Easily one of the best snow missions of our lives! – By Contributing Authors Allen & Jay
Most of NYC was chasing down Mister Softee trucks to beat summer heat… but, OvRride was packing its winter ensembles for a truly religious experience at Cerro Catedral, in the heart of Patagonia!!!
After meeting the OvRride Argentina crew at the JFK LAN Terminal we prepared our luggage, passports and expectations for our journey ahead. For feinding riders like us, there’s nothing worth anticipating more than stalking winter down to South America!!! Weather advisory showed 7 to 10 FEET of the fluffy stuff just days before our arrival in Bariloche, yea… PSYCHED!!! is not a big enough and bold enough word, prob needs a lot more exclamation points too, so here you go!!!
First stop, Buenos Aires!!!
Landing in South America’s biggest city, we regrouped, met our local tour guide, Connie, and got quick orientation of the area on our way to the hotel. With comfy and quaint accommodations tucked into the trendy Palermo SoHo shopping neighborhood, it was obvious we were winning!
Argentina’s chillest concierge served up celebratory beverages to welcome the crew, and after the long flight, it hit the spot proper. Soon enough the luggage had been shuffled and we’d checked in for the evening, ready to see the city.
Connie took us to the streets, showing us the hidden treasures of Buenos Aires’ in a way you certainly wouldn’t get from your average guide. Her unique style and presentation are straight pro, but you could tell we were getting an insider’s cultural experience and education.
Argentina’s vast culture and diverse and well-integrated immigrant population help the make up of a truly unique city. One thing that is very apparent Tango is at its heart, which is certainly a site you have to experience in the streets of Buenos Aires.
One day & night out in Buenos Aires wasn’t enough, it would probably take a good month to fully absorb that city, but we were on a snow mission, so we had to get in as much as we could before our flight to Barlioche.
With time short we did what we had to do… enjoyed the famous Argentine Wine (Malbec selections are world class) and steaks so perfect I cannot even fathom the words to describe them.
Then we hit the nightlife, keeping that part of the trip on the low… I’ll just say, you gotta go to know!
Next Stop… Bariloche!
The next morning we departed on our date with destiny, Sweet South American Summer Snow. Sailing smooth, we hopped our next flight, arrived in Bariloche, and shuttled up to our mountainside condos. Full kitchens, ample living space and a short walk from the lift… yea, we’d reached homebase for OvRride Argentina.
We took to the hills early Monday morning to enjoy some of the best days the season had to offer, according to the locals. Our local guide, Mark, met us at the base with the well thought out plan of attack. Day 1 was all about getting as much diverse terrain, and covering as much of Cerro Catedral as possible, so we could set up the rest of our week.
It didn’t take us long to find the good stuff, the stuff we traveled half way across the world for, the summer snow became reality!!! Day 1 in the books, the rest of the week was all about taking it to the backcountry; Steeps, chutes, pow and our knowledgeable delivered those EPIC lines!
On the freshest days, the off-piste was almost untouched, including the lines between the trails… a perfect chance for some of the less experienced riders to hang in the groomers, or flirt with the trailside powder, while the rest of us would charge the deepest freshest stuff on earth 40 feet away. Chutes and Cornices were dropped, minds were blown, and legs were tested!
Riding in the middle of August and travelling through the legendary Patagnonia region of Argentina is an experience so surreal and beautiful that in retrospect it feels like a dream…. Did we really ride over bamboo while condors flew overhead this summer? UNREAL!!!
Fortunately we made some awesome new friends to help pinch me when I forget how very real this trip was. These memories will last a lifetime, but that doesn’t mean we’re not heading back for more! Easily one of the best snow missions of our lives!
