Patagonia BARILOCHE by UTMB
Patagonia BARILOCHE by UTMB – CERRO LINDO 22K
Cerro Lindo → Centro Cívico
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The Cerro Lindo 22K is the short-course option at Patagonia Bariloche by UTMB, a 22 km point-to-point that starts high on Cerro Lindo and finishes in the Centro Cívico in the heart of Bariloche. With 732 m of climb and a high point of 1418 m, it is the most accessible distance in the series, but the elevated, mountainous terrain and the net downhill profile give it a distinct character. Starting at 961 m on Cerro Lindo and dropping to 795 m at the Centro Cívico, the route front-loads its climbing toward an early high point before descending through classic Andean-Patagonian terrain into the city on Nahuel Huapi. It is short enough to race hard, but the technical descent and the mountain setting mean it still demands respect and a plan for the drop into town.
The course and terrain
The Cerro Lindo 22K runs 22 km from Cerro Lindo (961 m) to the Centro Cívico in Bariloche (795 m), with 732 m of climb and a high point of 1418 m. The route is front-loaded: from the 961 m start it climbs to Otto at 11.6 km (1349 m), the highest marked point on the course and close to the 1418 m overall high point. That first half is therefore the working half, gaining altitude through Patagonian mountain terrain toward the tops. From Otto the course turns downhill, passing Piedras Blancas at 16.4 km (1195 m) before the final descent to the Centro Cívico at 21.8 km (795 m). The back half is essentially a long drop of more than 500 m from the high ground into the city, so the terrain shifts from climbing to sustained, potentially technical descending. Read the course as two halves split at Otto: earn the height in the first 11.6 km, then manage a controlled descent to the finish.
Where the race is decided
For a 22 km race, the Cerro Lindo course concentrates its difficulty in two places: the climb to Otto and the descent that follows. With most of the 732 m of gain delivered in the first 11.6 km up to Otto (1349 m), runners who over-cook the early climb will have little left to control the long downhill into Bariloche. The high point near 1418 m comes early, so the day is not about surviving a late wall but about pacing the ascent well enough to descend strongly. The decisive section is the descent from Otto through Piedras Blancas (16.4 km, 1195 m) to the Centro Cívico (795 m). Dropping more than 500 m over the closing kilometres on mountain trail is where places are gained and lost: confident, controlled downhill running turns the second half into free speed, while trashed quads from an aggressive climb turn it into damage limitation. Get to Otto in good shape and the finish in central Bariloche is fast; arrive there spent and the descent will feel far longer than its distance.
How to pace and fuel it
The published course data for the Cerro Lindo 22K lists no intermediate cut-offs, so pacing is about racing your own effort over a short, punchy mountain course rather than clearing timing gates. The key decision is the front-loaded climb: from the 961 m start to Otto at 11.6 km (1349 m) is where the work is, so settle into a sustainable climbing rhythm that leaves your legs fresh enough to descend the second half hard. Banking effort on the way up rarely pays off when the back half is all downhill. Over 22 km the fuelling demands are modest compared with the longer Bariloche distances, but the mountain setting still matters. Carry enough fluid and a few quick calories to stay sharp for the climb and the technical descent, and top up at aid on course as available. Because the high point sits near 1418 m and conditions can turn quickly in the Patagonian mountains, treat this as a proper hill race and not a road-style time trial, keeping something in reserve for the descent that decides your finishing time.
Conditions to expect
Although it is the shortest distance at Patagonia Bariloche by UTMB, the Cerro Lindo 22K still runs at genuine mountain altitude, starting at 961 m and topping out near 1418 m before descending to the Centro Cívico at 795 m. The higher ground around Otto and the 1418 m high point is more exposed than the city finish, and Patagonian mountain weather is famously changeable, so conditions near the top can differ sharply from those at the start or finish. Even for a short race, come prepared for wind, cold or rain on the exposed upper section, and be ready for trails that can be rocky or slick underfoot on the long descent into Bariloche. The reward is a course that delivers real high-mountain scenery and a finish in the centre of town on the shore of Nahuel Huapi. Pack light but sensibly for the mountains, respect the early climb and the technical drop that follows, and the Cerro Lindo 22K offers a fast, spectacular taste of Patagonian trail running.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 961 m · —
11.6 km · 1349 m · —
16.4 km · 1195 m · —
21.8 km · 795 m · —
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