Bariloche, Argentina Backcountry Report: Amazing Views & A Chute That Barely Goes

Miles Clark | Post Tag for BackcountryBackcountry | Post Tag for Conditions ReportConditions Report
Cerro Negro in the foreground, Puntiagudo in Chile in the back. image: snowbrains

After yesterday’s inbounds powder day, I decided to go into the lift accessed backcountry via Cerro Catedral ski resort in Bariloche, Argentina today.

The morning was clear, cold, windless.

I reached the top of the couloir I was to ski quickly.

Condor 3 and Lake Nahuel Huapi. image: snowbrains

I’d heard from locals that it didn’t go.  That it ended in a cliff.

I hoped the new snow would have filled and connected it to the apron below.

I dropped in.

Puntiagudo, Chile. image: snowbrains

The snow was punchy.  “Carton” (cardboard) they call it here in the Andes.

I struggled down the couloir as it steepened.

As I reached the choke, I noticed the jagged rollover below.

Backcountry towers. image: snowbrains

It didn’t go.  Or did it?

After carefully investigating the cliff in the chute I found a way through.

I sidestepped and sideslipped through a hanging no fall zone that scared me.

Tronador (Thunderer) today. image: snowbrains

On the apron below, I was very content.

I made a few turns in the “carton” then decided not to descend to the valley floor.

I traversed to a safe ledge and had a nice lunch before skinning out of one of my favorite zones on Earth.

Isles in sky. image: snowbrains

SNOW NUMBERS:

image: catedral, today

FORECAST:

image: snow-forecast.com, today

PHOTOS:

Cerro Catedral. image: snowbrains
My skin track and the sun on the lake. image: snowbrains
The towers of Catedral. image: snowbrains
Nubes at dawn. image: snowbrains
Condor 3 chairlift today. image: snowbrains
Cerro Catedral. image: snowbrains
Manana? image: snowbrains
Tracks on Nubes from yesterday’s fun powder day. image: snowbrains
No snow down low. image: snowbrains

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3 thoughts on “Bariloche, Argentina Backcountry Report: Amazing Views & A Chute That Barely Goes

  1. Excellent report Miles, great read! As much as you know of Bariloche you are still exploring and finding ways to scare yourself. Thanks, Lars

  2. Excellent report Miles, great read! As much as you know of Bariloche you are still exploring and finding ways to scare yourself. Thanks, Lars

  3. Puntiagudo – beautiful (as well as “tomorrow’s line”. I am curious if you can ski in the bottom ski resort section this year.

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