Cerro Piltriquitrón

East of Bolsón, the piedmont rises steadily and then sharply to the granite summit of 2,284-meter Piltriquitrón, where a clear day reveals the snow-covered phalanx of peaks along the Chilean border, from Tronador and beyond in the north to Lago Puelo and beyond the Cordón Esperanza in the south. Over the border, the Fuji-perfect cone of Volcán Osorno lies almost immediately west of Tronador.

From Bolsón, a winding dirt road climbs 13 kilometers to an overlook and parking area at the 1,200-meter level, where a steep footpath leads to the Bosque Tallado (www.elbosquetallado.com, US$1), where chainsaw sculptors from around the country have transformed trunks from a scorched lenga forest into 25 memorable sculptures.

Beyond the Bosque Tallado, the trail climbs to the Club Andino’s Refugio Piltriquitrón (tel. 02944/492024, bunks US$2.50 pp), at 1,400-meters, where you need your own sleeping bag; meals are also available here. This was once a ski area, and the path climbs even more steeply along the rusty T-bar cable before leveling off and rounding Piltriquitrón; marked by paint blazes, it then climbs steeply again, over loose rock debris, to the summit. From the refugio, it takes about two hours; carry water and high-energy snacks.

In summer, Bolsón’s Grado 42 (Avenida Belgrano 406, Local 2, tel. 02944/493124) goes to the parking area at 9 a.m. daily, returning at 5 p.m. The fare is US$3.50 one-way, US$5 round-trip.