Ski to Frey
On Sunday Nico and I left for a ski trip up to Frey refugio, a hut tucked in the mountains around Bariloche. The trip went great... adventurous and great!
Normally the 10 km. to Frey can easily be traversed in day. However, due to the huge amounts of recent, heavy snow, and the fact that we had to brake our own trail, it soon became apparent that we would not be arriving to the hut on one day. No matter, we thought, there's a small shelter some kilometers before Frey where we can pass the night. We continued, one slow step to the next, making our way. By the time we reached the area where the small shelter, called Piedritas, is located, it was well into the night. With nothing but the beam of our headlamps and the snowy forrest all around, we couldn't quite find the right boulder that Piedritas is tucked against. What we did find was a dry area, sheltered by two boulders leaning against each other. Rather than meander around aimlessly, we decided to bunker down for the night. We cooked dinner, and despite the hard ground and frigid temperatures, fell asleep easily. The next day we woke up, and wouldn't you know it?.... we were only 50 meters from Piedritas!
ANYHOW, we continued on our way, and arrived up at Frey mid-afternoon. In marked contrast to summer when the place bustles, nobody was in the refugio. We shoveled out the doorway, went inside, started a fire and began melting snow for water. The night was totally "tranquilo." The wind pushed against the windows outside and inside we chatted over the sound of crackling wood. Whenever we did happen the venture out the doors, we were greeted by a very milky Milky Way and innumerable stars.
Yesterday, retracing our steps and using the downhill to our advantage, it was a 6 hour ski out. What a great time... and adventure!
Cerro Catedral
Frey hut
The window of Frey hut
Self portrait
Nico hiking through the deep, heavy powder
Me, while waiting for dinner to cook, on our first night
The "dry, sheltered area" where we spent the first night
The last pitch before arriving at Frey
Normally the 10 km. to Frey can easily be traversed in day. However, due to the huge amounts of recent, heavy snow, and the fact that we had to brake our own trail, it soon became apparent that we would not be arriving to the hut on one day. No matter, we thought, there's a small shelter some kilometers before Frey where we can pass the night. We continued, one slow step to the next, making our way. By the time we reached the area where the small shelter, called Piedritas, is located, it was well into the night. With nothing but the beam of our headlamps and the snowy forrest all around, we couldn't quite find the right boulder that Piedritas is tucked against. What we did find was a dry area, sheltered by two boulders leaning against each other. Rather than meander around aimlessly, we decided to bunker down for the night. We cooked dinner, and despite the hard ground and frigid temperatures, fell asleep easily. The next day we woke up, and wouldn't you know it?.... we were only 50 meters from Piedritas!
ANYHOW, we continued on our way, and arrived up at Frey mid-afternoon. In marked contrast to summer when the place bustles, nobody was in the refugio. We shoveled out the doorway, went inside, started a fire and began melting snow for water. The night was totally "tranquilo." The wind pushed against the windows outside and inside we chatted over the sound of crackling wood. Whenever we did happen the venture out the doors, we were greeted by a very milky Milky Way and innumerable stars.
Yesterday, retracing our steps and using the downhill to our advantage, it was a 6 hour ski out. What a great time... and adventure!
Cerro Catedral
Frey hut
The window of Frey hut
Self portrait
Nico hiking through the deep, heavy powder
Me, while waiting for dinner to cook, on our first night
The "dry, sheltered area" where we spent the first night
The last pitch before arriving at Frey
posted by Amy | 12:29 PM
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