MOUNTAIN SPRINT LIGHT AND FAST TREK
From Cerro Lopez to Laguna Negra
Length Trip
2 days
Season
December through May
Level
Advanced– Endurance hikers and trail runners
Style
Backpacking and trekking
Fast hikers and trail runners will love this option of exploring the diverse terrain of Northern Patagonia, Argentina with a mountain guide. We stay the night and eat dinner in the Manfredo Segre Mountain Hut, so there is no need to take heavy backcountry gear such as a tent or cooking supplies.
This guided trek through Argentina’s Nahuel Huapi National Park is an excellent trip for those hikers who have lots of endurance or only a couple of days to spend in the mountains of Patagonia. Light and Fast style to cover lots of ground in two days. Alpine lakes, high meadows, basalt spires, lush forests, and excellent views of the amazing Cerro Tronador and the Chilean volcanoes Osorno, Puntiagudo and Lanin.
Day 1:
With an early morning start from Bariloche, Argentina, you and your mountain guide begin climbing to the summit of Cerro Lopez (2200m). The trailhead is in the Llao Llao area and after passing through a forest, we have open views of the surrounding Andes and the Lakes District of Patagonia. Cerro Lopez sits on the corner of two arms of the Nahuel Huapi Lake beside the beautiful Cerro Capilla, and the mountain is characterized by amazing basalt spires, such as Aguja Lürs, a big open bowl that attracts backcountry skiers when it is filled with snow in the winter, and the exposure to the west of the untouched Nahuel Huapi National Park.
It is about 2 hours of hiking to Refugio Lopez, a little mountain hut, and another 2 hours to the summit. With your mountain guide you will climb through little alpine meadows, along a little lake, on rocky domes, and along the ridge on compacted scree. In the spring, there are still little snow patches on the dome.
Views of the Andes from Cerro Lopez are amazing! From the summit, you will appreciate the incredible Mount Tronador (3354m ) and the Brazo Tristeza arm of the Nahuel Huapi Lake as well as some of the volcanoes of Chile: Volcano Osorno and Volcano Lanín.
Hike down the scree with your mountain guide towards west and Bailey Willis valley. Traverse across the valley to the top of Bailey Willis peak, and then down to Laguna Negra. The last stretch of the day, we’ll have the Manfredo Segre Mountain Hut in sight at the other end of Laguna Negra at the base of Cerro Negro. You can practically taste their homemade pizza and microbrews on this last dash going around the lake. Nice, hot dinner and a celebratory beer or malbec, and then bedtime in the hut.
We can even bivy outside if the weather is good! Favorite part of the day is sleeping under the stars after a good hike!
Approx. 18 km with 1400 meters elevation change in 8-10 hours of hiking.
Day 2:
Today is much more relaxed. Breakfast in the Laguna Negra Hut and then we hike down into Goye’s Valley. Switchbacks down from the mountain hut, and then we’ll hike along the nice, long valley beside a clean mountain stream.
We come back out to civilization in Colonia Suiza, a pretty little farming village founded by Swiss settlers in the early 1900s. Your mountain guide will drive you back to your lodging in Bariloche.
Approx. 14 km with 500 meters elevation change in 3 hours of hiking.
For this trek, we strongly recommend hiring a Professional IFMGA UIAGM or AAGM Mountain Guide.
- Backpack 55 lts
- Headlamp (Petzl Tikka plus, Black diamond or similar) and extra batteries
- Waterbottle Nalgene or Camelbak
- Trekking boots to hike comfortable in scree slopes, snowpatches and forest trail.
- Crocs sandals (Optional)
- 2 pairs of sintethic socks (like Columbia or similar)
- Hiking or trekking pants – Quick dry-(North face, Mammut or similar)
- Capilene underwear
- Polipropilene – capilene shirt
- T shirt
- Thin fleece
- Thick fleece
- Puffy or down jacket, beautiful for cozy afternoons in the mountains
- Lightweight Water proof Goretex jacket
- Lightweight Water proof Goretex pants
- Fleece gloves x 2
- Warm hat
- Sun hat
- Sunglasses with UV filter
- Sun screen and lipstick
- Hiking poles x 2 (Leki , Black Diamond, etc)
- Gaiters
- Pocket knife
- Small Tupperware – pot for meals- or similar (if you have it, if not we will provide it)
- Sleeping bag (800 grs of goosedown or equivalent) and sleeping pad (Therm-a-rest)
- Spoon
- Ipod- Mp3 player (optional)
Summer/ Fall Trekking Trips and Multiday Backpacking trips
This gear list is designed for Backpacking for Several days in the Mountains being able to carry the minimum but logical to travel light and safe in the mountains of Patagonia
- Backpack 35-45 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)
- Hiking or Trekking boots good to deal with wet meadows and scree slopes
- Gaiters
- Quick dry pants with Schoeller material (North face, Mammut or similar)
- Merino wool long underwear
- Water proof Goretex pants
- 2 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 hiking
- Thick gloves (according to season)
- Warm hat
- Sun hat
- Sunglasses with UV filter
- Sun screen and lipstick
- Earplugs… very recommended (for Mt huts, windy days in tents)
- Tooth brush and paste
- Headlamp (Petzl Tikka plus, Black diamond or similar)
- Waterbottle Nalgene or similar
- Thermos 0.5 liters ideal for warm drinks
- Crocs
- Iphone/ Ipod music player/camara- optional
- Hiking poles
Camping Gear:
- Mug to go
- Spoon
PHOTO GALLERY
Minimum 2 people.
2/3 people US$ 750.-
4 or more people US$ 550.-
Private transportation
AAGM or UIAGM Mountain Guide
All meals and lodging in the mountains.
On request
ANDESCROSS
IS RECOMMENDED BY