Monte Sarmiento, west summit: (1) Italian Route (1986). (2) La Odisea de Magallanes (2010). The main (east) summit is the peak to the left. Ralf Gantzhorn

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Monte Sarmiento, west summit, La Odisea de Magallanes.

By Ralf Gantzhorn, Germany

At the western end of the Darwin Range in Chile’s Tierra del Fuego rises one of the most beautiful mountains in the world, the ca 2,200m Monte Sarmiento. The mountain is 150km from the nearest human settlement and is only accessible by boat. Bad weather and overhanging ice mushrooms present major obstacles. The only successful climb of the main peak (east summit) was in March 1956 (Carlo Mauri and Clemente Maffei, no photos, strange description). The western peak was climbed by Italians in 1986 (again, no published photos and contradictory descriptions) and, well-established, in 1995 by Stephen Venables, John Roskelley, and Tim Macartney-Snape.

In 2010 Robert Jasper, Jörn Heller and I climbed the western peak in a 39-hour single push, with a short bivouac. [Unbeknown to the 2010 party at the time, their route was a variation to the 1986 Italian route, traversing into the face via the north ridge, while the Italians climbed the face directly—Ed.]…. (read more)

(Back to South America, Argentina/Chile, Central Patagonia)

Los Gemelos, The Slash.

By Ian Nicholson, AAC

Graham Zimmerman and I left camp at 10:45 a.m. on January 25, 2010, just after it stopped raining and snowing. At 2:30 p.m. we stood at the base of the previously unclimbed east face of Cerro Los Gemelos, or the Twins. The first pitch was a 5.9R face, with laybacking up verglassed flakes. Then a 5.8 rising traverse, with a little aid and some 5.10, got us onto the ridge. A few pitches of easier 5.10 brought us to the notch that divides the much higher north peak from the lower south peak. The next two pitches were more complicated than we’d expected, and around 11 p.m. we hit a steep, blank slab, just as it got dark and started snowing hard. Graham tried repeatedly to climb the unprotected slab, to no avail. Then we saw a small seam out to our right, and Graham set off into the darkness. It went! One more pitch, and we topped out at 12:40 a.m. in an increasing storm, becoming the third party to summit the higher of the Gemelos. We descended in a full-on storm, with near 100mph winds that blew us off our stances and pinned us down. At one point 100′ of the rope escaped and went horizontal, slithering like a snake into the sky. We finished the last rappel at 4:30 a.m. and trudged down the glacier and out the ultra-shitty moraine, returning to camp after 22 hours on the move. The Slash (1,200′, 10 pitches, IV+ 5.10b A2).

(Back to South America, Argentina/Chile, Central Patagonia)

Torre Central/Norte, Waiting for Godot to col.

As reported on www.planetmountain.com and elsewhere, in January Austrians Hansjörg Auer and Much Mayr climbed a new line near the east-facing cleft between Torre Central and Torre Norte. Waiting for Godot (750m, 7b M6) ends at the col between the two towers. They fixed ropes partway up, using some aid on the initial ascent. While rappelling to their portaledge after their successful push, they stopped, and Mayr redpointed the crux, which they had not yet freed. The next day, in a storm that turned their line into a waterfall, they completed their descent.

(Back to South America, Argentina/Chile, Central Patagonia)

Cerro Fitz Roy, Historia Sin Fin and new pitches.

By Jorge Ackermann, Bariloche, Argentina

At the end of February 2010 Luciano Fiorenza, Tomy Aguilo, and I—all Argentines—completed a new route on the west pillar of Fitz Roy, on the face right of Supercanaleta and just right of Ensueño. On the first day we hiked from Chalten and climbed six pitches to a big ledge, where we fixed two pitches above and then bivied. The next day we climbed 10 pitches up steep, well-featured rock, placing natural protection, except for one belay bolt. After those 10 pitches we joined No Brain No Pain and bivied again. The following morning we climbed on, joining Tonta Suerte and eventually the Supercanaleta, reaching the summit in late day. We climbed close to 40 pitches, of which 18 were new, with difficulties to 5.10. The rock proved better than expected, and the climbing on the ridge (on Tonta Suerte and Supercanaleta) required weaving around gendarmes and other alpine trickery. We named our new line Historia Sin Fin…. (read more)

(Back to South America, Argentina/Chile, Central Patagonia)

Chalten massif, summary.

By Rolando Garibotti, AAC

The biggest news in Patagonia this season was not related to an ascent but to an attempt. David Lama’s attempt to free the Compressor Route was well-publicized, but in spite of his spending close to three months in El Chalten, nothing came of it. Nothing except the further damage that Lama’s film team did to the mountain. They fixed—and subsequently abandoned—ropes from the glacier to the bolt traverse, more than 700m, and added more than 60 bolts. These bolts were placed where not even Maestri had bolted back in 1970, on his infamous siege, when he dragged up a 400-pound air compressor. While Argentine guides removed the fixed ropes months later, the bolts remain, and many of the fixed ropes were abandoned in a haul bag above the bergschrund. One has to wonder what climbers in the Alps would say if the same was done to one of their most iconic peaks by a team of foreigners. In 1985 Fulvio Mariani made one of the best climbing movies of all time with Cumbre, documenting Marco Pedrini’s solo ascent of Cerro Torre. They fixed three ropes, nothing more. Unfortunately, Lama and his entourage displayed a big regression.

Weatherwise this season was almost identical to the previous one, with much good weather at the start and end, in early December and late February. However, snow and ice conditions remained mostly bad during the clear spells, with much snow and ice on the peaks. This prevented any ascents of Cerro Torre and focused activity on the Fitz Roy massif…. (read more)

Cerro Kristine, near Chilean Patagonia’s wild Chacabuco Valley. Jeff Johnson

(Back to South America, Argentina/Chile, Central Patagonia)

Cerro Kristine, first ascent.

By Jeff Johnson

For ten years Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins had been eyeing what they called “Cerro Geezer”—an unnamed, unclimbed ca 7,500′ mountain a few kilometers west of Cerro Jeinimeni. The peak is the highest in a small range on the northern margin of Chilean Patagonia’s Chacabuco Valley, a crucial habitat area that Kristine Tompkins’ (Doug’s wife’s) Conservacion Patagonica purchased as the centerpiece of the future Patagonia National Park.

Yvon and Doug decided to give it a go the year before, but they were immediately thwarted by technical difficulties. Ten steps into the long approach Yvon’s 30-year-old mountain boots shattered. Maybe this year, Yvon said, Cerro Geezer will finally give way to a geriatric ascent. I was honored by their invitation to tag along. Yvon was 69 and Doug 65. I realized this could be their last first together. It took a day to get to high camp…. (read more)

Cerro Trinidad, La Orca. Crystal Davis-Robbins

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Cochamó, Cerro Trinidad, La Orca.

By Crystal Davis-Robbins, AAC

Juan Tarditti and I arrived in Cochamo, Chile, mid-February 2010 after a long rainy season. The trails that approach the Refugio Cochamó in La Junta had become rivers; people and horses were engulfed in knee-deep mud. We arrived to stories of rain, rain, rain, yet blue overwhelmed the skies. First we climbed the classic Bienvenidos a Mi Insomnio, a 20-pitch route that meanders up the east face of Trinidad. We were so charmed by the endless white granite and technical climbing on Trinidad that we decided to give Trinidad another attempt, this time on the 500m south face…. (read more)

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Cochamó, Pared de los Placeres, Hay Que Disfrutar and Erotica.

By Thiago C. Porto, Brazil

In early February, Zoroastro Eduardo and I established two new routes in Cochamó, on Pared de los Placeres: Erotica and Hay Que Disfrutar, each 500m, 8 pitches, 5.10b. We placed no bolts, and the descents are walk-offs.

(Back to South America, Argentina/Chile, Central Andes)

Cajon de Arenales, El Cohete, Gracias por el Aguante.

By Crystal Davis-Robbins, AAC

El Cohete, known for its splitter cracks and the longest routes in Arenales, has a frequently climbed east face, but the other faces are practically unexplored. Its north face had no known routes until, after four days of vertical gardening and rock-tumbling in November, Ignacio Elorza, María-José Moisés, and I completed Gracias por el Aguante (600m, 7a+ (5.12-) [6b obligatory]). The route meanders up crack systems in the middle of the north face, beginning with a few ropelengths of easy climbing. Then one chooses between a 5.10 dihedral (recommended) and a slightly easier fist crack just to the left. A few more ropelengths of moderate climbing traverse leftward, to the base of a prominent dihedral that splits the face into two. We climbed the dihedral for 20m, then followed a thin crack that splits right and turns the corner for another 20m (5.10). A lot of weed pulling exposed a great 5.10+ finger crack that dies after 30m; the pitch ends with memorable slab moves out right to another system. Next comes the crux, a finger crack out a small roof, with a pocket of crystals that offer a salvation hold after the most difficult moves. Majo and Nacho dubbed the pitch El Techo de las Faldas (The Roof of Skirts), when, on the onsight attempt, I yelled out that I was wearing my skirt. Above are four more quality pitches, including El Paseo de los Cristales, where the wall has a sea of crystals embedded in the cracks. The last pitch is a strenuous, slightly overhanging fist crack in a red dihedral. As we were finishing the route with the last light, it started snowing—time to get our butts down. We drilled nine two-bolt anchors for 60m rappels (starting just right of the route and heading straight down; some of the rap anchors correspond with belays). Juan Tarrditti and I returned to add a really sweet three-pitch variation, El Cicatriz (The Scar), that branches left at a bolt on a ledge after the sixth pitch. It’s a slightly overhanging dihedral to a flaring roof, then splitter hands in a corner before regaining Gracias por el Aguante.

(Back to South America, Argentina/Chile, Central Andes)

Torres del Brujo, new routes.

By Aaron Richiger, Switzerland

In late November 2008 Bernd Rathmayer and I traveled to Chile’s Torres del Brujo, north of Patagonia, to find virgin rock. After several days of travel with horses and mules, we installed base camp at the foot of these great granite walls for three weeks. Because of the excellent rock and consistent good weather, we opened four new routes, all in alpine style and, with one exception, without bolts [see topos at aaj.americanalpineclub.org]:

-Linea de los Suenos Sueltos (470m, 13 pitches, 6b A3), Torre Grande. A beautiful line, but with loose rock in the first seven pitches, it climbs the obvious first large, straight crack system right of the Gandalf route, with a dangerous start due to serac exposure. Descend by 60m rappels.
…
(More routes)

(Back to South America, Argentina/Chile, Central Andes)

Torres del Brujo, new routes.

By Aaron Richiger, Switzerland

In late November 2008 Bernd Rathmayer and I traveled to Chile’s Torres del Brujo, north of Patagonia, to find virgin rock. After several days of travel with horses and mules, we installed base camp at the foot of these great granite walls for three weeks. Because of the excellent rock and consistent good weather, we opened four new routes, all in alpine style and, with one exception, without bolts [see topos at aaj.americanalpineclub.org]:

-Linea de los Suenos Sueltos (470m, 13 pitches, 6b A3), Torre Grande. A beautiful line, but with loose rock in the first seven pitches, it climbs the obvious first large, straight crack system right of the Gandalf route, with a dangerous start due to serac exposure. Descend by 60m rappels.

-Un Mantra para Machos (400m, 6 pitches + scrambling, 5.12b), on Torre 3. A beautiful line, on often perfect granite, and with an awesome fist crack in the middle. Upper pitches sometimes blocky, but good rock on the crux pitch. It’s the first good line right of the huge dihedral. Some serac danger on the glacier approach. Rappel descent, max 63m but 60m ropes will work.

-Deceleracion (430m [250m climbing], 7 pitches plus scrambling, 6c+), on Torre Universidad. Superb route, excellent rock, good intro to the area. Begins in rounded dihedrals just right of Un Rato Para Maltrato. Descend by scrambling north to below a col, then continue easily to 65m above the snowfield and rappel (60m) from jammed blocks.

-Ahab (320m [200m climbing], 6 pitches plus scrambling, 7b), on Torre Universidad. Begins 50m above Deceleration. Same descent as Deceleration.

Inanición, on Cerro Freile. Waldo Farias

(Back to South America, Argentina/Chile, Central Andes)

Cerro Freile, Inanición.

By Fernando Fainberg, Chile

On January 10, 2010, Waldo Farias and I did a new route, Inanición (“Starving”), on Cerro Freile (4,598m), Marmolejo Valley, Chile, 100km west of Santiago. The mountain is an island of granite between the typical bad rock of the Central Cordillera, and we thought it could offer good climbing. The route ascends the prominent east ridge. The first 300m are 5.5, but with bad rock. Then the climbing steepens, 75°–80°, through loose granite blocks, 5.8 with poor protection, before traversing right (north) along a terrace through more bad rock, exposed, with minimal protection but easy, until emerging on the east face. Above, we found more vertical climbing, no harder than 5.8, with better rock. After 450 meters of climbing, we reached the upper ridge, very exposed and with more bad rock. Another 600m of climbing/scrambling along the ridge brought us to the summit. The descent, via the 1942 first-ascent route, required care, between the terrible rock (not granite), exposure, and a 40° snow slope. We did the route in one day, taking 17 hours camp-to-camp; the vertical gain is 1,000m.

(Back to South America, Argentina/Chile, Central Andes)

Aconcagua, Medicine Buddha to summit ridge.

By Chad Kellogg, AAC

After acclimatizing on the Normal Route, on the summer solstice I scoped the 3,000m south face with intent to attempt a new route on the left side of the face, between the original French Route and the Romanian variation to the Slovenian Route. The bergschrund looked crossable, but the initial vertical ice pitch gushed with water. I walked away, and minutes later a huge avalanche swept the route and cone where I had stood. I tried to steel my nerves against the possibility that I could be swept into the debris at the base from any point on the route. I told myself that this was my route, and in eight hours I would be on it.

Back at Plaza Francia I was confident that I could climb the south face via a new route in a day, so I did not take a sleeping bag or tent, just 30m of 8.1mm rope, some climbing hardwear, a stove, food, and extra clothes. I rested for a few hours before rising at 1:30 a.m. I centered myself with a meditation session before preparing for my departure.

I left camp at 4 a.m. I crossed two large crevasses before reaching the bergshrund, and headed up until I hit a dead-end. Finally, after 3½ hours I was in the couloir proper. Suddenly a massive avalanche rushed past, putting me on constant alert. I kept climbing and at mid-route reached a large ice step near an island of rock…. (read more)

(Back to South America, Argentina/Chile, Central Andes)

Cerro Presidente Perón, first ascent; Cerro Bifurcación, south face and ridge.

By Marcelo Scanu, Buenos Aires, Argentina

In February 2010 Pablo González and I accessed the Quebrada San Lorenzo at 4,200m, in the Cordillera de Olivares, Agua Negra zone, in Argentina’s San Juan province, near the border with Chile. The next day, February 8, we followed a destroyed mining trail to camp at 4,625m. On February 9 González climbed a new route on the south face and south ridge of Cerro Bifurcación (5,223m), first ascended by friends and me in 1991 (AAJ 1992, p. 161). On the 11th we climbed the west face of a fine 5,774m virgin summit, finding terrain similar to the Normal Route on Aconcagua and naming the peak Cerro Presidente Perón, because the three-time Argentine president was a climber and supported expeditions in Argentina and abroad.

(Back to South America, Argentina/Chile, Northern Andes)

Pissis, West Glacier.

By Marcelo Scanu, Buenos Aires, Argentina

The West Glacier of Pissis, Argentina, is 40km square, the biggest in the region. It can only be reached after a difficult 200km off-road ride. The only attempt on the route was by Mexicans in 1994. In March a team led by Guillermo Almaraz, with Eduardo Namur, Nicolás Pantaleón, and Daniel Pontín, erected base camp at 5,000m (S 27 43 04.5, W 68 54 00.8) in the valley that accesses the West Glacier. They made Camp 1 at 5,600m beside the glacier (S 27 44 03.1, W 68 51 40.8), and the next day traversed the 7km glacier, camping at 5,950m near the ridge used by the Polish on the 1937 first ascent (S 27 44 48.3, W 68 48 45.5). The final summit bid was made by Almaraz, Namur, and Pantaleón, ascending the snowy face and reaching the ridge that is the final part of the original route. They continued to a minor summit (Gendarmería Nacional, 6,675m), then to a col between it and the main summit, which they reached shortly after midday on March 14. The group believes the last unofficial measurement, 6,795m (official is 6,882m), to be accurate.

(Back to South America, Argentina/Chile, Northern Andes)

Volcán Salín, northeast face.

By Marcelo Scanu, Buenos Aires, Argentina

This 6,029m volcano, in Salta, Argentina, was first ascended by pre-Columbian Indians. Hans-Martin Schmitt from Germany and Adrian Germishuizen from South Africa climbed it on May 20, opening a new route on the northeast face for the fifth modern ascent.

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New routes.

By Jabi Baraiazarra, and Eneko and Iker Pou, Basque Country, Spain, AAC

In April we established several new routes in northern Argentina. The most difficult was a mixed line on the south face of Chañi Chico (5,570m): Marcados por el Chañi (600m, M5 85°) climbs 13 pitches to the summit, and took 12 hours of climbing, with a 16-hour round trip. The other routes: Pachamama (1,000m, 5+/6a), a rock route on the south face of Morro Von Ronsen (5,450m); Vitoria-Gasteiz (550m, 80°), an ice route on the south face of Aguja Negra (5,350m); and Gure Etxea (850m, 60°), on the north face of Punta Ibañez (5,800m), with a traverse to General Belgrano (Chañi’s main summit, 5,896m).