By Eric Benson

Dressed in a herringbone sweater, khaki shorts, sneakers, and aviator sunglasses, I trudged through the snow and icy winds that swirl around the summit of Cerro Piltriquitron, a jagged mountain in the Andean foothills. I was cold (no doubt owing to my foolish decision to dress like a yachtsman or a polo spectator), but the surrounding beauty and the prospect of an even greater pay-off on the summit kept me going.

It was up on this peak with my fingers turning numb and brittle, that I decided I loved El Bolsón.

Photo by Eric Benson

El Bolsón is a laid-back town surrounded by dramatic mountains. It has one main street peppered with plazas and whimsical sculptures. It’s population of 27,000 is spread among the central village and the surrounding hills that lead up to Cerro Piltriquitron on one side and the Andean Comarca on the other.

As a human place, it’s cozy, but not overly quaint. Twenty-seven thousand is enough of a quorum to have a real community. There are schools, churches, supermarkets, a radio station, and a legion of rusty old Citroens – and, of course, glacial fed white-water rivers, breathtaking mountain vistas, and the massive Lago Puelo lying near by.

Photo by Eric Benson

The town certainly has its charms, but you’ll want to get out into the mountains early and often. If you’re short on time, you might consider enlisting the services of a tour company – Huara Viajes and Maputur being two of the more well-outfitted – which can arrange for transportation, guides, and certain activities that are difficult to do on your own: rafting, paragliding, visits to chacras (small family farms). Yet, the region can easily be traversed on your own, especially with a little planning and the aid of the tourist information office near the central town plaza.

By all means, if there’s only one thing you do in El Bolsón, climb Piltriquitron. Befitting a mountain of its size there are a lot of different ways to take advantage of it, ranging from a two-hour jaunt from the Piltriquitron platform to the mountain’s refugio, to a 14-hour journey starting in the town centre and going all the way up to the summit.

Regardless which route you decided on, you’ll end up taking a stroll through Bosque Tallado (Carved Forest), a thirty-work sculpture garden on the side of the mountain. Bosque Tallado places its arresting works against the spectacular backdrop of the Comarca and the valley. In the midst of this rugged landscape, it’s a strange pleasure to come upon these emphatic human footprints.

Twenty minutes from Bosque Tallado lies the Piltriquitron Refugio, a mountain hut where you can stop over for some mate, pizza, or home-brewed beer (the latter is so much better than the watery brews served in Buenos Aires that it’s almost worth the trip just to get a taste).

This is the point at which most travelers will turn back, content at having taken in the sculptures, the remarkable views of the El Bolsón valley, and the refugio’s culinary delights. If you have any appetite for adventure, I would strongly recommend going further.

Photo by Eric Benson

The summit lies about 2 hours away from the refugio and makes for a world-class day hike. The entire way up you’ll be treated to soaring vistas, and the summit itself takes the experience to a different level. It’s a craggy column thrust 50 metres above the rest of the ridge line, offering a 360-degree view of two mountain ranges, the El Bolsón valley and Lago Puelo. It’s an excursion that’s more than worth the exertion.

Once you’re down from Piltriquitron’s rarefied heights, you can check out one of the many chacras that pepper the region. I visited Chacra Santa Teresita, the aromatherapy farm where Dr. Mario Arnaldo Oyharcabal practices a sustainable and mindful form of agriculture. He uses herbs like Rosemary en lieu of chemical pesticides, and creates mounds of compost to use as a natural fertilizer.

Dr. Oyharcabal also raises sheep and chickens, selling much of his produce. In the afternoons, he can be found tending his grounds or sitting in his elegant, erudite office, consulting with patients as to the proper aromatic solutions for their ailments.

Photo by Eric Benson

Other options in the area include rafting Río Azul (a relatively tranquil ride on chilly glacial waters), visiting the spectacular Lago Puelo (a deep and massive lake bordered on all sides by snow-capped peaks), or going on any number of shorter treks from town (one of the nicest is ‘Cabeza del Indio’ (Indian’s Head), a face-like rock formation that offers excellent views of the valley and Lago Puelo).

El Bolsón offers plenty of choices for accommodation. In the summer, pitching a tent at one of the region’s many campgrounds would be an ideal way to pass the nights. If you’re more inclined toward a bed than a sleeping bag, there are plenty of places to stay in town. The elegant and affordable bed & breakfast La Posada de Hamelin is an especially choice (and affordable) spot, with cozy rooms, a homemade breakfast every morning, and helpful hosts who can direct you toward the best routes up the mountains.

Photo by Eric Benson

El Bolsón is a worth a trip any time of year, but two standout times are the autumn, when the valley turns a brilliant red and gold and the mountains are still accessible; and the late spring, when the El Bolsón Jazz Festival swings into town. The festival, started by local musicians Alejandro Aranda, Juan Merlo, and Viviana Russo, now brings in many of the top jazz musicians from Buenos Aires and beyond. All daytime events are free of charge, and even if you spend the afternoon trekking or rafting, there’s plenty of jazz to catch at night – the jam sessions that stretch into the wee hours are especially worth hearing.

If you’re beginning to feel a tad claustrophobic in the bustling streets of Buenos Aires, then by all means strap on a pack and head down to El Bolsón. Go south, young man!

El Bolsón is a two-hour bus trip from Bariloche. Companies like Vía Bariloche! and Andesmar run buses nearly every hour during the day.

Tourism companies:
Huara Viajes: www.huaraviajesyturismo.com.ar
turismohuara@elbolson.com

Maputur: www.maputur.com.ar
maputur@elbolson.com.ar

Accommodations:
La Posada de Hamelin: www.posadadehamelin.com.ar
posadadehamelin@elbolson.com