We arrived in Bariloche midday well rested and took a bus to our resort. Bariloche feels and looks like Vancouver in the Spring, the trees are in bloom, and you are surrounded by lakes and beautiful mountains. Yet at the same time,you feel like you are in an European ski town with many cafes, chocolate shops, and chalet-like homes.
Climbing off the bus, we both couldn't help feeling a little disappointed at how green Cerro Catedral looked. The lower end was totally green and we figured we might as well do whatever snowboarding we could. Cerro Catedral is the resort, but the town of Bariloche is where everything is, which is about 30 minutes away. We spent the week snowboarding, relaxing and hiking in Bariloche. In the mornings, the snow was always icy but by noon it warmed up and got softer. There were enough runs open to keep us occupied for a few days but none of the slopes were as steep as the black runs in Tremblant or Whistler. One issue at Caterdral is the etiquette of lining up for the lifts. It is really different here because nobody really lines up!! People are constantly pushing and shoving and you really need to hold your ground in line. Saturday was the first day we snowboarded with the weekend crowd and waiting in line was really annoying. The next day, the resort was empty so it was way better. We basically had the runs to ourselves most of the time.
Other than the resorts, there is a lot to do in Bariloche such as cycling, hiking, and visiting a glacier. We hiked the Frey, a really beautiful trail with small waterfalls and snow three quarters of the way through the trail. It took about 8 hours and we got back just before it got dark. As for the visit to the glacier, we decided to skip it because our next stop would have an even more beautiful glacier. When your traveling like we are, you have to pick and choose what you want to do. You can`t and don't want to do everything. We've kind of figured out the right balance. Our next stops will be El Calafate, El Chaltan, and then further south through Patagonia to Ushuaia, the end of the world! I'm really excited about going!!!!
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