La Laguna – Warmup Day

Sunday, Sept 1. This was supposed to be day 1 of our guided group’s trip to Frey Hut. However, the weather had a different plan. A small storm had dumped some much needed new snow on the mountains and there were still fairly high winds and periods of snow. Our guide, Jorge Kozulj (from Andes Cross) decided it would be best to spend a day warming up in the La Laguna side country lift left of the Cerro Catedral resort instead of making our way to the hut.

I met with our guide Jorge and the rest of the group the previous evening over a dinner and beer at Manush. It was a great group of passionate skiers and travellers:

• Paul – A Dutch skier travelling the world with his skis for a year. Has a passion for steep couloirs and a goal to ski on every continent.
• Kade – A Texan living just outside of London with his family. Very into alpine sports (skiing, climbing) and travelling.
• Charlie – Another Londoner but British born and raised. Also infected with a skiing and travelling addiction.

Our group was joined by another group of three Canadian ‘stragglers’ that our guide knew from previous adventures. We all began the day with a lap off the lifts before the in-bounds powder vanished. For lap two we stepped it up and did a short hike to ski a chute just left of the lifts. After returning to the lifts with smiles all ’round, we decided to do a lap further into the La Laguna side country. We took our skins out and started to climb.

Fellow Canadians bootpacking the ridge

It didn’t take us that long to make it to the top of La Laguna.

Paul and Jorge almost at the top

Kade’s looking pretty happy

Once on the top, we took off our skis, had a snack and took a look around. Jorge pointed out a number of destinations, including the Frey hut where we’d be heading the following day.

That way to Frey

The ski down was great. The snow was so much better than on my solo visit to the resort the previous Thursday. Our two groups made quick work of the two fresh slopes we skied on the way back to the resort.

Kade with our tracks in behind

Another slope with our marks

We returned to the resort and headed to another side of the mountain. The clouds had rolled in by this point and the wind was picking up. After taking another lift we decided it would be a good time to stop for a drink and a snack.

Kade

Paul contemplating life over a coke

From the hut we hiked another 20+ minutes for our final run of the day. My legs were getting tired by this point but it was still a good run. We had a quick apres ski beer at the base of the hill and then headed back into town. That evening we met back up at El Boliche de Alberto to discuss tomorrow’s trip to Frey and eat some grilled meat.

Mmmmm