This trek was more of a peaceful walk in the woods than an in your face panoramic survey of the surrounding scenery. Bariloche brought it back to the mountain top views, with some very diverse landscapes to offer. Both were also quite educating and philisophical as well, but we will get into that later.
Above - The oh so blue Rio Azul
Left - View on ridge before descending into the canyon
The best part about the El Bolson hike was the suspension bridges. There were three total, and I couldn't quite believe how old and rickety they were when I encountered the
first one. It looked like something out of the movies, where some bridge hangs over a thousand foot ravine, and is the way to safety for our heroes fleeing the danger behind them...the choice, risk death in front, or risk death behind. I only had the bridge, maybe 10-15 feet over a river (and no bad guys chasing me), so it was a little less interesting. But crossing that rickety bridge with its cracked and missing boards, loose nails, and massive bounce and sidesway was the highlight of my trip. The Rio Azul, so aptly named, was also a beautiful river that I was able to follow for several kilometers.Bariloche Trek (all pictures)
After leaving El Bolson I took a beautiful bus ride through forest and beside lakes to a city called Bariloche, spending the passing of the New Year in the mountains above the city. Now this place is a South American Tahoe, but more like South Tahoe. A city overdone in the typical touristy winter ski resort fashion, with little to offer in and of itself, but set on the shore of a beautiful deep blue mounain lake, and a ton to offer in its mountains around it. I say it is more like South Tahoe because it is a city with a much less personal down to earth feel than the rest of the lake has.May these never,
EVER,
come to Tahoe!! =)
Why was I there? To do another trek of course! But when I arrived I got some bad news. It appeared I had arrived in Bariloche at the wrong time. There was too
much snow to do the trek I wanted, but too little to enjoy any skiing while I was there. I was able to do a reduced section of the trek however, and it was beautiful and very impressive. I really wish I could have done the sections through the higher peaks, but knowing the very real and very serious danger of avalanches, didn't even want to risk it. I do however have this real longing to come back and do it someday though. Anyone want to do a trekking trip down here say, next winter? =) There were some cool mountains, idealic valleys, prety lakes, great views, and lots of diversity on this trek, as well as some very steep interesting trails, yet again. I ran into some bad weather, with a couple days of rain, and one windy, cloudy day on the ridge, but the views and scenery and experience were still amazing!
(L-Cerro Catedral; R-Some awesome valley)
(L-Cold, cold lake...aptly named Iceburg Lake; R-Swimming anyone?)
Lesson of the Day
So onto the educational lesson of the day. Now all you people who have a "cabin" in Tahoe, or have parents or family or friends who have a "cabin" in Tahoe, listen up and listen good (in amost friendly way). I would like to show you all a couple pictures of Cabins, capital C, the real deals, picture perfect definitions.
The lesson? Unless your/your family's/your friend's "cabin" actually resembles this style of house, you do not actually have a cabin in Tahoe! We locals like to call them houses, strange as it is (with some deserving the heftier titles of mansions). So there is our lesson for the day.
Philisophical Answers
Now onto philosophy. You know that whole if a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to see (hear) it, does it make a sound riddle? Try and convince me that when this 6 foot diameter tree trunk shattered and the 200 ft tree it held up fell, that it didn't make a sound. Just tickles your brain, doesn't it?
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