Mountain Guides
Traverse Paso de Las Nubes (Glacier Crossing)
Listen to the thunder of Mount Tronador, cross one of its glaciers on foot, and get your boots muddy in the Valdivian Jungle: they will make you feel like a very lucky person. This is a unique experience that you should do at least once in your life.
Duration: 3 days
Route: Pampa Linda / Puerto Frías / Puerto Pañuelo
Dates: November to April
Difficulty: Medium
Distance: 33 km. approx. (total)
Gain Elevation: +1,200 m.
Points of interest: Pampa Linda, Otto Meiling and Agostino Rocca Refuges, Alerce Glacier Crossing, Valdivian Jungle, Puerto Frías.
Crossings: The traverse can be extended to Puerto Blest where we have the Los Cántaros Waterfall and the Puerto Blest Hotel.
IMPORTANT: Access to this sector of Nahuel Huapi National Park has established entry / exit schedules. We must pay the entry in cash.
An incredible journey that begins in Pampa Linda and ends in Puerto Frías, crossing the Valdivian Jungle, returning to Bariloche by catamaran. We will always go in the company of Cerro Tronador, which you will be able to hear and cross one of its glaciers, the "Larch".
We will cross rocky areas, mallines and you will have incredible views that will make the journey a beautiful experience.
The crossing of the Alerce Glacier from Cerro Tronador is an incredible experience that allows you to connect the 2 most important refuges in the place. It begins and ends in the beautiful area of Pampa Linda.
The first day is towards the Refuge Otto Meiling (1,880 masl) and lasts between 5 and 7 hours, there is enough time to take a short walk and watch the sunset fall behind Cerro Tronador.
The Refuge Otto Meiling is located on Cerro Tronador, between the Castaño Overa and Alerce glaciers. In its vicinity is the Glaciological refuge. It bears its name in honor of Otto Meiling, explorer and pioneer of everything related to the mountain in Bariloche.
Its view is incredible, one of the most beautiful known: Pampa Linda, Paso de las Nubes, López, Bonete and Catedral hills among others.
On the second day, the pace is a little calmer. A glacier crossing will be made with a qualified High Mountain guide. We will go with a glacier rope, with a harness, rope, helmet, and crampons if necessary, walking on the glacier, with incredible views of mountains and lagoons between the glacial cracks. After 5/6 hours of trekking you will reach the Refuge Rocca (1,430 masl), one of the most modern in the area.
The Refuge Rocca has beautiful views of Cerro Tronador, the Frías Glacier, and a panoramic view of the Alerce and Frías River valleys with its imposing lake of crystalline green waters.
The third and last day has the advantage of being downhill, the adventure part begins, with mud, water and fallen trees that we must overcome.
In this section, we enter the so-called Valdivian Forest, with unique flora species, such as Alerces, Ciprés de las Guaitecas, Taique, among others. When a lot of humidity enters from Chile, the trails have water and mud. Good footwear and an extra set of socks and sandals or crocs are recommended to change into later.
The name "Paso de las Nubes" is due to its geographical location, since, being a low mountain pass, clouds enter from Chile towards the valley of the Frías river
The catamaran has a schedule, so it is necessary to leave the refuge early. The boat leaves us in Puerto Pañuelo, where the service ends.
If you want to extend your journey, you can spend the night at the incredible Hotel Puerto Blest and do other treks such as the Paso de los Raulíes section, Lago Ortiz Basualdo and visit Cascada de Los Cántaros.
Do you dare these sensations?
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