Conditions Report
Baguales Mountain Reserve Cat Skiing, Argentina
August 7, 2014
by Robert Yoder
Our group visited a new cat skiing operation located close to Bariloche, Argentina called Baguales Mountain Reserve. Our group included Bob Yoder (Truckee, Ca.), Terry Ledger (Boston Mass.), Chick Knight (Boston Mass.), Cody Knight (Steamboat Col.), Brett Heineman (Carmel New York) and Steve Kruse (Anchorage Alaska). This was Steve Kruse’s 335 consecutive month of skiing at least one day. That is almost 30 years!
The group has visited South America over the last 5 years skiing, Portillo, Tres Valles, Thermas de Chillan, Las Lenas and Ski Arpa. This was our first visit to Cerro Catedral in Bariloche and we wanted to visit some more of the countryside.
If you are looking for a true Patagonia experience, go to Baguales. The setting is incomparable and the facilities and equipment are top notch. They have new cats, snowmobiles, trucks and refugios. This is Ski Arpa on steroids. The terrain is huge and offers cat skiing and touring from hut to hut. There are 3 remote refugios with the main one Refugio de la Mesada being the main staging area featuring excellent overnight accommodation and food. It is very comfortable with incomparable setting and views. The terrain affords skiing and boarding for all levels. There are lots of features to entertain the most adventurous skier or boarder. Many of the basins feature Bariloche Nubes type terrain.
From the drive in, fording a river in the company truck to the snowmobile ride to the high alpine refugio, you will find this a great adventure and true Patagonia experience.
We did not have the best conditions for our ski day. There was a major wind event the day before so even though there was a lot of new snow, it was wind compressed and breakable in spots. Half of the day was flat light so the terrain we could visit was somewhat limited. In spite of the conditions our group fully enjoyed the experience. The wine, snacks and at the Refugio was a great end to the day.
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