter and Arroyo Casa de Piedra.
Further east, around Laguna Jakob and the Casa de Piedra valley, the landscape opens into a U‑shaped glacial trough draining towards Lake Moreno and Lake Nahuel Huapi, with steep headwalls around Laguna Jakob (about 1600 metres) and a progressively broadening valley floor below. Here the river has incised a gorge in the lower reaches, creating cascades, small waterfalls and aquamarine pools that contrast with the more enclosed feeling of the Frey cirque and the high passes you crossed.
Scenic highlights
The main scenic focal points in the Frey sector are the tight ring of granite towers encircling Laguna Toncek, the reflection of these spires in the lagoon in calm conditions and the near‑continuous lines of couloirs and “canaletas” running down from the ridgeline above the hut. In clear weather the contrast between snow‑streaked orange granite, dark rock faces and the deep green of the subalpine forest below creates a strong visual layering that is particularly striking in oblique light at sunrise and sunset.
On the second day, the traverse over the passes between Laguna Schmoll, the Rucaco basin and Laguna Jakob provides high‑level viewpoints back towards Cerro Catedral and across to neighbouring peaks such as Tres Reyes and Bellavista, with wide vistas over the Rucaco valley floor and distant Andean ridges. Laguna Jakob itself is a long, narrow lake held behind morainic and rock thresholds, ringed by steep, partly snow‑covered walls and overlooked by Refugio San Martín; in early summer, nearby Laguna de los Témpanos often retains floating ice blocks that accentuate the alpine character of the scene.
The final day’s descent along Arroyo Casa de Piedra offers a different type of scenery: enclosed beech forest, the sound of fast‑flowing water, rock‑cut gorges and a sequence of clear pools and cascades where the stream steps down through the valley. As you near Tambo Báez, views open out towards the lower hills and lakes of the Bariloche area, and on clear days there are glimpses back to the southern slopes of Cerro Catedral that frame the valley you have just descended.
Local flora
Along this traverse you move from lower montane forest through subalpine scrub into alpine herbfields and back down, crossing several vegetation belts typical of the north‑Patagonian Andes. The dominant trees in the mid‑elevation forests are southern beeches (Nothofagus species), including deciduous lenga beech and evergreen coihue, which form dense stands along Arroyo Casa de Piedra and in valley bottoms near the start and end of the walk.
In the subalpine zone near Frey and Jakob the forest thins into krummholz and shrublands with hardy woody species and a rich understorey of shrubs and dwarf cushion plants adapted to snow cover and strong winds. Late spring and early summer bring a conspicuous display of wildflowers, including various asters, orchids and cushion‑forming alpine herbs; hikers commonly note red, bell‑shaped blossoms along streams, which are characteristic of several Patagonian shrubs such as members of the genus Embothrium and related groups.
Wet margins around lagoons and streams support mosses, sedges and small bog plants, while rocky slopes and scree host pioneer lichens and drought‑tolerant rosette plants. Above the treeline, sparse turf and herbfields occupy flatter shelves between rock outcrops, providing much of the limited grazing habitat available to native herbivores in this high‑relief terrain.
Local fauna
Nahuel Huapi National Park supports a typical assemblage of north‑Patagonian Andean fauna, and the valley you walked is representative of this broader community. Small lizards basking on rocks along the trail are common in sun‑exposed areas at lower and mid‑elevations, taking advantage of the warm microclimate of granitic boulder fields and scree fans.
Birdlife is diverse: forested sections host species such as Magellanic woodpeckers, Austral parakeets and thorn‑tailed rayaditos, while more open ground and lake margins attract ground‑nesting and aerial insectivores, as well as raptors using thermals along cliffs. High cirques and passes often have Andean condors and caracaras soaring on updrafts generated by the steep valley walls, and waterbirds use the calmer sections of streams and the shores of Laguna Jakob and Laguna Toncek.
The wider park is habitat for native mammals including pudú deer, guanaco and various small rodents, although many are cryptic and more often detected via tracks or droppings than seen directly on busy trekking routes. Introduced species such as red deer and wild boar occur in some parts of the park and have ecological impacts on understorey vegetation and soil disturbance, but their abundance varies between valleys and management zones.
Indigenous history and Country
The country you traversed lies within the traditional territory of the Mapuche and Mapuche–Tehuelche peoples, who occupied and moved through this section of the north‑Patagonian Andes and the Nahuel Huapi basin long before the creation of the national park. Mapuche communities developed extensive trans‑Andean routes linking present‑day Argentina and Chile, using passes and valleys similar to those you followed between the current cities of Bariloche and the Pacific side, and managing landscapes through practices such as seasonal burning and the movement of livestock.
In the late nineteenth century, Argentine military campaigns known as the Conquista del Desierto targeted Mapuche and Tehuelche communities across Patagonia, including the Nahuel Huapi region, resulting in killings, forced displacement and confinement in camps. Subsequent state policies consolidated control over these lands, fragmenting Mapuche–Tehuelche Country and incorporating much of it into national holdings; parts of what is now Nahuel Huapi National Park were expressly taken from Indigenous communities that had used them for generations.
Mapuche communities remain present in the broader Bariloche area and continue to assert cultural and territorial rights, including claims and negotiations over land that now falls within the park administration boundary. Contemporary conflicts and dialogues around access, recognition and co‑management illustrate that, despite the park’s recreational focus, this landscape is also a living Indigenous Country with ongoing spiritual, cultural and political significance.
Non‑Indigenous (white) history
Non‑Indigenous engagement with this landscape accelerated from the sixteenth century, when Spanish expeditions probing east of the Andes reached the Limay River and the Nahuel Huapi basin as part of broader colonial ambitions in southern South America. Jesuit missionaries based on Chiloé Island in present‑day Chile later attempted to establish missions in the lake district, giving some lakes in the wider area the names of priests involved in these ventures and marking an early phase of church‑led colonisation.
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, following the military conquest of Patagonia, the Argentine state encouraged settlement and resource exploitation around the lakes, laying the foundations for San Carlos de Bariloche and granting large estates to selected individuals. One of these, the explorer and geographer Francisco “Perito” Moreno, received extensive land in the Nahuel Huapi region after the dispossession of Mapuche communities and subsequently donated a portion of it for the establishment of Argentina’s first national park, created in the 1920s and reorganised in 1934 as Nahuel Huapi National Park.
Bariloche grew rapidly after being linked to the national railway network in 1934, with national park planners explicitly envisioning it as a model alpine town and a base for tourism and colonisation of northern Patagonia. Within this framework, huts such as Refugio Emilio Frey (opened in 1957 and named for an engineer involved in Andean boundary surveys and park administration) and Refugio San Martín (Jakob), built in the early 1950s, were constructed by mountaineering clubs to support walking, skiing and climbing in the very valleys you traversed. These refuges, trails and associated guide services now structure much of the recreational use of the area, overlaying older Indigenous pathways and land uses with an infrastructure and narrative centred on alpine sport and scenic appreciation.
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