Refugio Frey

"This is one of the most popular and well known hikes, and it’s easy to see why. You can do this as a day hike, or you can even spend the night up top. If you bring a tent, no reservation is required. If you want to sleep in the refugio, it’s best to book in advance as it fills up pretty quickly. The main hike starts in the parking lot at Villa Catedral, which you can reach by taking bus 55 from the bus stop in the center of town, directly across the street from Manush. The schedule seems to be a little erratic though. Supposedly it comes every 30 minutes, though I waited an hour before sharing a taxi with other travelers I had met at the bus stop. Word is, the bus came 5 minutes later. The bus stop is a small hut near the entrance to the parking lot. The hike up to Refugio Frey from Villa Catedral takes about 3 hours, the first half giving you amazing views of Lake Gutierrez. If you go back down the same way, it takes about 2 hours. If you prefer not to come back down the same way, you can follow the path on the side of the Laguna Toncheck up top, and then make your way around the back to Cerro Catedral. An alternate path to Refugio Frey: Take bus 50 to Villa Coihues, and get off when you see Lago Gutierrez. Walk 30 minutes down a dirt road, and then follow the well marked signs up to Refugio Frey. You’ll pass by the Playa Muñoz as well. If you go this way, you can also make a quick stop at the Cascada de los Duendes and the Mirador Lago Gutierrez. It will be obvious how to find these additional spots as the area is very well marked."

"This hut looked super nice, built of stone and super solid and also very clean and modern inside and it’s located right next to the Laguna Tonchek. "