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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 30, 2009 - 10:09am PT
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If you're heading south of the equator to escape winter, check out Frey, near Bariloche, Argentina. Beautiful granite formations reminiscent of the City of Rocks but BETTER. Climbs up to 6/7 pitches in a great setting. Good weather area for Patagonia. There is a refugio where you can buy meals and beer/wine at a reasonable price. Take the ski lift and the hike is less than two hours. Good camping and a fun international group of climbers. There is a Rolo Garibotti guidebook easily obtained in Barilochre. Easy to find climbing partners. Enjoy!!!
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hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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May 30, 2009 - 10:20am PT
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Do they have any good top rope problems?
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Thorgon
Big Wall climber
Sedro Woolley, WA
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May 30, 2009 - 11:28am PT
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I can barely order a burrito in Spanish,
I better work on that, si senor gringo!!
Thanks for the lead,
Thor
Sounds awesome!
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Prod
Trad climber
A place w/o Avitars apparently
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May 30, 2009 - 11:36am PT
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Hey Donini (and Brassnuts if your watching),
We am planning on heading there for our honeymoon next January. How far from Baroliche is The Frey? I'll have tons of questions as soon as I have time to organize my thoughts. Expect emails on the following topics.
-Where to stay?
-Where to camp?
-Where to eat?
-Recommended climbs?
-Other activities?
We'll be there for 2 weeks.
Prod.
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Bldrjac
Ice climber
Boulder
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May 30, 2009 - 11:48am PT
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Jim,
yer letting the cat out of the bag...............
Tell them about all the great basalt bouldering around the lake in Bariloche but Don't tell them about all the classic crack lines (Donini Crack) outside of Frey.
Jack
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steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
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May 30, 2009 - 12:25pm PT
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Bldrjac - not much of problem with that cat... there aren't a lot of climbers around who will hike two hours to climb anymore, let alone flying to Patagonia to do it.
On the other hand... it sounds pretty damn cool.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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May 30, 2009 - 01:08pm PT
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more pictures!
That site is really cool, Tom! Thanks!
What an omen, to be guided by a Condor.
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TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
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May 30, 2009 - 01:12pm PT
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I'll borrow one more...though there are lots of great pics on the blog...
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TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
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May 30, 2009 - 01:24pm PT
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What an omen, to be guided by a Condor
Yeah, SUPER COOL story!
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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May 30, 2009 - 02:02pm PT
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It might be better then City of Rocks but is it better then Castle Rocks State Park near the City of Rocks? new guidebook is just out for there. Castle Rocks blows it all away.....did I just let the cat out of the bag?
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TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
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May 30, 2009 - 02:25pm PT
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Studly, I was aware a guide came out a couple years back(2004), is there a newer guide out now for Castle Rocks State Park?
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - May 30, 2009 - 04:28pm PT
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Prod,
It's about a 10 mile drive from Bariloche to the ski area and then you ride the chair lift, followed by a 1.75 hr. mostly level hike. Let me know when you need more info. There is also, supposedly, some good sport climbing near Bariloche. Bring your fishing gear, and the food in Argentina is to die for.
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Ezra
Social climber
WA, NC, Idaho Falls
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May 30, 2009 - 05:49pm PT
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Tom, a new castle guide came out last june (08). Teton Mountaineering in jackson did have copies, not sure 'bout Almo Idaho though.
Best
-e
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Nov 29, 2009 - 06:57pm PT
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Yes, there is a great new guide to Castle Rocks and its available at the Ranger Station there in Elmo.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Nov 29, 2009 - 07:04pm PT
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Nov 29, 2009 - 07:08pm PT
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Nov 29, 2009 - 09:17pm PT
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Okay mr. Donini, sir, what kind of rock, to those of us
stuck in the states?
Oops, my bad, Jim. I didn't read it close enough--workin' too
hard on term papers. . .
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Ray Olson
Trad climber
Imperial Beach, California
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Nov 29, 2009 - 10:30pm PT
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Thanks donini!
great looking climbing.
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Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
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Nov 29, 2009 - 10:36pm PT
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hey donini.. how about a picture of the climbing?
I'm mean if I'm gonna be laying down plenty of cash to get there.. I should know what I'm getting myself into.....
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BrassNuts
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Nov 30, 2009 - 01:06am PT
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Prod
Trad climber
Dodge Sprinter Dreaming
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Nov 30, 2009 - 08:56am PT
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Yo Stitch,
we'll have plenty of pics.
We're getting pretty amped.
Jingy,
It isn't cheap that is for sure! Fortunately my mom gave us the airfare as a wedding gift. Once in Bariloche accomidations range from pretty reasonable to ungodly expensive.
Cheers,
Guy
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Sebastopol, CA
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Nov 30, 2009 - 10:56am PT
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Frey- cool place. You can take the ski lift up the other side of the mountain and hike down to Frey, or hike up ~10 miles up a beautiful canyon.
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Prod
Trad climber
Dodge Sprinter Dreaming
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Nov 30, 2009 - 01:06pm PT
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Hey Jerry,
Brass nuts says that the hike down to the Frey via the chair lift option is hard to follow. He recommends the valley hike in. Doninni on the other hand says take the chair lift. What say you?
Prod.
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Sebastopol, CA
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Nov 30, 2009 - 02:08pm PT
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Yeah, its pretty hard sitting on your ass going up hill. haha. There are painted rocks to follow the whole way across the ridge and the views are incredible. You just have to figure out which color of paint to follow. Yellow, or Red/yellow... I can't remember, but don't recall any difficulty following the dots, and you're pretty much hiking along the ridge until you drop down to your left into the valley. We were on a short trip, two days there, so took the lift up in the morning, climbed all afternoon and the next day, then hiked down the canyon in the late afternoon. I remember thinking it was longer than I thought it'd be hiking down the valley from Frey to the car. Get a topo map in advance if you can. We bought a map at the refugio for $2.00. You can order a pizza and beer there too. Pretty bitchin! We were there in 2001, so it all seems a little fuzzy now.
You can just see the rufugio in the talus at the bottom left of my second pic.
If you take the lift you enter the valley from the ridge line at the right edge of the first pic and drop down to the lake. There are campsites all along the far, left, side of the lake, and the refugio is off at 8 o'clock or so from camera direction
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Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
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Nov 30, 2009 - 03:19pm PT
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There's the pics... Now I say... Awesome send!!!
Cheers Team newlywed!!!!
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Sebastopol, CA
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Nov 30, 2009 - 03:26pm PT
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If I went back down there I'd probably go to the Arenales (sp?) Valley.
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homemade salsa
Trad climber
west tetons
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Nov 30, 2009 - 04:06pm PT
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I remember buying a guidebook (in Spanish, but with decent topos) at the Alpine Club HQ in Bariloche. It seemed pretty straightforward- really clean pink granite, not very many other climbers.
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland: what's not to love?
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Nov 30, 2009 - 04:13pm PT
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Great shot of the Lost Fingers route, Jerry! Taken from the anchor on tops of El Diedro de Jim, yeah? Both great routes.
To the OP - it sounds like your wife (congrats on the marriage) likes to climb too. But, if you can possibly swing it, a weekend in Buenos Aires would make your trip that much more memorable. It's a great city for couples - so much romance in the air that you'll feel like a mac even in your rank climbing threads.
You can also hop a boat/bus combo from Bariloche across the Andes into Chile, ending up at a place called Lago Todos los Santos. This is a killer trip, and there are hot springs to trek to on the Chilean side.
Here's the description I wrote of Frey (and I also liked the approach from below) - get psyched, you're going to climbers paradise.
Granite spires in an uncomparable setting, free camping, ridiculously friendly locals, beautiful cracks, and an abundance of classic, airy, challenging lines: Frey.
Nothing on the 4-hour approach to Frey prepares you for what you find after pulling over the last rise to Laguna Tomcek for the first time: an emerald tarn stretches to the end of a bowled-out cirque. White and black granite spires reflect on its surface. As you lift your gaze your hands begin to sweat: they're everywhere, needles in every shape and size, riddling the sides and rims of the cirque. It's a surreal landscape: The Fool, The Monk, The Grandfather, The Lunar Rocket, The Old Woman, The Splinter, The Three Marias - each spire has its own character. Condors weave spirals in the deep blue. You've made it to climber's heaven.
Frey, as a climbing area, is divided into two cirques that share a col. Picture two teacups that have been fused together on one side. Most people camp in the northern cirque, alongside Laguna Tomcek. Plenty of water - some people were using purification but we were fine without. To minimize impact, campers must use the toilets at the refugio, and must not make campfires.
The refugio, from which Frey takes its name, charges about 20 pesos/night for a bed (2004). You can use the kitchen or just sit around, play cards, and get warm even if you're not a guest. Meals, candy, and beer are sold here. Access to the spires from the camping area can be anywhere from 5 min. to 3 hrs. The furthest towers, those that line the rim of the cirques (Torre Principal, Campanille Esloveno), involve somewhat strenuous hoofing up scree and snow fields. The climbs are invariably worth the effort.
The climbing itself is excellent and often outrageously excellent. Nearly every climb ends on an ultra-exposed summit with views of the Patagonian Andes stretching away down the planet. Few of the summits we stood on could have held more than two or three people at a time. Some of the ratings in the local guidebook felt a bit sandbagged - something akin to the Joshua Tree style of sandbagging. Sandbags that can be appreciated.
Most routes are stellar crack adventures, though face climbing always comes into play. There are a limited number of sport routes. Very few superfluous bolts have been put up, making for the occasional obligatory runout.
Five star climbs that we had a chance to climb include Lost Fingers, Imagínate, Clemenzo, El Diedro, Sifuentes-Webber, and Baby Boom. Nothing special for the rack: whatever gets you by when you climb trad will work here. We brought doubles in nuts and cams up to 3.5". Some pitches are long (40, 50 meters) and two ropes are a must for many descents. Doubles work great. !Viva Argentina, mierda!
Climbing beta:
Easy to pick up a photocopied guide at the Club Andino in Bariloche - around 14 pesos ($4 u.s., 2004). There is also an ever-expanding three-ringed binder in the refugio that contains annotated topos, drawings, comics, spray, etc etc etc.
Getting There
From Bariloche:
Catch the Villa Catedral colectivo downtown. Costs about .35 cents (2004), u.s. A pretty spin around the E end of the lake will get you to the last stop, a big parking lot in Villa Catedral.
From here, walk S across the lot toward a wooden sign that reads "Club Andino Bariloche/Refugio Emilio Frey". Hop on this trail and 4 hrs. later (that was our time with a big rack and 2 wks food) you'll be dropping your pack at the refugio. A mellow hike through a burn area and up a forested ravine. Little water is available for the first two hours. Beware tabanos in season.
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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Nov 30, 2009 - 04:30pm PT
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Dammit Jim we need PHOTOS!!!!!
or links..
please...
kurt
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Sebastopol, CA
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Nov 30, 2009 - 06:04pm PT
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Lost Fingers, isn't that your route Donini? A classic!
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Nov 30, 2009 - 07:25pm PT
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Damnit Jim,
I'm a crack doctor not an alpinist!
(who else liked Karl Urban as McCoy?)
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David Wilson
climber
CA
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Nov 30, 2009 - 08:57pm PT
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dedo perdido ( lost finger ) - did that route in 1985 with sebastian letemienda ( sp ? ). is that your route donini?
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Unforgiven
Mountain climber
Dirt
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Nov 30, 2009 - 09:46pm PT
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lmao hobo dan
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BrassNuts
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Nov 30, 2009 - 11:43pm PT
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Prod,
IMO, it's not that the high approach via the ski lift is difficult to follow, the issue is the terrain you are descending off the high ridge down to the Frey valley has some class 2 terrain on big blocks/ledges with some exposure in spots. Personally, I was glad I didn't approach that way with my heavy pack... Great views either way...
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rolo
climber
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Apr 25, 2010 - 08:54am PT
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A little late in the season to go there now, but for those interested in going the guidebook is now online, expanded with photos for about 80% of the formations. It is still a pretty "basic" guidebook, but that on purpose. Because an online guide for there is not very practical likely there will be a print version of the "topo and photo mix" sometime between now and november. If I can get my act together that is.
the web link to the guide is http://www.pataclimb.com/climbingareas/freycatedral.html
In a couple of months all of Chalten area, the mountain climbs, Fitz, Torre, etc, will be there too.
cheers
rolo
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TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
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Apr 30, 2010 - 12:57pm PT
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Bruce, I believe it's 'Siniestra Total´, Torre Principal, Frey ( info from their blog)
Cheers!
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MisterE
Social climber
Across Town From Easy Street
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good stone bump - thanks for the link to the goods Jim
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yanqui
climber
Balcarce, Argentina
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Hey, just found this thread and I thought I'd mention something about congestion and heavy use in the area (mainly campers, trekkers and such, sometimes in huge groups). Last year, the camping around the refugio was, to put it in Argentine lingo, un quilombo. When Gaby and I left in mid January, the area was already pretty full, with several hundred people taking up the spaces. On the hike out, besides the usual line of backpackers and hikers going up in small groups, we passed two huge groups heading in, one of which, organized by an Argentine university, had over 100 people in it. There is one bathroom available, with four stalls (some of which weren't working most of the time) that has to service all these people. And the trail has been hammered into a trough of dust.
On the other hand, except for a few popular climbs (e.g. Sifuentes Weber and Diedro/Fisura de Jim on Aguja Frey, the short routes behind Aguja Frey, Del Diedro on M2, the normal route on Torre Pricipal) it is easy to find isolation when rock climbing. In the three weeks we were there we rarely saw other climbers in most places we climbed.
Anyways, go there if you can. The scenery is pretty and the climbing is absolutely first rate. But IMO the camping kind of sucks and the area has gotten way crowded. So don't expect isolation on that front.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 1, 2016 - 08:06pm PT
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Right on, the camping sucks, just like it does in Yosemite, Red Rocks and JT. A common problem with areas cursed with great climbing.
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norm larson
climber
wilson, wyoming
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Yanqui sad to hear that. I've climbed there a few times and always had pleasant camping but it's probably been almost ten years since I was there. The climbing is so so good. I'm bad with remembering names but a route we did on the Slovene Tower rates as one of the best I've done in over 40 years of climbing. Great granite, routes long enough to keep you engaged, and a nice alpine feel to the area.
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