10 Pounds of Tequila (left) and El Sendero De Los Indigenas, two of the new routes on the east face of Acopan Tepui. Mikey Schaefer
Acopan Tepui, El Sendero De Los Indigenas.
By Vlado Linek, Jamesák, Slovakia
Ján Smoleň (Slovakia) and Ondra Beneš, Jiří Lautner, and Tomáš Sobotka (Czech Republic) established El Sendero De Los Indigenas (7c/UIAA 9), on the east face of Acopan Tepui from Jan 7–11. The 425m route has 11 pitches: 3, 7a, 7c, 7c, 7b, 6b, 6a, 6c+, 6b, 6b+, 5. They climbed ground-up with fixed ropes, no chipping, and freed all the pitches in redpoint style. They placed 19 protection bolts and 11 at belays, and left five fixed pitons. El Sendero De Los Indigenas has a sport-alpine character and requires Friends, nuts and long slings.
