The Tooth | crookclimbing

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 behind

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 option

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 horizon

The 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 tower

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 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 glacier

Not quite Latok 1, but Jim Donini still pleased to be on another 1st ascent

Not a bad spot to chill with Jim and Angela

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 tower

Starting 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 — A gaper beneath Jim’s Tower

Dave reaching the base of the Tower proper after a great Knife edge arete

Amazing Granite on the upper pitches of the Crown Jewels

A view back over to the S Avellano Tower we're returning for — A view back over to the S Avellano Tower we’re returning for

It's a thumbs up from Dave and a thumbs up from the phallic symbol in the back! — It’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!

Back near the bottom of our new route, "The Crown Jewels" takes the left illuminated pillar. — Back 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!

Just incase you thought Dave was a fake, here's a Nalgeine bottle for comparison too! — Just incase you thought Dave was a fake, here’s a Nalgeine bottle for comparison too!

The top half of "the wall" Avellano valley behind — The top half of “the wall” Avellano valley behind

A 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.