Michelle ParkerMichelle Parker, on her way out of Frey. The hut is in the background of the photo at the end of the valley.

Michelle ParkerPete Connolly skinning to our line. There are two obvious saddles to the right of the center. The saddle with the smaller spires at the top, nearest to the center of the photo, is the top of our line. We skied the obvious chute below it.

The views from the top showed a landscape with sharp Andean mountains leading into Chile and beyond. One at a time, we dropped into our chosen line and pointed it across the lake toward Frey. The refugio was filled with other skiers when we came in for the day. We sat down in the cozy kitchen and ate homemade pizza and drank glasses of vino tinto with our new friends.

Around midnight, a group of guys from Buenos Aires walked through the door. They had taken an eight-hour trudge through the snow wearing sneakers and old snowshoes. They planned to stay the night then head back to the base of the mountain in the morning. The hut attracts all kinds of visitors: It's not uncommon to come across day visitors from Brazil or Buenos Aires. In the summer, tents encircle the lake and rock climbers flock to the bolted spires.

The next morning, the smell of fresh bread and café con leche beckoned us downstairs. We ate breakfast and packed up our gear to head back to Cerro Catedral. As I zipped up my pack, I realized I had discovered another reason why I keep coming back to South America: It's places and experiences like Refugio Frey that keep me wanting more.

As we skied away, the hut slowly disappeared behind the mountains. Our run down had all-time spring conditions with snow like velvet. I knew I had made the right decision in staying a few extra days. It was well worth the airline change fee.

[If you find yourself in Bariloche, put Refugio Frey on your list of things to do. To plan a trip, check out refugiofrey.com. There's a translate button on the page that'll switch it for English for you.]