Overview
Cerro Piltriquitron, or simply 'Piltri' as the locals refer to it, is a 2260m escarpment in the Andes mountains of Argentina. It towers above the small hippie-town of El Bolson at its' western base. Piltri's summit offers 360 degree views, including those west of the greater Andes with the prominent peaks being Mount Tronador and Volcan Osorno to the NW. This region is accessed by Patagonia's legendary Ruta 40--a relatively wild, rugged and barren version of Route 66 in the U.S..
Getting There
To get to the trail head from El Bolson, you must either hire a taxi for AR$90 (~US$23 as of publish date) or hike the 13km gravel road up off of Ruta 40 just south of town. From the trail head (1030 m), it's slightly more than 1 km to the Refugio Piltriquitron.
The refugio is a backcountry establishment where you can camp and grab a bite to eat and a beer. Continue past the refugio following the well-trodden trail. Once the trail gives way to scree and rocky conditions, look for cairns and red-and-white blazes which indicate the most direct route to the summit. It's approximately 3 km from the refugio to the summit. Overall, I would rate the trail as moderately strenuous due to some lengthy steep sections.
Red Tape
One of the great things about Argentina, in my opinion, is its' lack of red tape. Although, no regulation can 'leave the door open' to environmental degradation, it has the benefit of giving one a true sense of freedom.
Camping
Camping seems to be permitted anywhere between the trailhead and the summit. The only exception to this is around the Bosque Tallado which is slightly less than the 1 km mark.
El Bolson
In addition to camping, the town of El Bolson has many hostels and other lodging. There are many cervecerias (breweries) and restaurants in town as well which makes it a great place to rest/chill until your next Andean mountain adventure.
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