Day 1:
Your Mountain Guide will pick you up at your lodging in Bariloche early in the morning and drive 80 km to Pampa Linda, a little settlement in the middle of the Nahuel Huapi National Park.  Pampa Linda lies in the wide valley at the foot of Mount Tronador.

Gear-up with your mountain guide and hike through a forest of coihue trees, Nothofagus, and bamboo on a nice hiking trail.  The last stretch to the mountain hut Refugio Otto Meiling is above tree line with excellent views of the Patagonian Lakes District and surrounding Andes Mountains.  If we have ski gear, we can skin up from here, or later in the season we hike on a well-compacted scree and rock trail.

Once we reach the Otto Meiling Hut (2.000m), we can put down our packs, relax by the fire, and have a hot homemade Patagonian dinner.  Go to sleep listening to seracs falling from the hanging glaciers thousands of meters to the bottoms of the cliffs. This sound is why Mount Tronador has its name, “The Thunderer”.

Night in the Otto Meiling Mountain Hut.

Approx. 10 km with 900 meters elevation gain in 4-5 hours of hiking.
Day 2:
Alpine start before dawn: breakfast, headlamp on, and your mountain guide will get you geared up for the glacier with rope, harness, crampons/skis, etc.  Your mountain guide will lead you across the glaciers to Pico Argentino. It takes 5-7 hours to climb to the summit of the  Argentine Peak.

The route is a solid, long progression over glacier terrain, with a moderate angle of steepness. The last 300 meters below the summit are steeper (40 degrees) on snow and ice. Your mountain guide will set up an anchor for the last 100 meters of simple ice climbing. After summiting Pico Argentino, ski or hike back down across the glacier terrain to Otto Meiling Refugio.  Have a well-deserved hot meal and maybe a celebratory bottle of Argentine Malbec.

Night in Otto Meiling Mountain Hut.

Approx. 8 km with 1200 meters altitude gain in 5-7 hours of climbing.
Day 3:
Descend to Pampa Linda and enjoy the scenic drive on a one way road through the Nahuel Huapi National Park.  Return to Bariloche and your mountain guide will drop you off at your local lodging.

Approx. 10 km with 900 meters elevation gain in 3-4 hours of hiking.
*This trip can also be done in two days, depending on the weather and fitness level of the participants. On Day 2, after summiting Tronador, hike all the way down to Pampa Linda and your mountain guide will drive you back to Bariloche late.

This gear list is designed for  Climbing Mountains in Summer time with glaciated terrain in the Alps or Patagonia, as Mont Blanc, Monte Tronador, Volcan Lanin

• Backpack 40-45 liters if you need sleeping bag bring the bigger
• Sleeping bag ideal 600/700 grams of down fill
• Sleeping pad as Therm-a-rest or similar
• 2 pairs of  sintethic socks (like Columbia or similar)
• Quick dry pants with Schoeller material (North face, Mammut or similar)
• Merino wool long underwear
• Water proof Goretex pants
• T shirt- Capilene or Merino wool ideal
• Thin fleece, like Patagonia R1 or similar with a hood ideal
• Mid fleece layer or synthetic Jacket with some insulation
• Down jacket or warm puffy
• Water proof Goretex jacket
• Thin Fleece gloves for skinning or waiting in belays
• Thick ski gloves
• Warm hat
• Sun hat
• Sunglasses with UV filter + Goggles
• Sun screen and lipstick
• Iphone/ Ipod music player- optional
• Earplugs… very recommended (for Mt huts, windy days in tents)
• Tooth brush and paste
• Headlamp (Petzl Tikka plus, Black diamond or similar)
• Pocket knife
• Waterbottle Nalgene or similar
• Thermos 0.5 liters ideal for warm drinks
• Crocs

Technical Gear:

• Helmet
• Mountaineering boots as Scarpa Phantom Guide, Sportiva Trango or Trango Evo- Crampon compatible
• Gaiters
• Boot Crampons and ice axe (Most of cases we provide them, so just ask us)
• Hiking poles
• Harness and 2 Locking binners (Most of cases we provide them, so just ask us)