One year ago we Dave Brown and myself were introduced to an unbelievable area near the Northern Patagonian Icecap in Chile.
The summit of the Pyramide, Lago General Carrera behindColumnar basalt heaven on the Pyramide
Jim Donini was our Guide and what he introduced us to was beyond our wildest dreams.
The one aerial photo we were provided with before our visit.
We spent a week of amazing weather exploring a paradise of 7 separate towers of granite, from tall slender ridges, to steep huge monoliths all surrounded by beautiful mountains and lush temperate rainforest.
In the end the river was always the easiest optionVertical jungle bashing
It was an absolute pleasure to climb a nice new route with such a legend as Jim. The most obvious challenge lay opposite the Tuff Arete, however.
Arrival at base camp, the Tuff in the centre of the horizonThe Tuff, our new route finishes on the right skyline
We had the pleasure of making a fun 1st ascent with Jim on what became known as the Tuff.
Jim and Dave survey the S Avellano towerBase camp for the next few weeks?
The huge granite wall opposite was the most obvious challenge and impossible to ignore. It was ginormous, but if it held the same quality granite we’d touched it may just go alpine style!
The S Avellano Tower stands proud behind Jim. Our attempt the following day focused around the dark grooves at the centre of it’s base.The Crown Jewels we climb 2 days later can be seen starting in the centre of the glacierNot quite Latok 1, but Jim Donini still pleased to be on another 1st ascentNot a bad spot to chill with Jim and AngelaApproaching the towers from base camp
It was not the same quality granite. It was slick and smooth, the closest thing to El Cap I’d ever laid my hands on! We spent 6 hours on the wall and were shut down in three different places. The grooves were also steeper than they appeared, with roofs lined by small finger cracks, often containing some lichen. It truly is an awe inspiring piece of rock. It will go, but not like this. We abseiled off from just 90m up the wall. It appears to be 1000m high at this point.
Hours were spent lounging about at the base of the wall, staring up at the monster above.
Preparing for our light weight assault on the S Avellano towerGood morningThe view from our Bivi of 5 nightsStarting the approach to the Crown Jewels. The face in the picture remains unclimbed
We woke tired the next morning, but our British roots left us struggling to waste yet another fine day. We reached the glacier, snaking over it to find the base of the longest most obvious feature we could find, a beautiful slither of granite shooting skyward. It provided a total of around 800m of exquisite climbing to reach it’s tiny summit, incorporating a knife edge ridge traverse, as well as many exposed cracks and grooves on high quality granite. “The Crown Jewels” (800m E3) stands proud with the best alpine rock routes I’ve done.
A gaper beneath Jim’s Tower
Dave reaching the base of the Tower proper after a great Knife edge areteAmazing Granite on the upper pitches of the Crown JewelsA view back over to the S Avellano Tower we’re returning forSummit tower surfingIt’s a thumbs up from Dave and a thumbs up from the phallic symbol in the back!Dave descending from the upper pitches, what a circe! Sun sets over the Avellano valleyBack near the bottom of our new route, “The Crown Jewels” takes the left illuminated pillar.One of 3 condors circling and inspecting us for their next meal!One big CondorJust incase you thought Dave was a fake, here’s a Nalgeine bottle for comparison too!The top half of “the wall” Avellano valley behindA view down the long Avellano Valley and our planned approach this month
We couldn’t stay away from this wall for long and so now we are returning, with a strong team of four: Dave Brown, Will Harris, Andy Reeve and myself, well equipped for whatever the wall may throw at us.
Descending to the now raging river for our escape
Plans are moving fast to secure a boat across Lago General Carrera to access a longer approach of around 35km up the Avellano valley, using local farmers and mules.
The ultimate mountain sustenance at 560cal / 100gJungle bashing with a big pack
Time to head to the airport – Merry Christmas everyone!!
Feeling good to be downOur welcome home as the fire moves towards Jim and Angela’s houseMe hard at work with a shovel!Keeping an eye on our new vegetation break!The burning bush!Working with the Forestry Service to clear vegetation away from the house, the glow of the flames clear behindAngela enjoying the fact her house will live on for another day!San Valentin at 4058m the highest summit in Patagonia. The obvious ridge in the centre of the picture and face to it’s left remains unclimbed!
There are things you need to know and places you need to be aware of, which really can’t wait any longer!
I’ll start the story last January in El Chalten; ramshackle town nestled beneath the Southern Patagonian icecap, watching weather forecasts. There have been some serious advances with weather forecasting over recent years meaning a lot of time spent staring at computer screens! First it takes some familiarization with the forecasts to know how a wind speed on paper may translate to what you experience in the mountains. It’s easy to look at a 25 Knott speed and believe that you have felt and indeed dealt with far worse in Scotland on a regular basis. However, a 25 Knott wind forecast actually translated to potentially being picked up and flung to the ground as Dave discovered on one of many Torre forays (a better stance and slightly larger stature may prevent this). The thing, which really turned out to be the most important on the forecasts, was the pressure, which would generally determine the quality and reliability of any “weather windows.” Our first view of the Torre spires (left to right Cerro Torre, Torre Egger and Cerro Standhart)
Time after time we would watch a two-day section of good weather approaching, only for it to be sucked in to 10 hours of mediocre conditions. A walk in the Torre glacier, base camp for attacks on any of the Torre spires as well as a whole host of other world class alpine climbing, involves 6-9 hours all terrain walking. This means the best tactics to get anything done are to carry a large stash of gear up to basecamp and leave it there, ready to retrieve it and pounce as soon as good weather finally appears. Six times we walked in to this camp and twice I walked in to Piedra Negra on the other side of the range. Only one of the Torre trips really produced any major climbing success.
Fun Alpine mixed on De L’S
Camping at the Huber brothers camp on the rock Island at the base of the glacier, Torre spires on one side and Fitzroy’s numerous satellite summits on the other really was an incredible place to be. We had been in Patagonia for almost a month, without getting to the top of anything, so looking out of the tent one morning and seeing De L’S, the smallest of Fitzroy’s satellites standing clear was enough to send us running. It stayed clear long enough to allow us to find the correct approach couloir, but that was it. Reaching the col at the start of the Austrian route proper we came head on with a strong icy wind and pelting snow. This was definitely not going to be a rock climb as the guide indicated! The first short wall I came to provided some involved and very fun Scottish tech 7 climbing, using a series of thin cracks and crossing a small roof. Reaching the top of this and seeing the four long steep pitches behind, would have been enough to send anyone not versed in Scottish winter climbing running back with there axe between their legs, but thankfully that wasn’t us. Several interesting chimney and crack pitches followed, with no possible opportunity to remove ones gloves. The crux came with a French 6a crack pitch in full on blizzard conditions to reach the small summit.
Next we practiced our abseiling in Patagonian winds technique! The first abseil wouldn’t pull and I ascended back up our worryingly thin 8mm rope in order to free it. Thankfully we reached the approach couloir by dusk and were curled up in our tent by 1am, content in the knowledge that we had managed our first Patagonian adventure.
Weather clearing a little as we descend from the summit tower of De L’SDave emerging from the crux crack of the Austrian Route De L’S
The next day we woke to gorgeous sunshine and calm conditions. There was no way we could head straight out again, at least not for anything major. We shared our camp with some American friends, Scott Beckett and Troutman (Coleman Blakely), who were in an equally worn down state of existence. Scott was, however, very well prepared with an unlimited satellite phone and a laptop, meaning he could download weather forecasts. By 1pm the forecast had arrived and I sat with Scott searching for opportunity in the coming days. We had around 4 days food, but something terrible had happened. Any remaining good weather had been swallowed up by the Patagonian weather demons! Gutted! It was good to finally get something done, but in this week of camping here on the glacier we hoped for more. I stared at the screen feeling a mixture of disappointment and relief that we could rest. Seeing that the snows weren’t due to start until 10am the following morning I suggested the only option was to climb something over night, not really expecting anyone to take me seriously. I get things done in the mountains because I’m keen. Repeated positive adventures and experiences have conditioned me to push for opportunity where others see none and when I my self sometimes feel like I can’t really be bothered. Many times these ideas are refused, quashed or laughed off, but other times I find people just crazy enough to put them in to action. A one-night window would require a smaller climb to allow success, something we could do quickly. I’m not sure who mentioned it first, but Exocet on Cerro Standhart was an obvious option and a really classic line leading to an otherworldly summit topped by rhyme ice mushrooms.
Dave, Patagonian weather demon Searching for a usable weather window at base camp
All four of us were tired and Dave quickly made the decision that he “categorically did not want to climb Cerro Standhart tonight”. The seed had been planted, however, and pretty soon our remaining team of three-combined psyche to ignore our aching bodies and prepare gear for our nighttime assault. At 7pm Jason Kruk and Hayden Kennedy stopped by our camp and were able to join in with a disco dancing send off to Daft Punk’s Up all Night to get Lucky. This was surreal and fun, the only downside been that my legs ached even more as we started up the glacier. Approaching Exocet with Torre Spire phantoms on Fitzroy
We powered up to the col and the start of our route about 1200m above in just 2 hours, with fantastic views of a bright orange Fitzroy behind. At the col views of the white wilderness of the ice cap beyond were accompanied by a Baltic wind. I sorted the ropes and a belay, while Scott prepared to lead the first pitches. Troutman, on the other hand, saw this as the perfect opportunity to roll a cigarette! Quite impressive I have to admit, he then hunkered down and attempted to light it. Without doubt the most committed mountain smoker I’ve ever climbed with and apparently I was lucky nothing more potent was available.
Scott fired out the first pitch with ease as it went dark and I zipped my coat up wondering what on earth we were thinking! Far below I could see Dave’s head torch flickering: probably having a pee and brushing his teeth, before curling up in his nice warm sleeping bag. Scott climbed the 2nd trickier 60m pitch placing a sum total of 2 pieces of gear: one for each tension traverse, very impressive stuff. We were lucky to have Scott along for these pitches, because, not only was he a very talented rock climber, having completed the Yosemite double, climbing El Capitan and Washington Column (over 1400m of steep granite climbing) in under 24 hours, but this was actually his 3rd attempt at Excocet and he really knew these pitches. Following as two seconds required some fancy rope work and I even had to untie from my rope while attached to Troutman, in the hope that it would reach me again!
At the base of the steep wall above we stopped to brew up. Troutman exclaimed that he had my “Johnnys”, to which I replied I didn’t think we’d reached that level of required comfort yet. Next the jet boil stove decided not to work, leaving us contemplating the prospect of a climb with no liquid and no dinner, or more likely retreat! Thankfully a prayer like circular motion and some skillful engineering allowed Scott to save the night and we continued.
Before too long we reached the base of the huge chimney recess and the reigns were handed over to me. I made my way back in to the depths of the icy chimney, to find a thin vertical strip of ice leading upwards. It felt great to be back on the sharp end, until I realized the walls were closing in on me, like some icy trap from an Indiana Jones film. Soon the vertical walls covered in a veneer of ice were so tight that I had to turn my shoulders side on, slithering up, while somehow squeezing my other hand through to retrieve and place my other axe. A little awkward to say the least.
My first glimpses from the depths of the Exocet chimney
Next I left my very trusting partners hanging in hell, while I climbed 60m of vertical water ice directly above their heads. I was as gentle as possible, but as with any water ice there was only so much I could do to stop icy rocks raining down on them, with nowhere to hide in the narrow confines of the chimney. All they had for protection was one very small rucksack, which they cowered behind. I dragged myself on to a nice ledge at the top of the pitch, happy in the knowledge, I had led my steep ice for the day. Soon after starting climbing, however, both Trout and Scott came tight on the rope. A stream of shouting and groaning followed, before they eventually dragged themselves, bloody faced, on to the ledge. I took one look at them and knew what I had to do! I set off with conviction up the smooth vertical ice wall above, before the flash pump moved in. Undoubtedly the three steepest ice pitches I’ve ever lead in a row, given WI5, 5+, 5+. Smashing out the final vertical ice pitch Trout and Scott following
Scott took over from here taking on the final steep water ice as the chimney opened out with huge slabs flowing with a thick veil of icy rhyme on either side. This is where Trout and I hung out from two ice screws, while Scott disappeared out of sight, beyond the top of the chimney. We were really close now. This one more rope length and we should be on the summit ice field. Our minds and bodies were tired, but soon we’d be on the way back to safety. We could see clouds building in the distance and were well aware that our few hours of grace were about to come to an end. I donned my goggles as the winds picked up and remember feeling a peaceful calm at this stance. Troutman lit another rolly. Our little water was long since gone, but the tobacco smoke smelt good in this situation. I pondered for a moment before removing my glove and taking the ugly slug. I drew in the smoke and didn’t regret it. It felt warm and comforting, placing me somewhere else entirely. Troutman looking wired
What felt like an eternity later we started moving and as soon as I reached the col I could see why. The far side dropped back away to the ice cap and the only way to progress was an overhanging wall of rhyme ice, with no protection to start! It looked so unlikely and it wasn’t until you placed your axes and committed that you realized what was possible. The placements were solid and on a top rope it was great fun. The pitch landed us in an otherworldly dimension, a floating white world akin to an ice palace suspended on a cloud. We floated past the first ice tower on the way to the highest mushroom. Fitzroy stood proud away to our left a long drop to the Torre glacier between. To our right the ground fell away to a world of pure white scattered with a few barely touched summits. We made a belay beneath the summit mushroom and gazed along the chain of our spires, clouds swirling around. Cerro Torre looked only a stones throw away and Torre Egger was even closer. Troutman lead us home to the summit of the mushroom, an ever-changing sculpture of wind formed ice. We took it in turns to tag the summit amidst building winds and hastened retreat. Cerro Standhart ice palace
Scott with Cerro Torre and Torre Egger hanging behind Trout on Summit rhyme runnel
Passing the first chimney stance I realized just how awful it must have been for Scott and Trout. Clipping in and pulling the ropes was actually quite a logistical nightmare with the three of us. Scott’s harness had been noticeably causing him pain for some time, but this was the final straw. He groaned and winced, complaining that his balls had disappeared inside himself! I wedged myself in the chimney below and forced my knee up under his bum, in an attempt to release some pressure.
Steep ice!
As we emerged from the base of the chimney a blizzard was taking hold and visibility was low. I began to doze at stances, waiting my turn to slide down the rope. I shared my final sugary gels, as Scott did a great job of showing the way. Unfortunately using a different rope set up meant a couple of long waits to find new abseil points, right when the end was in sight. A roped leap over the large bergschrund and some white wading led us back to our cozy tents. Torre spires bathed in alpenglow
Thanks to Scott, Troutman and Dave for an awesome couple of days.
Stay tuned for the things you need to hear about even more in Northern Patagonia.
Towards the end of my time in El Chalten this January I teamed up with two new friends from Colorado, Ben Collett and Josh. We were all keen to attempt the mega classic 1600m route on Fitzroy called Supercanaleta. This route splits the Granite monolith of Fitzroy clean in two, firing a direct 1000m ice couloir, topped with 600m of mixed climbing up to HVS. Without doubt one of the most aesthetically pleasing lines I’ve ever seen.
As per usual the forecast deteriorated still further as we walked in, leaving Fitzroy completely plastered in a thick veil of white to a very low level. The final rocky section of the route meant that this plastering of snow would not only be very hard, but also extremely time consuming. While several other teams left for the climb, we decided to take the opportunity to sleep, hoping a day of sunshine to clear the mountain would allow us the best chance of success.
Dave Brown climbing the Sitting Man of Sitting Man Ridge, Super Canaleta splitting Fitzroy behind
We set off from camp at 22.00 on Friday for a significantly clearer Fitzroy. We were also blessed with a nice track in the snow, leading us right to the base of the route. By 1am the three of us had crossed the bergschrund and moved together up the lower 200m of the ice couloir. There was a peaceful calm in our recess, with excellent neve ice and the wall far above bathed in silver moonlight. There were however three parties rappelling down from above (headtorches visible in the pic behind our gearing up spot), we were soon to pass. I spotted a belay on the right and clipped in, bringing the others up.
Josh bent down to adjust his crampons, when Suddenly the silence was broken by a large object whistling out of the shadows. It hit him square on the knee. He sent anguished screams soaring up the couloir above, as Ben and myself gave him some time to recover from the blow. I could only hope it was a standard ice hit, which regularly left one with a large bruise to show, but allowed progress to continue. This selfish positivity soon evaporated, however, as sobs were interspersed with pleads of no and certainty that we weren’t going any further. Our only hope was that this wasn’t as bad as it sounded!
There is no helicopter rescue in Patagonia and it took over 7 hours to reach the base of the route from the road head! I lead the two rappels below and was relived that he could follow with Ben’s help, even if at a slow pace. Pleased to see two exhausted Ecuadorian friends at this point, we were able to combine four ropes and lower him to an area of safety below the route. By the time I joined them, a kind Japanese team had moved their bivi shelter up the hill to protect our casualty.
Leaving him in safe hands, two of us powered back over to Piedra Negra camp, covering what had taken over 2.5 hours the night before, in less than 1.5 hours. Here we used a satelite phone to raise the alarm with the local voluntary rescue team and rallied as many people as possible (about 10), marching our new found troops back over the col. We joined the other rescuers a couple of hundred meters below where they’d been. They had constructed an impressive stretcher from poles, a rope and some pads. The wound had been bleeding out and a splint had been constructed for our partners leg, which actually used the metal spine, removable from a podsacs back support!
We were lucky enough to have a paramedic in our team and many strong and able people. Before long we were joined by several other people, many of whom had been on the go for over 24 hours, but keen to lend a helping hand. It was really humbling to see so many able people coming together, to work so hard to successfully help a fellow climber. There were people from the US, UK, Ecuador, S Africa, Switzerland, Norway, Japan and Argentina (and that’s just what I remember).
We carried him down steep snow slopes, round and over crevasses and up over a very steep pass. The local rescue team use 300m static ropes to haul over this pass; we belayed at 60m intervals and used good old fashioned man power to clear the col. It was great to hit the soft snow on the far side, enabling a leg supported bivi sack slide. The relief in seeing the local rescuers powering up to camp just below was incredible. They were both thankful for our efforts and keen to take over from this point.
It took around 13 hours from the time of accident to arriving back in camp and about 4.5 hours more to get back to El Chalten medical center (with the combined help of a quad bike with Josh’s leg hanging off to one side!) I think this is probably the least critical rescue from this route, but it is certainly a record time. It really was a privilege to be involved in a rescue with so many good people and re-assuring to know this is who you are surrounded by in these mountains. Thanks a lot to all involved!
Our lucky partner (given the situation) had a clean fracture of the patella and is hopefully due for a relatively fast recovery.
crookclimbing 