A New Way to See Mount Bayo, on Horseback

Mount Bayo provides countless alternatives for visitors when its hillsides are free of snow. Riding on horseback, we went out to look for the best panoramic views this site has to offer.

A few kilometers separate the center of Villa La Angostura from the base of Mount Bayo, where our local guide was waiting for us. The horses were there too: good docile animals, used to carrying visitors around. We felt completely safe and ready to enjoy the experience.

Once everything was ready and all the people had gathered around, we got on the horses and set out towards the middle part of the hill.

As we rode along, the guide talked to us about the local wildlife. His explanations let us appreciate the area much better. We learned, for instance, that the so-called “old man’s beard”, some green threads hanging from the tree branches, are in fact a kind of lichen that can only live in pollution-free areas. We thought we should take advantage of the situation and breathe in that very fresh air.

Suddenly, we got deep into the thick forest. The guide told us we were surrounded by hundred-year-old specimens of lengas and coihues. We also learned that the ski resort located on Mount Bayo is the only one in the country owned by private hands.

We took a winding trail that led us through the hillside among the trees. Then we understood that such trail would work as a ski trail for beginners in the winter season.

Once at the intermediate part of Mount Bayo, we came across the lifts, where we met one visitor. Shortly afterwards, we found the grooming machines. All this was part of the ski resort infrastructure, which we were enjoying in a different way now.

The guide informed us about a great fire on the mountain opposite Bayo some years before. A great number of hectares of lenga woodland were burned down. The carbonized remains of what used to be a forest was standing right in front of us.

We were over 1,500 meters above sea level and the view was stunning. The summit was not far and the horses were tired. We could tell because they were panting.

A few minutes later, we hit the top of the hill and the horses stopped to rest. We got off and stretched our legs. We followed a trail towards the viewpoint. The animals would stay behind grazing.

The view was awe-inspiring, as well as the silence and that strange feeling of quietness that invaded us while beholding everything below. We could see Lake Nahuel Huapi, Victoria Island and Quetrihué Peninsula. Right in front, we could appreciate snow-capped Mount Tronador and the whole urban grid of Villa La Angostura, up to Lake Correntoso. We let ourselves be carried away by that unique moment. We were speechless.

The horses were waiting right where we had left them. We started our way down and, unlike us, they were happy to return home. We bade farewell to the mountain and went back to the hotel.