tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66292179894817671472024-02-07T17:57:21.624-03:00Cissa SoloAn alpine climber from Brazil venturing onto mountains all over the planet. Sarcastic trip reports, some cool videos and interesting links as well.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-18207677659105020602015-02-02T13:07:00.005-02:002015-02-02T13:07:45.574-02:00IT´S TIME TO REACH NEW HEIGHTSOr have better layouts!<br />
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I decided to have may own domain, and a better presentation of my blog. So it´s time to retire Cissa Solo, especially because I travel solo a lot, I´m never alone and I love people.<br />
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I´ve moved all my content to <a href="http://www.cissacarvalho.com/">www.cissacarvalho.com</a>, and I´ve decided to make it bilingual again, so don´t be scared by the posts in Portuguese, as I´ll still write (a lot) in english since its the core of my audience.<br />
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I´ll deactivate Cissa Solo in a few months, but I´m thankful for everyone that visited and that I´ve come into contact with because of this blog. I hope that my experiences and tips have helped in some way, and I hope that with a more pro looking site it will reach even more people.<br />
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Farewell!<br />
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<a href="http://www.cissacarvalho.com/">www.cissacarvalho.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-32434550339900549202015-01-28T14:08:00.000-02:002015-01-28T14:08:57.535-02:00I HAVE A NEW IDOLI´m a little too old to be having idols, or maybe what some people would call heroes, or maybe I´m not. But on my recent incursion into the surfing world, and add to that my current incursion into the Basque Country, I´ve came across this curious type which has got one of the most latent exploratory vibes I´ve seen in any athlete since I don´t know when.<br />
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Ladies and gentleman, I present you crazy nomadic basque dude, <a href="http://kepaacero.com/" target="_blank">Kepa Acero</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://kepaacero.com/wp-content/uploads/GOPR66011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://kepaacero.com/wp-content/uploads/GOPR66011.jpg" height="422" width="640" /></a></div>
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Kepa is a prominent freesurfer (a professional surfer that does not participate in competitions) from Europe, more specifically from the Bilbao area, that is, the Cantabric coast. Now, aside from being Basque - which automatically means having a hard shell and being overall tough asses - the Cantabric coast is a rugged one, with agressive if not violent waves of impressive power that brake over cliffs just as impressive. Rocks poke out on several surf spots, it is cold, it rains a lot, and still, people surf there, all year long. On my first visit to San Sebastian (Donostia in Euskera, which is basque language), waves were in decent condition but I just couldn´t grow the balls to get in that cold water with the same 3 mm wetsuit I´d used in the Peruvian winter. These people are tough.<br />
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I don´t this guy personally but being basque he´s probably all that I described above. On the other hand, I know some basque people, and when you do get to know them, they can be the sweetest, warmest, friendliest people ever. But that´s if you brake their shell, which is in 99% of the times, an impossible task.<br />
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An exploratory vein, alongside passion for his sport, a desire to go beyond what and where everyone else is going, going at it alone, and doing it for the sake of doing it instead of the sake of selling it. All these things are what I appreciate in alpinists today, even though I understand the purpose of filming and photographing in order to make it possible to be climbing/surfing. I didn´t really like the surfing community I experienced in Bali, as it was in a completely different end of what I imagined. But then this guy made me realize that as in alpinism, there´s different types of crowds, and one does not account for all.<br />
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Well, Kepa has a website and a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/5olas5" target="_blank">YouTube channel</a> with some precious videos that attest to his adventurous and humble spirit, living simply and with little to no resources, while seeking what may not be the most famous, but perhaps some of the most interesting waves in the planet. And curiously enough, he seems to have quite a few alpinists as idols, such as Messner and Iñaki Ochoa de Oza. And he writes quite well too, hitting "close to home":<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>"Siempre siento como algo así en esta època dentro de mi, como un pequeño cortocircuito. </i><i>Cuando empecè con estos viajes en solitario tenìa 29 años. </i><i>Me encontraba otros mochileros de mas o menos mi edad. </i><i>Ahora, cuando me cruzo con mochileros, les saco un cacho grande de edad, sabes?</i><i>Soy el veterano,</i><i>se pincha una rueda y me miran a mi,</i><i>soy mayor, tengo la solución.</i><i><br /></i><i>Soy mayor. </i><i>La mayoría de la gente de mi edad no tiene ya el Peter Pan este.</i><i>Yo sigo soñando en tubos."</i></span></blockquote>
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Bellow are some of my favorite videos from him.<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/YAQH2Q8nMxM/0.jpg" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YAQH2Q8nMxM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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How not to like this guy?!?!<br />
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For more on him, he´s also got a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kepa-Acero/396195210398618?ref=ts&fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page, and <a href="http://instagram.com/kepaacero" target="_blank">Instagram</a> account. Thanks nature for still producing humans like this one.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-39882334957102732832014-12-19T17:54:00.001-02:002014-12-19T17:55:12.870-02:00A HIMALAYAN DEBUT - CLIMBING ISLAND PEAK AND AMA DABLAM<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnjgQNpl5Qp88Z-mrzqJMJ1eL5ZbAmhp7lw6ThPh3g1i-GE0TXNnxGPAFVy8P73vvKFMrLO8X0uxKh_D8RSRdVEILrWv3c6oLc2GvmJXScldgdFH_C4Lp9WPIlVP7dsw1I76hK32l-iKT/s1600/DSC00565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnjgQNpl5Qp88Z-mrzqJMJ1eL5ZbAmhp7lw6ThPh3g1i-GE0TXNnxGPAFVy8P73vvKFMrLO8X0uxKh_D8RSRdVEILrWv3c6oLc2GvmJXScldgdFH_C4Lp9WPIlVP7dsw1I76hK32l-iKT/s1600/DSC00565.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main character in this post, this too may be the actual most beautiful mountain in the world. Ladies and gentleman, I present you: Ama Dablam. Give it a good hug. It wants it.</td></tr>
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<h2>
AS USUAL, AN INTRODUCTION</h2>
It all started in Peru. The partner I had in july, Craig, was already heavy into making fun of me as mid july approached and I had sworn to myself I would decide what to do with my life by then, and as the middle of july approached I still had no idea. All I knew was that I wanted to keep travelling, but that doesn´t mean much. Among friends this turned into a daily joke, and eventually people started suggesting I should climb in the Himalayas. This sounded pretty unlikely to me, because of flight ticket prices, the whole expedition style of climbing, crowded mountains and also the fact I had no partner. In any case, before heading to the beach I did a price search and found some acceptable numbers, and when I told some people about them on my way back to Huaraz everyone demanded I buy the ticket immediately, and so I did as told! In an instant I had a ticket in my hands and 2 months and a half in Nepal and no plan.<br />
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I can name most mountains in the Cordillera Blanca but I confess I´m quite ignorant when it comes to the Nepali Himalayas. I´ve heard of most of the 8000ers and some others but the really interesting, technical ones that pro climbers aspire to climb I´m completely unaware of. Craig mentioned he would one day like to climb Cholatse, a mountain that is not too high and quite technical, aside from not being crowded (yet). I looked into it and figured it could an option, but being not so well known it could be difficult to find a partner for it so I decided to have Ama Dablam as second option. Both of them obviously, I would want to climb alpine style from base camp.<br />
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So after a record number of messages from interested people I decided to go with R., a pretty accomplished rock climber who´s been on El Cap and in Patagonia, and had some altitude experience. I thought we´d be a pretty balanced team and our skills would be complimentary. I had already looked into agencies and prices and so did he: we put together all the info and decided on Monterosa, a budget nepalese company recommended by me by a few basque people, and with a pretty good price. We also decided to climb Island Peak first, not only to acclimatize better but also to see how the partnership would work and make any necessary adjustments.<br />
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So after super long airplanes rides and layovers, I arrived in chaotic Kathmandu where I had the biggest culture shock of my life. It lasted two days and then I already wanted to leave. While I waited for R. to arrive I organized some more stuff and bought some supplies we´d be needing in the mountain. It´s worth saying I never before had so much difficulty finding information on route before, which was presage to many things that would happen once we actually got going. There´s no climbing guide, no info on the internet, sherpas won´t tell you anything and there´s no climbing community in Kathmandu to look for assistance. So on October 10th, we boarded one fo those sketchy planes to fly to that sketchier airstrip in Lukla.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBEEJUIll0UzoOoHx6MtzwGq_gsqtmbuTBPG6Hbk4U2v5z5ygfNt7FftNeox1NbSQrodXQ0r2P0iHBjYT0W1pfc9lUjn9knT9d93_3gpqVzflzutqZyOHHPeoT__3agEUTmmxRZdpY-5D/s1600/DSC00007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBEEJUIll0UzoOoHx6MtzwGq_gsqtmbuTBPG6Hbk4U2v5z5ygfNt7FftNeox1NbSQrodXQ0r2P0iHBjYT0W1pfc9lUjn9knT9d93_3gpqVzflzutqZyOHHPeoT__3agEUTmmxRZdpY-5D/s1600/DSC00007.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thamel, the tourist neighborhood of Kathmandu: a messy labirinth of alleys, electric cables, annoying street sellers, and an overdose of smells. This was a quiet one.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkDj7hw-MVVWkY7pTXaCuPL9c7Xs5k5zZlj6sBY93T5EIl-R_so265T5EN0MU-hfOrpbGGM1RzKovhQ6kVq9mIDFSwSN2iGw2ohtJLPQH8c4DCDkRF7mQwLTwup6EN2FEiKlfPVNYlyf-/s1600/DSC00074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkDj7hw-MVVWkY7pTXaCuPL9c7Xs5k5zZlj6sBY93T5EIl-R_so265T5EN0MU-hfOrpbGGM1RzKovhQ6kVq9mIDFSwSN2iGw2ohtJLPQH8c4DCDkRF7mQwLTwup6EN2FEiKlfPVNYlyf-/s1600/DSC00074.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yo! Now I got dreadlocks too! Seriously!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMk6yjWWgHiB7xd5aloaOK1zVtDvifZmsvjwr5S5Ak2t0RBOEmaRLXJNh98b706PRdbOl7iaTw4vivY6PSXGn6k5H-Bi02hs1sMlqMdUTDpeEATywSLPgGxHxs2-c26LW_ZrbRObSEdnq/s1600/DSC00145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMk6yjWWgHiB7xd5aloaOK1zVtDvifZmsvjwr5S5Ak2t0RBOEmaRLXJNh98b706PRdbOl7iaTw4vivY6PSXGn6k5H-Bi02hs1sMlqMdUTDpeEATywSLPgGxHxs2-c26LW_ZrbRObSEdnq/s1600/DSC00145.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many temples, everywhere.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xqJwyFCv4ekDYK4LphfK8D3KhFeWoJMBk7OdJg3PAtmSnMkSyxTK6j026ism1vI9hztq7veptytbHujkXxJOb3pAb_aEJbwyQaFKWVfaW8kOis1MaNHXZwROdYX23IgjkIlFss7QbUJ0/s1600/DSC00181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xqJwyFCv4ekDYK4LphfK8D3KhFeWoJMBk7OdJg3PAtmSnMkSyxTK6j026ism1vI9hztq7veptytbHujkXxJOb3pAb_aEJbwyQaFKWVfaW8kOis1MaNHXZwROdYX23IgjkIlFss7QbUJ0/s1600/DSC00181.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And some monkeys as well.</td></tr>
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<h2>
THE APPROACH IN THE KHUMBU VALLEY</h2>
The flight to Lukla, as everyone knows, is an event in itself. First because few minutes after taking off it is already possible to see a huge amount of immense mountains above the clouds that shade the Kathmandu valley. Before I left Brazil one of my friends told me that the mountains of the Cordillera Blanca would be "dwarfs" in comparison after I climbed here. I didn´t agree at first (I´m super biased as I considered the Blanca my own dearest range). But just by seeing those mountains from the plane I already felt super small. I had no idea how big they would be but definatily some were above 7000 m, although aesthetically, not as pretty as the Blanca (again, I´m super biased...) After some 25 minutes of flight and drooling on the window, we approached the Lukla airport and began saying farewell to our lives before the airplane would hit the huge cliff wall at the end of the runway. That didn´t happen though, and we disimbarked alive and kicking although a tad scared and already wondering if there were other options of getting out of there aside from flying.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqymwRqhPAJkFXAClCxn0fZwgOMjdBJ_y1SNqFaQPSEXrrg_V6OTosSFQLeTri3mIPLkNBPsVaTcVv8Wgai60Vp_lVTGpM4vXQm_FqzrNJdEba5P-9x-U6vZn4I9D0AI_zuUf2TBOox-kA/s1600/DSC00193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqymwRqhPAJkFXAClCxn0fZwgOMjdBJ_y1SNqFaQPSEXrrg_V6OTosSFQLeTri3mIPLkNBPsVaTcVv8Wgai60Vp_lVTGpM4vXQm_FqzrNJdEba5P-9x-U6vZn4I9D0AI_zuUf2TBOox-kA/s1600/DSC00193.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And in the distance we start seeing the immensity of the Himalayas.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0ImicRxa7JtI_e60L0cvuwyw45F781jR0QpCeut1vnRAsQE_ID243UofoOdwnxkqPD0FB-muAkqnMC_jAUvXINc-l6Kq8VzNaA8WU0gYk486_ucARNuNcO7KqAzvZ_ihghKN4JxbCApj/s1600/DSC00202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0ImicRxa7JtI_e60L0cvuwyw45F781jR0QpCeut1vnRAsQE_ID243UofoOdwnxkqPD0FB-muAkqnMC_jAUvXINc-l6Kq8VzNaA8WU0gYk486_ucARNuNcO7KqAzvZ_ihghKN4JxbCApj/s1600/DSC00202.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The downward landing strip of Lukla airport. Scary!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPq-4X4dVq4IM-q3ufUpt7tHmDdV-F7wAKVrpYfMZeGlj7H47TuLyktqfhdPWGRnydv3lqcLfboNUT_riyNcGMMTobMW7kDIyuT9yg5w8ycBlVBv8uo57_OqSWtU83xdaYvpsgmlQs6CKj/s1600/DSC00209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPq-4X4dVq4IM-q3ufUpt7tHmDdV-F7wAKVrpYfMZeGlj7H47TuLyktqfhdPWGRnydv3lqcLfboNUT_riyNcGMMTobMW7kDIyuT9yg5w8ycBlVBv8uo57_OqSWtU83xdaYvpsgmlQs6CKj/s1600/DSC00209.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main street of Lukla.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5V8_T25e5b22pnhvRC0LwvEyJr0mgTQJar6DCs8Or4T9Ne84_dXVLkKxmb74n23r_TdyGIRZvUdDb6wNdf4FIFg4dJLzBtLCP1K7wmOP_W5joIPgZaxMkTAgw4eT21epXmDg-UqEzgFz6/s1600/DSC00236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5V8_T25e5b22pnhvRC0LwvEyJr0mgTQJar6DCs8Or4T9Ne84_dXVLkKxmb74n23r_TdyGIRZvUdDb6wNdf4FIFg4dJLzBtLCP1K7wmOP_W5joIPgZaxMkTAgw4eT21epXmDg-UqEzgFz6/s1600/DSC00236.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the first views of the mountains, on the second day of the trek.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgdQstBOAle0NFPC2nHDtW7YWli5v1LOwWghD4pKX71Xh5Iu_d6_pmU-vbrhYMyMhnDS8BkuOTh5qtrZ55dSH30C1Vf9AwKmz_ZyPW9dAMijiROcNO5gVgdtjBSyjmcaJ0omjGtsP9s6b/s1600/DSC00240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgdQstBOAle0NFPC2nHDtW7YWli5v1LOwWghD4pKX71Xh5Iu_d6_pmU-vbrhYMyMhnDS8BkuOTh5qtrZ55dSH30C1Vf9AwKmz_ZyPW9dAMijiROcNO5gVgdtjBSyjmcaJ0omjGtsP9s6b/s1600/DSC00240.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many dal bhats of the trip.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGGmbKm7uMlt6Q5vzsV2_-bLsz0GO90lAlnCYnj6D2d0mY5XrB0fFZ30sT2MLVf1yp8Zj7779ifQwmTNDr3VBRoRkKXEDzZ6mAELdQ1wQxm5c6LGxGH0aoNzBanPhYx7OqhfmLSQ3jRgH/s1600/DSC00245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGGmbKm7uMlt6Q5vzsV2_-bLsz0GO90lAlnCYnj6D2d0mY5XrB0fFZ30sT2MLVf1yp8Zj7779ifQwmTNDr3VBRoRkKXEDzZ6mAELdQ1wQxm5c6LGxGH0aoNzBanPhYx7OqhfmLSQ3jRgH/s1600/DSC00245.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The famous double bridges on the way to Namche Bazaar. </td></tr>
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So, we begin walking towards Phakding, our first stop, and the first thing I notice is the demographics on the trail: mostly people the age of my parents and a little younger. I thought this was pretty awesome, all this active older people, cuz you don´t see that much in Brazil. So I hoped that when I stop climbing and settle down, I´ll be like that. I scouted the crowds to see if I could identify any other climbers, but aside from two spanish "boys" I saw at our hotel the day we left, we were the youngest and only climber-looking people. That can be either a good sign, or a bad sign.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSe4Dzw4dpNhlLttUvijcOr4dRDT_ftzqXU8YwPHSuW_qvkHigqDtXA-FhvXgnygwga8moTei3Oi_cgdovmWGZ3xj6XiJ46-LM09IDXeFk65vTB3j_zcmUJWaAs3GNM_H6DCnVu-Q6L_U/s1600/DSC00260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSe4Dzw4dpNhlLttUvijcOr4dRDT_ftzqXU8YwPHSuW_qvkHigqDtXA-FhvXgnygwga8moTei3Oi_cgdovmWGZ3xj6XiJ46-LM09IDXeFk65vTB3j_zcmUJWaAs3GNM_H6DCnVu-Q6L_U/s1600/DSC00260.JPG" height="139" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Namche Bazaar, a jewel in the Khumbu valley.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZqMOdDp4rG-hM_iTHOjUDBaeulIIIEXm0TDa8blsmIWv7D7rzqqykfjduu9soXsaAPLEiqIRgdhC_YWbo7qXketsefrm1-KSWONSrsa-kXx98hWpxf_1XTqVMMp3BjdTV_gf_jUdQGpe/s1600/DSC00275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZqMOdDp4rG-hM_iTHOjUDBaeulIIIEXm0TDa8blsmIWv7D7rzqqykfjduu9soXsaAPLEiqIRgdhC_YWbo7qXketsefrm1-KSWONSrsa-kXx98hWpxf_1XTqVMMp3BjdTV_gf_jUdQGpe/s1600/DSC00275.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our frst view of our main objective. Nuptse´s south face sits on the left.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJqhVgsv7G71_0xGq7cd9nvONqtGE7Evy62n5hsjx8q10O1Ev9ZQx9Y8n5xMee6vBThp3Ju4jF-ll5TNsYI9w7tJarbgNCUNp_UKd70KWshHxC6kpqUXVjQyea-CmR695v4WvsvJiFeGX/s1600/DSC00293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJqhVgsv7G71_0xGq7cd9nvONqtGE7Evy62n5hsjx8q10O1Ev9ZQx9Y8n5xMee6vBThp3Ju4jF-ll5TNsYI9w7tJarbgNCUNp_UKd70KWshHxC6kpqUXVjQyea-CmR695v4WvsvJiFeGX/s1600/DSC00293.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yak chapati!</td></tr>
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<br />
So we spent a night in Phakding, then two nights in Namche Bazaar. In our rest day in Namche we went to a viewpoint where we had our first views of Ama Dablam and its open arms that look like they´re ready to hug you, as well as Everest, Nupte and Lhotse. Then we headed to Khumjung, another village where we visited a budhist monastery that had a very interesting relic: the scalp of the Yeti. Seriously. And you had to make a donation to see it, and we happily did. Then we went to visit the Hillary school, founded by Sir Edmund Hillary and nowadays maintained by donations of several mountaineering associations from around the world. It was in Namche that R. started presenting some altitude symptons such as a persistant migraine, and eventually coughing and some chest pain.<br />
<br />
After Namche we headed to Pangboche, then Dingboche, and Chukkung, where we ascended Chukking Ri, a small "hill" of 5550 m, as acclimatization for Island Peak. These two days were under snow storms, the same that hit the Annapurna region and killed and stranded several trekkers. Fortunately in the Everest region they were just uncomfortable. From that summit we had a super close look at the face that impressed me the most in the valley: the south face of Nuptse.<br />
The following day at noon we headed to Island Peak base camp. Because of the snow storm everything was completly covered and it felt as if we either were much higher than we actually were, or were in the north pole. I confess it has been the first time I´ve seen snow covering absolutely everything around us.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeyUygQy2uVIUiEdL3SygFygzd83F2LFk-rkVgILxXz8f4RkcufoKOM53mO4O5llFljZQu03FyMDmry53SUzwoV0MCtxP1e-tjgPoipmxmfNKs1JV_tIh0H_y7Q6Pa4b5V-qFLycFBib3o/s1600/DSC00425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeyUygQy2uVIUiEdL3SygFygzd83F2LFk-rkVgILxXz8f4RkcufoKOM53mO4O5llFljZQu03FyMDmry53SUzwoV0MCtxP1e-tjgPoipmxmfNKs1JV_tIh0H_y7Q6Pa4b5V-qFLycFBib3o/s1600/DSC00425.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arriving in Islan Peak base camp.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdEhec-QqdBfdeetO9EBz2XYh3ZCYcJSoqWzicZvMj5xA6xJO2Wveg8AaicuWGSAlv2cY7pDe0NHY9kUS2NEQ0dthfjARY8T17MgY0mkdoh0_5b80T90PF7mvIWOvY9zFjgQUbYEWLup9/s1600/DSC00379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdEhec-QqdBfdeetO9EBz2XYh3ZCYcJSoqWzicZvMj5xA6xJO2Wveg8AaicuWGSAlv2cY7pDe0NHY9kUS2NEQ0dthfjARY8T17MgY0mkdoh0_5b80T90PF7mvIWOvY9zFjgQUbYEWLup9/s1600/DSC00379.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bleak and beautiful landscape on the way to Island Peak base camp. Nuptse is on the left, and Island Peak can be seen a little to the right.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFldxZm3gDvKUOZZ3Es0T8GrRds17P-1gJFhJKUbHgrfMUXz8oeECgld85VIohiohnf7sGlGmZeMGq17QsEIhd_j-XDqGbDyiA21hMVgacdSiRht7vhPRTTdGRC4Neys8J1JixPh-ErIvO/s1600/DSC00385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFldxZm3gDvKUOZZ3Es0T8GrRds17P-1gJFhJKUbHgrfMUXz8oeECgld85VIohiohnf7sGlGmZeMGq17QsEIhd_j-XDqGbDyiA21hMVgacdSiRht7vhPRTTdGRC4Neys8J1JixPh-ErIvO/s1600/DSC00385.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myself and our sirdar Raj on the way to Chukkung.</td></tr>
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<br />
<h2>
ISLAND PEAK, 6189 m</h2>
After a few hours walking we arrived in base camp, at around 5100 m. R. was slowly getting worse although insisting it wasn´t altitude sickness. Even though he was taking medication, the headache wouldn´t go away and the cough was ever present. I feared we´d start the route the next day and turn around shorty after.<br />
<br />
In the same eating tent as us was a spanish couple on honeymoon, and a japanese client who´d never been to a moutain before. I envied her brand new gaitered boots. I always wondered what these people´s reactions would be if I suggested they donated their boots to a poor climber like me after they were done. I´ll do that someday. Mine were worse than in the Blanca this year, and I was afraid they wouldn´t make it to Ama Dablam. But I woudn´t think of that now. Anyways, I tried talking to some people and some sherpas about the route, as I would to to any climber in a climbing area normally, but the clients were mostly unable to give good info and the sherpas simply would turn their back on me, which gave me the impression they kinda wanted payment for the info. Anyways, I went by myself to check the beginning of the route, came back, had dinner, got all the equipment sorted out, went to bed.<br />
<br />
We got up at 1 h, had breakfast and set out about an hour later. Some people were already pretty high up on the route when we started. I´d say 80% of the route is actually switchbacking on an easy moraine with the eventual scramble, quite boring, until we reach the glacier. R. was walking on a good pace but stopping several times with worsening symptoms. I asked a few times if he really wanted to go up, and although I knew it wasn´t the best idea, it´s hard to convince a grown up adult of certain things.<br />
<br />
We reached the glacier and roped up. In front of us a rope tem of 8 and in front of them a rope team of 6. The glacier is quite straight forward with very visible crevasses and just one steep step. When we got to the bottom of the headwall there was quite a lot of people in the fixed ropes already. Our initial plan was to simul climb it because it is not that steep, but with R. being so weak and dizzy, and not wanting to turn around, I felt it´d be safer to put him on belay. So I started the climb taking care not to get in the way of the fixed ropes too much. Still, a few people almost rapelled butt first on my face even though I warned them I was standing bellow, and some sherpas did not like us climbing there at all. While leading the fourth pitch and yet to place a picket for protection, one of them actually started pulling my rope because it crossed over the fixed ropes - even though I did so not to get in the way of the clients once they got to the summit ridge. It´s really annoying climbing with a lot of people, even worse if it´s a bunch of ignorant and/or inexperienced clients and sherpas. Yes, sherpas, because they don´t seem to have many climbing skills.<br />
<br />
This last pitch, out of 4, led us to the summit ridge where I set up belay and brought R. up. From there he went to the summit first where he anchored himself and I left this anchor in place for rapelling down on the way back. The summit was pretty crowded, and people didn´t seem to realize that more people were coming in and the earlier ones should leave after a while... but oh well, we managed to take some pictures and admire the beauties around us. Nuptse´s south face kept smiling at me, and I confess it is one of the most impressive walls I have ever seen, if not the most impressive. I knew Jason Kruk was attempting it and I kept thinking how that was going.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBDnd-hafN6yXxRjmIaDE2k5-bnVArmlixI54oRpbczCQJ3wys5bi_1wRuB8INm5wOsoacsz4a5iwwwn6QbYrPtggZCMJOyyCALMZrMzM8qiW_wH1bGcg9Lf7SpvN0idQxunvP4UO01sE/s1600/DSC00426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBDnd-hafN6yXxRjmIaDE2k5-bnVArmlixI54oRpbczCQJ3wys5bi_1wRuB8INm5wOsoacsz4a5iwwwn6QbYrPtggZCMJOyyCALMZrMzM8qiW_wH1bGcg9Lf7SpvN0idQxunvP4UO01sE/s1600/DSC00426.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah! On the summit! Pointing to our next objective.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Rgw2qRJCa7dpVkfUS1QQTn-oTC2V5O9Jx_lb5xePMkMXkEgzv5W0CK9XtuivXmW9UupbvslhhSssTGqw0LJsp92IYVf_AQxKbhJX56-Sk1RoW3PHFcLGVB4Ql7l0blR1WkhmARqy0W1J/s1600/DSC00428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Rgw2qRJCa7dpVkfUS1QQTn-oTC2V5O9Jx_lb5xePMkMXkEgzv5W0CK9XtuivXmW9UupbvslhhSssTGqw0LJsp92IYVf_AQxKbhJX56-Sk1RoW3PHFcLGVB4Ql7l0blR1WkhmARqy0W1J/s1600/DSC00428.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The south view from the summit, with Ama Dablam in the distance.</td></tr>
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<br />
So I broke my altitude record with this summit. I was feeling strong, well acclimitized and able. R. was not, and so we began our descent. I don´t know what was going on on him during that part, but he messed up all the rappels and I had to re-set them, which took us quite a long time. At the base of the wall he was feeling apparently so bad that he could hardly stand up. I guess I had a taste for what it´s like being a guide with a completely incapable client, because that was the situation at the moment. I got pretty angry at times because obviously he shouldn´t be there in that state, and more than one person had been telling him that for days. It was dangerous for him and for myself, but thankfully we got out of the mountain without any major incidents. I´d say that climbed free this is an AD route, somewhat similar to Yanapaccha, in Peru.<br />
<br />
Once on base camp we ate a bit and headed back to Chukkung under another snow storm. As we went, I started feeling really tired. Although not physically challenging, this was a climb that was very draining mentally because of R.´s health, or lack thereof. We were supposed to head to Ama Dablam base camp next day but I was decided to have a rest day. I was also decided to have a very serious conversation with R. about the climb we had, and how that wouldn´t work on Ama Dablam. That turned out to not be necessary though: during breakfast he told me he was giving up. I felt relief for him finally admitting to himself he was sick and should have descended already. Felt relief also for not having to go through the same situation on a much harder mountain, but also quite worried, for now I´d have to climb Ama Dablam alone.<br />
<br />
<h2>
AMA DABLAM, 6812 m</h2>
We decided to rest on Pangboche because it is at a much lower altitude than Chukkung, and that would be good for everyone. On the following day Raj would drop me off at base camp, and R. wanted to tag along to check it, and then head back to Namche with Raj. We arrived on BC on October 20th. Raj introduced me to the group: Lhakpa, the sherpa leader, Karma the cook, Stohan, the permit leader, and two germans, Christopher - who had lost all fingers on his hands on a climb on Dhaulagiri - and Zepp. Neither spoke much english, if any. Also around were Andy and Darko, a german and slovenian. They were all on their 60s, and were all expedition climbers, most having been in 8000 m before, expedition style.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4Unui41GvvsnbGHNL4nPAn0DNTLY3bZC2UQnhzMCbkXht7iM9ylpJnZOmlKcyaC5HVQAh34mmhii-CGXMv6JP1cR83Ss80NEwItGbbsg_J40z4lUmvSqCQish32MGFP6N7Imub8zZLLw/s1600/DSC00442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4Unui41GvvsnbGHNL4nPAn0DNTLY3bZC2UQnhzMCbkXht7iM9ylpJnZOmlKcyaC5HVQAh34mmhii-CGXMv6JP1cR83Ss80NEwItGbbsg_J40z4lUmvSqCQish32MGFP6N7Imub8zZLLw/s1600/DSC00442.JPG" height="140" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The base camp from my tent. Quite a city.</td></tr>
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<br />
I felt quite weird with the whole atmosphere of the "expedition", the size of the tents, the exaggerations, the amount of food and comfort... especially me, used to climb with my Black Diamond Firstligh which is super small. In any case, that was the BC situation only, and from there up it´d be all as it always is.<br />
<br />
While Raj talked some bureaucratic issues with the sherpas, I noticed one of the spanish boys was in the base camp right next to us. So I couldn´t help it, and went there to introduce myself. It was Alfonso, and soon his partner Dani joined us thinking I was spanish as well. Tell had arrived several days earlier and done some carries to C1, and were telling of several absurdities that were going on, especially because them, as I, had no climbing sherpa, no westerng guide, no porter, no money: fixed ropes had just been put up and people were already summiting, a guy had to be rescued for injuring himself on a boulder in base camping while learning to jumar, a woman was injured on a fall in between C1 and C2, and the worse, there was sort of a black market going on, negotiating tent space and tent use on all camps. That is to say, there was no space for new tents in any of the camps except for ABC, and even though most of them were empty most of the time, if you wanted to sleep in them, you´d have to pay. They got offered a tent on C3 for US$ 150 dollars, and later on I got offered a tent on C2 for US$ 100. We all refused happily saying we had very small tents that could pretty much be pitched anywhere. Even though there is a serious space problem, most groups use those huge North Face Mountain 25 tents and similar even on C2, and sometimes as individual tents.<br />
<br />
Well, from the moment R. told me he wasn´t going, I didn´t hesitate in going alone. My biggest fears were actually regarding the cold because my equipment isn´t that good (and I´m Brazilian, so, I´ll never be able to withstand too much cold, it´s genetics), have some serious altitude problem higher up in the mountain, and... have to deal with inexperienced clients who could cause trouble and put in risk the safety of others, in this case, me. Aside from that, I was very confident on my technical skills, feeling strong and well acclimated. I´d have to use the fixed ropes now (originally we were going to climb alpine), so technically speaking it wouldn´t be (that) hard.<br />
<br />
So I made a plan: because I´d be carrying all my stuff myself, I´d go to advanced base camp (5400 m) first, than C1 (5800 m), then I´d do a long day and camp on C3 (6300 m) due to lack of space on C2, have a short summit day, and then descend everything. The spanish boys had a similar plan, but they´d skip ABC, and they would leave a day before I did. So we agreed I´d use their tent on C1 and bring it down with me when I was done.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ryDXOXTk5VfHCQYdah2yv0inUClAgO5KnRJRpCqd8ijMPdkE2PUUN62ueUc71mvrryEtAbXbX7CyDW6wDouZn-Lz2L1tzAw5vpysISC03m_zfQHTkRcswkhVbD6yU13jM6HWRhdH72LD/s1600/DSC00472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ryDXOXTk5VfHCQYdah2yv0inUClAgO5KnRJRpCqd8ijMPdkE2PUUN62ueUc71mvrryEtAbXbX7CyDW6wDouZn-Lz2L1tzAw5vpysISC03m_zfQHTkRcswkhVbD6yU13jM6HWRhdH72LD/s1600/DSC00472.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carrying the load to camp 1, at around 5700 m. I hope I never have to do this again but I know I will.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9VpKdIS6rjooOifiOx-BFSndsKH-JhZaHu5bRSg6OHDYtHAZMdi6nJpOlly4gjxl3LZIP0_gCX2yBBnDKumBdskK2kyxADnSBQq039mdCR3qO5mUyDkcuj2WYSmaXFdWtmsD_kKw5RTH/s1600/DSC00475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9VpKdIS6rjooOifiOx-BFSndsKH-JhZaHu5bRSg6OHDYtHAZMdi6nJpOlly4gjxl3LZIP0_gCX2yBBnDKumBdskK2kyxADnSBQq039mdCR3qO5mUyDkcuj2WYSmaXFdWtmsD_kKw5RTH/s1600/DSC00475.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Advanced base camp in the distance, a welcome sight.</td></tr>
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<br />
So after setting up a strategy of collaboration with the boys, I went for a walk around BC, observing the whole expedition circus, over the top apartment-like tents and shiny new equipment. I questioned my decision of chosing this specific mountain, as I already did not felt welcome. Sort of like, "yes you can climb this commercial mountain, but not your way, and it you wanna do it your way, you have to go somewhere else". In a way, this mountain is private property. The sherpas and their incessant gossiping and dropping in on other people´s conversations (thankfully they don´t understand spanish), had radioed the entire camp and soon enough I had sherpas all over me asking me where my climbing sherpa was, who was my guide, my porter, how come I was going up alone, as if I was doing something subversive. Dani and Alfonso had already gone through the sherpa rage, so they told me to get used to it.<br />
<br />
All this just made me want to finish this climb as soon as possible, and gave me a strong longing for true alpine climbing. But I was there already, the mountain is gorgeous and it´s not its fault that this mess is going on. So the next day I left for ABC with about 26 kg on my back. As I was leaving, a helicopter arrived to drop the body of an american who had fallen to his death after the ropes "broke" between C1 and C2. Nice view and very engouraging for someone in my situation, but I was firm on my stance to climb it and I´d rather see the ropes with my own eyes and make my own conclusions (clients were saying they were very bad) than believe the opinion of people who probably never saw a proper climbing rope before. I know this sounds arrogant, but my experience when meeting guided people tells me they tend to exaggerate things a lot.<br />
<br />
Román, a spanish guide whom I met in Kathmandu through a mutual friend, had arrived on my rest day and was going up to set up camp with two clients in ABC on the same day as I. They obvisouly ascended much quickler and on their way down allowed me to use their already set up tent for the night. This was a hard day, it took me 4h30 to go from 4600 m to 5400 m, which pretty much equals my highest carry but with less weight (thanks to a super light weight backpack, Mountain Hardwear´s South Col 70, highly recommended). So this battle was won, but next day´s battle worried me more, because I´d be going to 5800 m, and I wasn´t sure I could make it. 5800 m is almost a Kilimanjaro! But I focused on a good pace for my steps and went very slow, until finally, after 3h30, I made it to C1. There was one free spot on the bottom of the camp, but it was "reserved" (seriously), so I kept going up towards the spanish´ tent, and nearby I found a platform where my tent would fit perfectly. I spent quite some time preparing it (it had a lot of snow in it), and after setting up camp, just sat to relax. I was pretty tired and feeling some pain on my back from a lesion I had this past July, exactly for carrying too much weight. So I decided to have a rest day there, since the next two days would both be very long.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAiJb8N9cjNJViY5Na38a6ghZKIkQZxgAFhsodj98dv-2M3rB5osqxscSAiUioE3sOCZy08zmU8B2tVAH-1f_xT1qh2Iw2Gqzl94rWqcEpzNxLL2Tq7oOxMbhTkQNxbdLaYgband6T6jJ/s1600/DSC00485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAiJb8N9cjNJViY5Na38a6ghZKIkQZxgAFhsodj98dv-2M3rB5osqxscSAiUioE3sOCZy08zmU8B2tVAH-1f_xT1qh2Iw2Gqzl94rWqcEpzNxLL2Tq7oOxMbhTkQNxbdLaYgband6T6jJ/s1600/DSC00485.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is camp 1. Camp 2 was even worse.</td></tr>
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So I was sitting there taking pictures and doing nothing when I see Alfonso coming in through the passage that leads to the route to C2. I ran towards him asking about the summit, and he told me that in fact they did a carry to C2, for Alfonso was having a persistent headache everytime he left BC, and they did not know whether to go for the summit or do another rotation. As adviced, having a larger experience in altitude, I told him it wouldn´t get better if he went down to BC and that if he had no other symptoms he should just shoot for the summit. In any case, I told them I was having a rest day and then heading up. In 15 minutes of chat we decided to go up together. Whoa! I went from going up alone to going up with the coolest people in camp in the shortest period of time and I did not see this coming. But then we decided to change plans. Since they had been to C2 they told me there was no more room for tents, and camping in C3 was definatily not in the plans because of exposure to the serac. Their plan was to bivouac in C2, going up and going down. I promptly agree, and started preparing myself psychologically for the deed.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicmYxmIBisbfF83LfwHiW6uggZCLAalDeMsOmbVihXi6DzqZ4iMhWLhyphenhyphenw-fMNuwfrGQGjxfaS-3OQuhAMtHDMyjHGh8J5BkNUZWqxVsRp7boqOSWUv0uiynShKc8gCaTqLX14ADETLKeCO/s1600/DSC00496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicmYxmIBisbfF83LfwHiW6uggZCLAalDeMsOmbVihXi6DzqZ4iMhWLhyphenhyphenw-fMNuwfrGQGjxfaS-3OQuhAMtHDMyjHGh8J5BkNUZWqxVsRp7boqOSWUv0uiynShKc8gCaTqLX14ADETLKeCO/s1600/DSC00496.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view from high up on camp 1.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19biejcyfh5LTKSrwEi9r1Pjjdj0igdbAW_EaledyAU61tZd8UY0mpS8EpudQ_UroRf39_k1cUlL3faukxLAZT9pdjzJJFtc9iCJHsnAdBm2W1HFU2Df2mxG-eLsK1FplMBVhCc3_pij5/s1600/DSC00503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19biejcyfh5LTKSrwEi9r1Pjjdj0igdbAW_EaledyAU61tZd8UY0mpS8EpudQ_UroRf39_k1cUlL3faukxLAZT9pdjzJJFtc9iCJHsnAdBm2W1HFU2Df2mxG-eLsK1FplMBVhCc3_pij5/s1600/DSC00503.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from my tent.</td></tr>
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At 9 in the morning the next day we left for C2. This is definately one of the prettiest parts of the route, and mostly on rock - mainly some dihedrals, some traverses, and a few exposed snow ridges. Once you leave C1 you walk on snow for a while until you reach some rocky traverses, to finally reach the first two dihedrals, probably around 5.6. Much easier to climb them instead of pulling yourself on the fixed ropes as the sherpas and most of the clients do. And it´s a beautiful section. After that a very short, almost overhang 5.9 dihedral (hard to overcome with a heavy pack), some ridges, and then finally the Yellow Tower, which is another beautiful climb at around 5.8. From there, some more snow ridges and then we finally arrive at C2. After the accident, a catalan group replaced the korean ropes with Beal ones, so rope quality here was pretty good.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3B966JcG-SckzuYrqGMnRewsitTU04Dk2VJtzyfYU6TFFxluhyphenhyphen2NB9poQZ7l46XZLqoKwrSCfRB80F8g4ENFst29F-GTApoHcxrA_SJLX0SKFnLI3DujgUX74iIdTCJ-nJs4z2f-lFhFs/s1600/DSC00488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3B966JcG-SckzuYrqGMnRewsitTU04Dk2VJtzyfYU6TFFxluhyphenhyphen2NB9poQZ7l46XZLqoKwrSCfRB80F8g4ENFst29F-GTApoHcxrA_SJLX0SKFnLI3DujgUX74iIdTCJ-nJs4z2f-lFhFs/s1600/DSC00488.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A closer view of the upper part of the route, between camp 2.7 and camp 3.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDYKNWdOcx674Y1j0uXOMlaUGjIfPSJSHhuKd3E3Vw-IC4Q9BxUogogjF4munoaYGzVFMQCGE1RGk6OMFueGJIdwMHl1Xmr9sGxSi27N4g1UtDxWnoj0UGBKt8q2PSKTN6Ga2fc4WQYN4/s1600/DSC00485c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDYKNWdOcx674Y1j0uXOMlaUGjIfPSJSHhuKd3E3Vw-IC4Q9BxUogogjF4munoaYGzVFMQCGE1RGk6OMFueGJIdwMHl1Xmr9sGxSi27N4g1UtDxWnoj0UGBKt8q2PSKTN6Ga2fc4WQYN4/s1600/DSC00485c.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myself and Dani approaching the Yellow Tower.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7fQcuuVxmAZbTfC0McH-BeIKfrF68KkoS9KJdbbgHylKNm1g3h1fImD_Er1jhmG0x7B-buWY4ZW2V8esI3R7t0tzp_IWI5nc8c9xY1cDe9HTEDNLcCc5WyL9kpSuFP-F95AZLSl64vNlY/s1600/DSC00485b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7fQcuuVxmAZbTfC0McH-BeIKfrF68KkoS9KJdbbgHylKNm1g3h1fImD_Er1jhmG0x7B-buWY4ZW2V8esI3R7t0tzp_IWI5nc8c9xY1cDe9HTEDNLcCc5WyL9kpSuFP-F95AZLSl64vNlY/s1600/DSC00485b.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myself on one of the earlier traverses after leaving camp 1 to camp 2.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83dURfvAAmnj4F3_u8RidTdFusp38hGLPLa7oKueLNfR69zTy0BMh9jZ_1S1PgIiNNqB9Zv0i6KyqII08B8FeBnTRifbS9Z02EiNEDWPN1L3YO3GToYUq5OLLQi7UwejLM-5uCeNB1xHD/s1600/DSC00518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83dURfvAAmnj4F3_u8RidTdFusp38hGLPLa7oKueLNfR69zTy0BMh9jZ_1S1PgIiNNqB9Zv0i6KyqII08B8FeBnTRifbS9Z02EiNEDWPN1L3YO3GToYUq5OLLQi7UwejLM-5uCeNB1xHD/s1600/DSC00518.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beginning of the route towards camp 2.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8I-vFs9hRnyNdzYG54Lb8Kqz_StKpbhqpVZMjvbZIA3rtXWaeQtM3qil6WrRz0NtJVGTQR4R57pQDI4LWrvhgHer9QJDqOh1XneLD-ejkV_2WfxlDj8qAYtwbwuuA1R1qSXUQfq4pe-C/s1600/DSC00526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8I-vFs9hRnyNdzYG54Lb8Kqz_StKpbhqpVZMjvbZIA3rtXWaeQtM3qil6WrRz0NtJVGTQR4R57pQDI4LWrvhgHer9QJDqOh1XneLD-ejkV_2WfxlDj8qAYtwbwuuA1R1qSXUQfq4pe-C/s1600/DSC00526.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the dihedrals of the route between camp 1 and 2.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHk_4WGGri6GdiRCqS7TJxgtDElHvi6bMd6M85BvRZfLlUA8P3ddCF2BVCXK3ipWCVFOdtkPKQ2Uy06jVGBRRhPR2A64DmSougOaEeF9Awp1h5lec2ZvE2zSjqPMQ7UT5ia70HgAJWwJl-/s1600/DSC00544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHk_4WGGri6GdiRCqS7TJxgtDElHvi6bMd6M85BvRZfLlUA8P3ddCF2BVCXK3ipWCVFOdtkPKQ2Uy06jVGBRRhPR2A64DmSougOaEeF9Awp1h5lec2ZvE2zSjqPMQ7UT5ia70HgAJWwJl-/s1600/DSC00544.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dani and Alfonso approaching camp 2 in between the clouds, around 6200 m.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGEpKbBNowO4c4Ef6pggn-61OO1zYuKttG-KrWAdN-R4YcM_mtgR1wiJh9mdgTF1-uI0Qkq375iGuzzgITxBe9_iqI9Y_UNlLZcCWkkn3SaOLsmvy09CItOiprHqe351QJuttDydccTBS/s1600/DSC00546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGEpKbBNowO4c4Ef6pggn-61OO1zYuKttG-KrWAdN-R4YcM_mtgR1wiJh9mdgTF1-uI0Qkq375iGuzzgITxBe9_iqI9Y_UNlLZcCWkkn3SaOLsmvy09CItOiprHqe351QJuttDydccTBS/s1600/DSC00546.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A look down at one of the exposed ridges before reaching camp 2.</td></tr>
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<b>C2: this garbage and feces dump.</b> You can smell the stink from afar. And once you get there, it is revolting to see the amount of litter, food leftovers and other nasty things. Considering that most of the people that climb this mountain have a pretty good financial standing in life, this is pretty sad.<br />
As expected, C2 didn´t have room for any more tents. So, Dani, Alfonso and I arrived, organized some gear and just sat there looking sorry and waiting for night to arrive. Surprisingly, Tenzing, one of the climbing sherpas for the germans, radiod base camp and got us permission to use one of the empty tents. For a split second I wondered what kind of favor would be expected in exchange for this gesture, but that didn´t last much. We happily jumped in and started cooking dinner and melting some water. Outside the other group was discussing which time they´d leave in the morning and we decided to leave after them so they´d get the ice out of the ropes for us.<br />
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Summit day, 2 a.m.: we got up, melted some water, and ate some energy bars. We left a bit before 3 a.m., which was a wrong decision and quite late: right after the first traverse after C2 there´s a long vertical section and the germans were already holding us up there. We kept seeing the Beal ropes the catalans installed here, which was a relief.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3t6UFNSFivUv4V8WY5lGUV6rHHl14D_5udo0qSzVxl9MMvLPah3SY8ztEAPE0o0_YDjuH4xUqtEx-_7b1TqmsUiE6-okAnClJ5AwR9crICM83zdIyMCVDI84XVPjy0ulj9AFAsi6qnOSL/s1600/DSC00548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3t6UFNSFivUv4V8WY5lGUV6rHHl14D_5udo0qSzVxl9MMvLPah3SY8ztEAPE0o0_YDjuH4xUqtEx-_7b1TqmsUiE6-okAnClJ5AwR9crICM83zdIyMCVDI84XVPjy0ulj9AFAsi6qnOSL/s1600/DSC00548.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrising on the Himalayas. A special moment never to be forgotten.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUreeQmtREg1V3APrkx22xUAeO1H7RNH_P0Ijr0cYzp-h_FYP2zy-70Rzj2oHFEkwqfHL-x3e_-ZZsZc2AKTF6oXxj-pwwdKxTiJAMWxwjjc_qzebx4Ersp8vVdPRCQhDw5D4KG0Ne6Ys/s1600/DSC00552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUreeQmtREg1V3APrkx22xUAeO1H7RNH_P0Ijr0cYzp-h_FYP2zy-70Rzj2oHFEkwqfHL-x3e_-ZZsZc2AKTF6oXxj-pwwdKxTiJAMWxwjjc_qzebx4Ersp8vVdPRCQhDw5D4KG0Ne6Ys/s1600/DSC00552.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alfonso looks up... yes, there´s still a lot to go.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighDxYJtj5YCY2TfXAfvWH2yp8Gej65TWcLwZTGG-1U1Wcz5LWn8n3w-oeE1uLHH7GWP2IzXkM2pg9mI76cBdPX6L3wak2bOPMqgvfWDDmaKt1TZAwfvHfORZiCMo19bXoBoQ-2ri6UdpK/s1600/DSC00548b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighDxYJtj5YCY2TfXAfvWH2yp8Gej65TWcLwZTGG-1U1Wcz5LWn8n3w-oeE1uLHH7GWP2IzXkM2pg9mI76cBdPX6L3wak2bOPMqgvfWDDmaKt1TZAwfvHfORZiCMo19bXoBoQ-2ri6UdpK/s1600/DSC00548b.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buttshot on one of the very vertical pitches of the route.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglh0CzLvL8gRpz-cBCYecYlqsTNAlJBP6NZDjvC_KNVf8oLtkrBbOcmUBcuqGeVofDhh_Oc4wHx9dXXbvDKctBP19oLl8HkbVIRBMGicRm0Mirze8O1dEZPQzgcr-hPSxOBwg5xx7F6RuJ/s1600/DSC00548c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglh0CzLvL8gRpz-cBCYecYlqsTNAlJBP6NZDjvC_KNVf8oLtkrBbOcmUBcuqGeVofDhh_Oc4wHx9dXXbvDKctBP19oLl8HkbVIRBMGicRm0Mirze8O1dEZPQzgcr-hPSxOBwg5xx7F6RuJ/s1600/DSC00548c.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The few traverses were very much like this, very exposed, aeriel, hard to place protection.</td></tr>
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For the most part, before reaching the bottom of the C3 serac, the route is a vertical mix of ice and rock, with traverses on snow in between. With the sun rising, we reached camp 2.7, around 6200 m, with three tents pitched under a serac and some pretty big icicles. I don´t know whose idea was this but I´d never sleep here. After this spot, there´s another long, pretty technical and vertical section and here were the germans holding us up again. From here till the top of the C3 serac lies the most technical ice/snow sections, one of them being an overhang and the only moment I really used my ice axe and wish I had both of them with me. This is one of the most exposed parts of the route, with seracs on top of you the entire time. As much as you want to climb as fast as possible, you´re way over 6000 m and it is not easy at all. Honestly, if I was in another range I´d hardly be climbing a route with this much objective danger. I don´t think most clients have an idea of how dangerous this route is.<br />
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Dani was speeding ahead and passed the slovenian and his climbing sherpa. Alfonso was coming behind, complaining about some headache and dizziness, asking me to keep an eye on him. So we kept checking on each other for most of the route.<br />
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After we gain the C3 plateau, we reach the only flat part of the route. Because the slovenian and his sherpa were right in front of us and this too, is a very exposed section (right under the huge serac, the "Dablam"), I decided to stop and wait a little bit for them to move, so that if we got stuck waiting it wouldn´t be right under it. Alfonso joined me, we ate some chocolate and drank the last drops of our waters.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjr8qBaFsW517bIHTe-ycvZLReKrlEr366iMt5bcDGqQ06W5kZu-Vy66rvs0BPE9aGLcoVYHmTHDlKQySOZgkrfCZE6gge4Z3afKhVPd6eDzPlEQ8Lmz8KqHvi9qkpVkH1OWbctDqRHWRY/s1600/DSC00554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjr8qBaFsW517bIHTe-ycvZLReKrlEr366iMt5bcDGqQ06W5kZu-Vy66rvs0BPE9aGLcoVYHmTHDlKQySOZgkrfCZE6gge4Z3afKhVPd6eDzPlEQ8Lmz8KqHvi9qkpVkH1OWbctDqRHWRY/s1600/DSC00554.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dani awaits near camp 2.7, at around 6200 m, while the germans ascend some of the most technical and vertical pitches of the route. Would you sleep here? Not me!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAMvRYqUHNlQpW42LJnM0Jg_mhdjzvgAYTBPXXxzbgDXNvrkkffp5K3eKfM5CB7zsC7t_CJl_OEjPfXEhLu905Xvsnw_HU7DcKrweRAXgUEtP6UoIaaCYp0UczZFrBNNWbw0ygiIx_oa3/s1600/DSC00555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAMvRYqUHNlQpW42LJnM0Jg_mhdjzvgAYTBPXXxzbgDXNvrkkffp5K3eKfM5CB7zsC7t_CJl_OEjPfXEhLu905Xvsnw_HU7DcKrweRAXgUEtP6UoIaaCYp0UczZFrBNNWbw0ygiIx_oa3/s1600/DSC00555.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alfonso nearing the camp 3 plateau.</td></tr>
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<br />
So we crossed a small bergshrund and started the first half of the headwall, at 60 degrees, with huge steps caved in. Another steep short sections with some technical climbing and we´re finally above the giant serac, having close to 200 m of climbing to do. At this point we´re already exhausted: for every 6 steps I would stop and count to 60 so that my heart rate would go down and I´d catch some breath. I was super thristy and did no exitate to eat snow, which actually helped me a lot.<br />
<br />
Soon enough we saw Lhakpa descending with Christopher and Zepp with some strange knots... it wasn´t a rappel neither was he lowering the two guys, and the boys didn´t understand it either. Alfonso asked me what time I thought it was and I answered that by the sun, it definately was early afternoon. <i>"What do you think?"</i> he asked. <i>"Let´s try to get to the summit!"</i> Alfonso had been supportive the entire climb because I was very tired, so this was my turn to be a good partner. 40 minutes later, we saw Dani looking down and smiling at us: we were few meters away from the summit, and then finally, at the summit!<br />
<br />
I threw myself at the snow at first, but quickly got up to try to take it all in. I couldn´t, and I knew that when this moment came I would not be able to understand it. There were we, less than 200 m from the 7000 m mark, on the highest point of this beautiful peak shaped as a hug. I was in a state of absolute joy, having overcome so many personal boundaries at once. First thing I thought when I got there was how much better prepared for this I was because of the months I spent in the Blanca this year - physically, psychologically, technically. If it wasn´t for everything, good and bad, that happen this season in Peru, I probably wouldn´t be there admiraing the Himalayas from such a priviledged point. <i>"I made it, finally"</i> I thought. I broke the 6000 m barrier twice, and in great style and shape.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTMrYupQt7NhUeAWDtogIGv8p3fTNbixUbuzYogaBqQVLk8koZ79nnYyNVZxlVURPpfVgTdlTPBSmrMqF8l9gEE0Pv0EkcIvb3UnhcE7GY_x5NvmImoBDr3Mi0c2YVxSKn7I3K_dZtjxk/s1600/DSC00555b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTMrYupQt7NhUeAWDtogIGv8p3fTNbixUbuzYogaBqQVLk8koZ79nnYyNVZxlVURPpfVgTdlTPBSmrMqF8l9gEE0Pv0EkcIvb3UnhcE7GY_x5NvmImoBDr3Mi0c2YVxSKn7I3K_dZtjxk/s1600/DSC00555b.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myself some 15 meters away from the summit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLCE5WtUi2H2SH9V7a56NpRY1y8AdIASVQswhhy5I7Otlk7mxyoePbijVDfMdWA28_cb2QLyQud9dnr22wKVshI2xm2AZizmVNmL9dRsdUQat_B7Tolm8YqsAvS3Sb6hnpwcq7-HnO0N1/s1600/DSC00557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLCE5WtUi2H2SH9V7a56NpRY1y8AdIASVQswhhy5I7Otlk7mxyoePbijVDfMdWA28_cb2QLyQud9dnr22wKVshI2xm2AZizmVNmL9dRsdUQat_B7Tolm8YqsAvS3Sb6hnpwcq7-HnO0N1/s1600/DSC00557.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The million dollar shot: myself, Alfonso and Dani, sangre latino on the summit of Ama Dablam, 6812 m. Nuptse, Everest and Lhotse stand on the back.</td></tr>
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It was around 14h30 when we got to the summit. We quickly did everything we had to and in 15 minutes started preparing for the long descent. But as soon as we did so, some of our problems started, and Tenzing put his client on the rope right before us. Problem was, his client (who´s climbed a few 8000 m before) couldn´t rappel. The three of us were stuck in the summit for close to 1h30 begging for this arrogant little sherpa to let us through. I got so pissed at one point that I down climbed the first section to reach Tenzing (the boys didn´t speak english). Eventually Dani passed them, and another 30 minutes later or so, we reached the client by himself, begging for water and food, exhausted and wondering where his sherpa was. Alfonso and I didn´t have anything else, so I told him to eat some snow and I´d be looking for his sherpa, which I found admiring the landscape at the flat section underneath the headwall. I promptly reprimended him for leaving a client in that state by himself. He didn´t care much.<br />
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We kept on descending on the dozens of rapels. Then, right after passing camp 2.7, Alfonso and I had one of those moments only climbers have, and we never get them on camera. The sun was already setting, and the mountains were already a black silloouete against a faint yellow strip weighed on by a gradually dark blue. We sat on an exposed ridge, one leg to each side, to switch batteries on our headlamps. It was cold, we were tired, hungry, thirsty, and just wanted to get to camp. But we sat there as if it was a summer afternoon in a park, as calm as possible, switching the batteries in the slowest possible manner. Then we´d stare at the landscape, and talk almost in a whispering voice, so as to not interfere with the sleep of the stars, that started to pop up as the sky got darker.<br />
<br />
Then we woke up from the trance and realized there were still a million rappels to go. At 20 h we arrived in C2, completely spent. We got space in another tent, this time smaller. This meant we we´d sleep almost on top of each other, I wouldn´t be able to stretch my legs and my pillow was a rock, but anyways, much better than a bivouac. We didn´t have any food anymore aside from some energy bars and chocolate. Gas was enough for a few liters of water so we´d save it for the morning after. I went to sleep super cold and had to put hand warmers in my sleeping bag to warm up my feet. Dani, at 42, was super fit, while Alfonso at 34 and I at 33 were exhausted and had one of the worst nights, or the worse, in the mountains, ever. I spent the following 10 hours awake without being able to even feel sleepy, dreaming about the food I had in C1 and the gas for melting tons of liters of water.<br />
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We got up the next day, melted some water and began descending. In camp the slovenian had arrived from his night in camp 2.7, and Christopher was happily taking pictures with his no-fingers hand and orange camera. We stopped in C1 to eat the food I had there and take down the tents. We ran into Zepp around ABC, and he looked quite strange, as in anesthetized, with a lost glance. After ABC we encountered Román and after a quick chat he put me through a deja vu moment when he said <i>"someone from your permit died"</i>. I said it couldn´t be because I had seen them all alive when we left C2. I just couldn´t believe or bear the idea that after what happened in Paron this year I would have to go through all of that again. I spent the rest of the descent trying to figure out what happened with no success. To round things up, already close to BC I slipped on the snow and twisted my knee.<br />
<br />
I arrived in BC and was received with some applause from some of the spanish guys from Román´s group, who´d been cheering for me the entire time. That was really nice and joyful. They invited me to celebrate and have dinner at their tent that night with 5 other spaniards that had arrived. I went to leave my stuff at my tent when Karma came to me and asked me to go to the kitchen tent with him. I tried asking about the dead man and he did not reply. When I got to the tent, Zepp was there soaking his blackened fingers in warm water and in complete chock.<br />
<br />
I was forced to postpone my rest, the celebration dinner, and even eating. Karma didn´t know what to do and Zepp was in chock. A spaniard or other sherpa would walk in to see what was going on but no help. Eventually, with the people watching, I ordered one of the sherpas to look for a medic in the big expedition camps, and although no doctor was found, they got Xavi, a spanish UIAGM guide who had arrived next door that same day and had some good experience in the Himalayas. He took over Zepp´s treatment, sent someone to look for a shot he could take immediatly and set a schedule for soaking. Zepp wanted to wait for the slovenian guy to get down from C1 because according to him, he too had frozen fingers. Lhakpa came down from C2 late at night (he was preparing the body for extraction the next day), and said the slovenian was ok. In any case, Xavi having not been able to locate the shot in other camps, we advised, and eventually convinced Zepp that he needed to fly out back to Germany as soon as possible.<br />
<br />
Another slovenian and german, friends of Zepp, were in camp and didn´t climb, but were also in chock. Seemed like they couldn´t organize themselves, so I took up the task of organizing them, setting up a schedule and pretty much telling them what to do, in terms of getting ready for the extraction the next day.<br />
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After some tentative talk with Zepp, I finally understood that it was Christopher who had perished in the mountains, and whom I had seen taking pictures that morning. He had a heart attack right after leaving C2, in the exposed snow ridges.<br />
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I tried eating with the spaniards for dinner but myself and the two spanish guides had to keep leaving to go check on Zepp, soak his fingers, dry them, put gloves on, feed him... we then got up at midnight and six as well to go on with this procedure. I was only after breakfast when there was a lot more people willing to look after Zepp, that I finally had a chance to sit down and eat something. Shortly after, the helicopter came to pick up Christopher´s body.<br />
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It landed right in the middle of camp, and while the rescuer got ready I noticed a familiar face: it was Freddie Wilkinson taking shots. I think he mistook me with some friend and we striked a short conversation, he was doing a piece on rescues in the Himalaya. Anyways, the chopter lifted up with the rescuer hanging from the cable, and about 20 minutes later, came back with the body. We thought Zepp was going to be taken in the same chopter and were all there, and unfortunately Zepp watched it all from very close, the body being brought, wrapped and put into the aircraft to be taken to Lukla. This was a really hard moment on everyone, especially the germans and slovenians. One of the spanish boys was pretty shaken too, having never seen death in a mountain so close. After everything that happened this year and especially in Peru I thought I´d hold up well but I too, couldn´t help and cried my eyes out. As much of this as one may sees in the mountains, it never gets any easier. They loaded it up with bags as well, so Zepp had to wait until it came back to pick him and the accompanying german up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_be7Lg8SCH1-3OBpfQaCWt2cEfIRYHB50jutsZu-dFY4iUsJ8aQwd1i0UXgNXtrrOnOnzSgE-AIzkTf7M25txIDmEwDrEb_f2rVSfrxqo3LqkuOWX16v-ne7qBemIRs6RWEHnPts8YxpG/s1600/DSC00564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_be7Lg8SCH1-3OBpfQaCWt2cEfIRYHB50jutsZu-dFY4iUsJ8aQwd1i0UXgNXtrrOnOnzSgE-AIzkTf7M25txIDmEwDrEb_f2rVSfrxqo3LqkuOWX16v-ne7qBemIRs6RWEHnPts8YxpG/s1600/DSC00564.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drying out equipment on of the last days on base camp.</td></tr>
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<br />
So after the extractions were over, Dani, Alfonso and I went for a stroll around base camp for the milionth time, checking out the fancy two-room tents from other camps, the new people arriving, and so on. The next day the boys went down to Namche, I wanted to wait for the slovenian in case he did have frozen fingers, to repeat the procedure and sent him out in helicopter, as well as giving my knee a break (it was hurting a lot), so opted to stay another rest day. The slovenian came down fine from C1, so no need for a rescue. I did have time to take my first shower in 19 days though. Román´s group left early for Namche as well, and Xavi´s group went to C1, so things were pretty quiet. At dinner we had chicken sizzler, beer, wine and even chocolate cake to celebrate.<br />
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The next day I went down to Namche, and the other day to Lukla, where I waited for a full day for my bag to arrive on the yaks. I cruised the main street about 500 times, watched some other 500 landings and take offs in the airport, and just watched life pass by.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMh0ngFR5zXD6e-oh-Rq4Ht6CmWk8G41_7o0lUWTqjWAV8vk-0kHgycCcKe8HabI5dQmQM9cVtuM22Lu5xs27gOVFQjqznsgLLobeZ2vUkKe1PcLkOuQqGZq7O9wTRm8FAgZXQBagIB2E2/s1600/IMG_20141101_114016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMh0ngFR5zXD6e-oh-Rq4Ht6CmWk8G41_7o0lUWTqjWAV8vk-0kHgycCcKe8HabI5dQmQM9cVtuM22Lu5xs27gOVFQjqznsgLLobeZ2vUkKe1PcLkOuQqGZq7O9wTRm8FAgZXQBagIB2E2/s1600/IMG_20141101_114016.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The korean ropes used as fixed lines. Look more like clothes lines to me.</td></tr>
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<br />
Looking over the airport fence there, I had a hard time understanding everything that had happened. I had arrived there over 20 days earlier with no certainties about anything, but many doubts and questions after such an intense season in Peru. I had no idea what would happen in the coming weeks, but I was finally happy to be there, 3 weeks later, with such a positive outcome. I had overcome important psychological limits, broken some personal records, and climbed some two very nice mountains pretty much in the manner I like climbing (except for the fixed ropes on Ama Dablam, but since I was on my own, it was either that or no climbing). Aside from that, I met some incredible people whom I know I will be friends with for life. I had negative experiences as well, with a huge disappointment as to how "climbing" is handled in the Himalayas, with the ability of some rich and non sense people to pollute the mountain, with companies that explore and promote this type of tourism, and overall with the dynamics of a business that I can´t help but see as immoral, unethical and irresponsible.<br />
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Negativities aside, I start to understand things a bit more everyday, and maybe in a few months it will be crystal clear in my head how close I was to 7000 m in such a demanding route. The challenge here is, having fixed ropes, all physical, since it is steep all the time and you hardly ever get a break. Being it such an aesthetic and technical mountain, having fixed ropes takes away the challenge of the actual climbing process: route finding, anchoring, strategy... so it seems that the conquest isn´t wholesome, somehow. But that´s my point of view, and how I feel it. In any case, this mountain that hugs its base camp has taught me some very important things, and has given me as a gift some very special people. The more I climb the more I have the impression that the most amazing people we meet we do so in the mountains, maybe because in that environment, we´re bare of everything. We are what we really are, and are at our purest.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYr1L6QfQzzXgG2O97omUFbhQ1o3-_JEGfjaVd2XwGwjpqBEx4Q5agXBOJCK4OFBPIrqTY6qg5iHBR0TYRAKNoDD154FV3qVYPCKiusYazq1WhXRgeOufVTiPBgtKnu_hKE0YMcyXLTDfj/s1600/IMG_20141106_084620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYr1L6QfQzzXgG2O97omUFbhQ1o3-_JEGfjaVd2XwGwjpqBEx4Q5agXBOJCK4OFBPIrqTY6qg5iHBR0TYRAKNoDD154FV3qVYPCKiusYazq1WhXRgeOufVTiPBgtKnu_hKE0YMcyXLTDfj/s1600/IMG_20141106_084620.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect partners. You guys were awesome!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<h2>
THANK YOUS, GRACIAS, DANIEBAG</h2>
<a href="http://altamontanha.com/">Altamontanha.com</a> for space and recognition.<br />
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Friends and family for the emotional support.<br />
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Our sirdar Raj, who dropped me in base camp but throughout the entire trek made everything possible and impossible to makes as confortable and chilled as can be.<br />
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Finally, many thanks to Dani and Alfonso, my partners on Ama Dablam and inseparable friends during our last days in Kathmandu. The way mountains bring together like minded and like spiritied people keeps amazing me everyday. And as they say it of three people that get along super well "<i>vaya tres patas pa´un banco!</i>"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-40399252875205250572014-11-11T04:57:00.000-02:002014-12-17T16:44:19.284-02:00YO!Hello climbers of the world! I am finished with my climbing in Nepal but I won't be able to access my Google accounts on my computer until I get to Spain in about a month. That means I can't post my trip report until then (I'm posting this from my phone).<br />
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But in case you're curious, I summited all peaks I climbed but lots of shit happened in between, as usual. I'm working on that trip report and also a piece on the messy mountaineering industry they have here. On the 8th of this month I completed 6 months of travelling! Hopefully there are many more to come.<br />
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Anyways, excuse me now cuz I have to get on a plane to Bali for a month of surfing. 'Til decembah!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-63755643176603654852014-09-24T17:41:00.001-03:002014-09-24T17:43:07.053-03:00 A NEW INTERVIEW!I got interviewed for <a href="http://blogdescalada.com/" target="_blank">Blog de Escalada</a>, a Brazilian portal that´s pretty democratic and covers pretty much every type of climbing activity in the country, aside from producing their own content. The interview covers really regional related topics and unfortunately we didn´t talk much about alpine climbing per se, but in any case, there´s hardly ever anything about it in the Brazilian internets, so this was a good start. Click <a href="http://blogdescalada.com/entrevista-com-cissa-carvalho/" target="_blank">here</a> or the image bellow to access. It´s in Portuguese so, make good use of Google Translator if you really wanna read it.<br />
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<a href="http://blogdescalada.com/entrevista-com-cissa-carvalho/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9wUPv_EDj1dZjNT6xDep8DRsubyt6CSaULT9EEdQoFwVSE63Nl2FR7mqFQWeVQvlKfmBKmYe5-fOZQypbr2cCry9HgxDeBqmTvqrASgefdN1vp_whDQ2scZSFNT-D15EWgUMlvnQfKUK/s1600/entrevista_blogdeescalda.JPG" height="336" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-9670077137644839232014-09-22T10:58:00.001-03:002014-09-24T17:41:44.596-03:00PARAÍSO TRAILERFalésia Paraíso, or translated literally "Paradise Cliffs", is one of my favorite sport climb crags in Brazil. I´ve spent countless weekends there in the past years. This is where I started leading on my own and developed myself from a top-roper to an 11 grade climber, forged many good friendships with the amazing locals, camped on it´s secluded camping area, had endless breakfasts and some many awesome experiences, on what may be one of the most democratic climbing areas in our country.<br />
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I love this place, and it´s good to see that the hard work if the guys that developed the area has worked so well as to render a movie about it. Congrats to Claudio, Inácio, Luiz Flávio and Gilson.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="240" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/106729935" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/106729935">Trailer Paraíso | Rio Mountain Fesival</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/morfinafilmes">Morfina Filmes</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-43907178149077824612014-09-05T12:31:00.000-03:002014-09-17T11:22:42.725-03:00CORDILLERA BLANCA 2014 - FINAL DISPATCHI didn´t climb any mountains after Arteson, so dispatch 5 ends here! No kidding!<br />
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<h2>
SURFING AND MOUNTAINS</h2>
I got back to Huaraz to try to climb a few more mountains
after my first week at the beach, but the season was clearly over for me
(and for many people as well, very bad weather and lots of
precipitation). Aside from visiting Chavin, I did some rock climbing, but didn´t want to do the whole
partner search again, I just wanted to be with real friends and was
pretty tired of socializing with just anyone. I couldn´t do my running
(therapy) because I didn´t have my trainers with me, so I decided to head
down to the beach again for another two weeks to give my body some time
to recover while still exercising. I even got both my shoulders slightly
lesioned from so much paddling.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGj8slkRcPHiMdjwRtY-CaeeLcwp7mcGK7lEPVlligoz888BrCgmKQnWb1boyCpuV39SGzhTI3tP7FNpCeQRVd49v6u4cDrqMiz4QQVv4eUcHoPNPqyThWuPZE_F5JMQScqcm5V20ykUl/s1600/DSC00014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGj8slkRcPHiMdjwRtY-CaeeLcwp7mcGK7lEPVlligoz888BrCgmKQnWb1boyCpuV39SGzhTI3tP7FNpCeQRVd49v6u4cDrqMiz4QQVv4eUcHoPNPqyThWuPZE_F5JMQScqcm5V20ykUl/s1600/DSC00014.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way to Chavin I saw this beauty, Pucaraju. Apparently it has amazing mixed lines. It´s in the list for next season!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL8kgPO8pBhrMHBPiyjSSavJ0mnEqZVKPQtYT4Ul_-f55_PBFOHdb6QUfJCvThwmp-HB2eUGyp99xUr9g8yB4cugUK_4aDeNuc80a9tnQVJtQ9eiKvbJUSnze3qGVHZdYhoRhYUX_mq1KK/s1600/IMG_20140806_145957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL8kgPO8pBhrMHBPiyjSSavJ0mnEqZVKPQtYT4Ul_-f55_PBFOHdb6QUfJCvThwmp-HB2eUGyp99xUr9g8yB4cugUK_4aDeNuc80a9tnQVJtQ9eiKvbJUSnze3qGVHZdYhoRhYUX_mq1KK/s1600/IMG_20140806_145957.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was taken in one of the last days of July. Weather was like this on most afternoons by late July and many days in August. Frustrating!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUjGylLdmkIBs3ZB6lvT1ZcQJHLoF31qxaO2hJATzspDW6p3MVDx36lH3yMmVk8VF4XvAKQk4GGe0MAH10nhhJRGpNXtxJ27l6CvfKH5f0MS92eRFGSYhY8qxWALMeUvpfHi4FzcudRBo/s1600/IMG_20140825_165052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUjGylLdmkIBs3ZB6lvT1ZcQJHLoF31qxaO2hJATzspDW6p3MVDx36lH3yMmVk8VF4XvAKQk4GGe0MAH10nhhJRGpNXtxJ27l6CvfKH5f0MS92eRFGSYhY8qxWALMeUvpfHi4FzcudRBo/s1600/IMG_20140825_165052.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not super clear here, but the Shield route on Huascaran has literally collapsed in the end of August due to the amount of snow. I could not believe my eyes when I saw it. Call this a bad season!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX8a9JmkuwqbKYxD-siIGxC-GPTykQusHi-f-yObRClatzva1THLKIHIpbZNn7j8lhrp6C5RuH4GGWJXnEuuw2nIwI0YcUTG3Wgev_rJuDoyP6vhU-ylaDydSppxqwNzDtWnaBEDHXFqGv/s1600/IMG_20140809_103808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX8a9JmkuwqbKYxD-siIGxC-GPTykQusHi-f-yObRClatzva1THLKIHIpbZNn7j8lhrp6C5RuH4GGWJXnEuuw2nIwI0YcUTG3Wgev_rJuDoyP6vhU-ylaDydSppxqwNzDtWnaBEDHXFqGv/s1600/IMG_20140809_103808.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little paradise in Huanchaco with amazing company: I couldn´t help but come back.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbi8mUUJ4sPU1P7NAjr8u-FQodCSYkXDxhcXnFiTAmwzK6r0hc0Fr_ABK7o4KEOSZKW_TyyoYcn_0DQcmiAWWbG_j9nFqwHmDtgLQOse070j3p4LRVPPimjcuAERzVIz0gJi5tNFQWCtn/s1600/IMG_20140812_181112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbi8mUUJ4sPU1P7NAjr8u-FQodCSYkXDxhcXnFiTAmwzK6r0hc0Fr_ABK7o4KEOSZKW_TyyoYcn_0DQcmiAWWbG_j9nFqwHmDtgLQOse070j3p4LRVPPimjcuAERzVIz0gJi5tNFQWCtn/s1600/IMG_20140812_181112.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely days in the Pacific. I think I can call myself a wannabe surfer by now.</td></tr>
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<br />
Surfing lifestyle is very relaxed though: wake up late, eat long breakfasts, grab your board, get in the water, get waves, come out, go home, take a shower, relax, repeat... life goes on day by day in the same way. When you get a good wave you are so stoked, it makes you wanna go back to the point break and surf again even if you´re dead tired. I really enjoyed it and really wanna work in my surfing skills, and travel to some places to surf and nothing else. But as rest. Overall surfing just made me wanna climb even more. Rock, alpine, hard routes, big mountains. The contrast between activities and lifestyle is so huge and latent that it sort of killed my end-of-season frustration and made me even hungrier to climb. So, thank you surfing: you just made it even more clear to me that my ass belongs to the mountains, and that right now, climbing is all that matters and what steers my life.<br />
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<h2>
HATUN MACHAY, YET AGAIN</h2>
At the last week of July I received a visit from my rock climbing partner and good friend from Brazil, Priscila. We did the Laguna 69 trek to (re) acclimatize, which was great because it put me face to face with Chacraraju and gave me the opportunity to study the Jaeger route and have some ideas... What a mountain! <b>WHAT A MOUNTAIN!</b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDkd33QMQYuXPj-9AXl-KWe73vgasBGyLW9NAKhuj_36RO_t9S8xYr-W4C1hxMU9-fgU5DPTPhsix1eqiWZljJ-40GyJXBf33TAL9ZwecnQt3uW8qBH4rDlbfnjOjxNQnvOtA23FBobPw/s1600/IMG_20140825_130959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDkd33QMQYuXPj-9AXl-KWe73vgasBGyLW9NAKhuj_36RO_t9S8xYr-W4C1hxMU9-fgU5DPTPhsix1eqiWZljJ-40GyJXBf33TAL9ZwecnQt3uW8qBH4rDlbfnjOjxNQnvOtA23FBobPw/s1600/IMG_20140825_130959.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That´s the Jaeger route on the right. Hawt! Are you thinking what I´m thinking?</td></tr>
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Then we headed to Hatun Machay for some sport climbing and bouldering. Nobody famous there this time though. We ripped off our skin in just a few days but had lots of fun and I got some good training for some upcoming scheduled climbs in Rio. And this was the last climbing related activity of these last four months in Peru. Sorry, no fancy summits.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kVUcOuK0Pe6u1oFpWCSeUTAUANtAJLmHcADIkU4ieZaWzfpGa-n26ycxq7NNzOcf1Uks290LIdVxgmTC6daVnSA4xfiNxiTMnWvuIoT32RbFsx4KM_Eabg01-cMsS25idop5LjI6gHZl/s1600/IMG_20140828_123348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kVUcOuK0Pe6u1oFpWCSeUTAUANtAJLmHcADIkU4ieZaWzfpGa-n26ycxq7NNzOcf1Uks290LIdVxgmTC6daVnSA4xfiNxiTMnWvuIoT32RbFsx4KM_Eabg01-cMsS25idop5LjI6gHZl/s1600/IMG_20140828_123348.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Resting in between attempts at a V8 in Hatun Machay.</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #d0e0e3;">NOW ON TO SOME NOTES AND JOKES!</span></b></div>
<br />
<h2>
COOLEST NEW PEOPLES: THE SPANISH, AND ESPECIALLY, THE CATALAN AND BASQUE CLIMBERS</h2>
I had never met Basque people before. I hardly knew anything about them except for what Zarela had been telling me, that they are awesome and fun people, always amicable, in a good mood, and great climbers. From the first week I started meeting them and during the entire season I was always eager to meet the new Basques that would be coming into the hostel, and I was sad every time they left. I branded them the Brazilians of Europe, because you meet them and it´s as if you´ve known each other and been best friends since kinder garden. Also, they seem very respectful of women - especially female climbers. There´s not one Basque I met that wasn´t a <b>very nice person</b>. And on top of that, they´re stylish, their language is pretty and their country is near the Pyrenees aside from having good surfing... Catalunya or Basque Country are serious contenders to be the next place I call home!<br />
<br />
<h2>
BEST PARTNERS: AMERICANS, MASTERS OF TEAMWORK</h2>
Besides my partners in Huamash, I have to say these folks rock. Maybe because I´ve lived and trained in the US, and speak their language, I have ease of going with these people. But it´s undeniable that <i>yankees</i> (as the Spanish, Catalans and Basques call them) are good at pretty much anything they do, and better off, they are great team players, and even better off, they´re usually pretty laid back and humble about all of this. Say what you want about their country - and they´re not perfect and so isn´t Brazil or anywhere else - but these guys have/had Mark Twight, Alex and Jeff Lowe, Steve House, Fred Beckey, Sue Nott (and I could name another hundred) and that says a lot about their climbing, especially in the style I identify with the most. I met tons of Americans the entire season, and hang out and climbed a lot with, and I gotta take my hat off to them. I could write ten paragraphs about this and kiss ass a lot, but the title of this note is pretty self explanatory.<br />
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<h2>
BEST CLIMBS: A TIE BETWEEN HUAMASHRAJU AND QUITARAJU</h2>
Neither are famous, glamourous mountains, or my favorites, but I consider these the two best climbs of the season because in Huamashraju the granite wall and the crack systems were stunning and the company was great, and in Quitaraju because we took the chance to head out after a night of bad weather and, again, the company was great, and we had the mountain to ourselves. I wish every climb from now on was like that.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygRrCQnRhP5ugNPLiNR2oZdu0aPZnjYD8SES2vTvjgway8oM7Z1b-Optd3xVBfd1yFfyRX22FntbW-6EDpWhTp8J1hPTE5fsRNmQzxk2-2ssZhNmWF2j4TwMMvr3XHn509jFlZrt8tKfb/s1600/DSC09676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygRrCQnRhP5ugNPLiNR2oZdu0aPZnjYD8SES2vTvjgway8oM7Z1b-Optd3xVBfd1yFfyRX22FntbW-6EDpWhTp8J1hPTE5fsRNmQzxk2-2ssZhNmWF2j4TwMMvr3XHn509jFlZrt8tKfb/s1600/DSC09676.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Huamashraju crew: me, Kepa, Aitzol and Nacho. Near perfect days in the mountains!</td></tr>
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<h2>
</h2>
<h2>
BY THE WAY...THE OTHER BRAZILIANS</h2>
As usual, where are they? Huayna Potosi maybe? On the end of July I met one by chance at California Cafe but our schedules wouldn´t match for climbing, but it would definitely be fun to have a Brazilian team in any mountain.<br />
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<h2>
BRICHEROS(AS)</h2>
As usual, fuck them.<br />
<br />
<h2>
DEATH</h2>
I wrote a lot about this on the previous posts. This theme was ever present in July. As Tomas remarks, "mountains are real". Makes you think.<br />
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<h2>
MY EXPERIENCE - WHAT I´VE GAINED FROM THIS SEASON</h2>
This was a very "alpine" season, which collaborated for me being so tired in the end, and next year I´ll probably come back for a little less than 2 months. I feel I didn´t really do any true hard climbs as I wished - that would have been Piramide - and I ended the season still hungry for climbing. No particular climb was a big challenge but overall climbing so intensely at altitude for so long was a challenge in itself. It seems as if every possible event one can experience in a mountain,
good and bad, has happened this season, especially in July. Lots of learning, lots
of growing. <br />
<br />
Also I´ve realized that not only I need to consolidate my skills for the range of routes I climb, but also, if I wanna move forward, I need to work a lot on more technical skills of water ice and mixed climbing. And that I cannot do in Brazil. I already have plans for that though.<br />
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<h2>
PICTURES</h2>
I don´t have a habit of taking pictures because I don´t have a good camera, I don´t take good pictures, and I´m usually having too much fun climbing to remember to take them or too lazy to even take it out of the backpack or even bringing it with me on summit days. Besides I usually climb in parties of two and I refuse to take pictures while belaying/being belayed. Sorry folks, that´s why my pictures suck. Here´s some funny/interesting images I had to share though:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTezLTJEjdgI8wYD53iI0YNDfa8PTPiFSQMwcQ7ioN4BSWrLEjIyCw_nAVYtm9CbVrcficLwvbC4osTKZKg_nWKOPQd85Nj5-El0eAWQbnrJJYNzzmt8mEeMTRDYM-FUVIpnX6n_EdCutf/s1600/IMG_20140704_082732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTezLTJEjdgI8wYD53iI0YNDfa8PTPiFSQMwcQ7ioN4BSWrLEjIyCw_nAVYtm9CbVrcficLwvbC4osTKZKg_nWKOPQd85Nj5-El0eAWQbnrJJYNzzmt8mEeMTRDYM-FUVIpnX6n_EdCutf/s1600/IMG_20140704_082732.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I finally managed to pack "light" and stuff 2 nights days worth of camping and food plus equipment on a 42L backpack.<br />
This is one of those times, in our attempt at Ranrapalca.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSX_L62sXWjD5i4uZ2CeeoH2gH35r-6m0Ih-4czLUQ0Gp6n7P8ZGAyqZT5s6pKF2L2u9C9c_xhz0mJ-8QedCOUuioJ1EADbJHKJDn7BlSN1XJJjtcoc6k6kjYT3Zu3xYCFh28ADdKtusLk/s1600/IMG_20140601_152121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSX_L62sXWjD5i4uZ2CeeoH2gH35r-6m0Ih-4czLUQ0Gp6n7P8ZGAyqZT5s6pKF2L2u9C9c_xhz0mJ-8QedCOUuioJ1EADbJHKJDn7BlSN1XJJjtcoc6k6kjYT3Zu3xYCFh28ADdKtusLk/s1600/IMG_20140601_152121.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the frenchies gave me this awesome t-shirt from his sponsor, Blue Ice. I´ve worn it non stop, thanks Fred!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9HOmPTJic120d3jW5emEpTV_a-Qe-YdCQ38B_1wCq1ejXTahowuLesn2KJte0iZz-9z1wyOngKeVKlpKReQufWsLO0A6uuhKWxkuMRafuH6pmekfuM_ZEZDVCJ2BnmtvytkZeroRG55B/s1600/IMG_20140623_132215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9HOmPTJic120d3jW5emEpTV_a-Qe-YdCQ38B_1wCq1ejXTahowuLesn2KJte0iZz-9z1wyOngKeVKlpKReQufWsLO0A6uuhKWxkuMRafuH6pmekfuM_ZEZDVCJ2BnmtvytkZeroRG55B/s1600/IMG_20140623_132215.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner at Alpamayo base camp in case you get fed up with noodles. Tons of protein and fat for an upcoming climb.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vC7suHCwNQs4-vGM_u3QAYXWVU8mFip5lB2TD4OQmqfEyw7PbcTi5eH3p09Gny449-SB429C6y5sn7jeE27e982BD5pVYlI0pr1ec8FjuZUT45-389_an9aJihaSGv4Hl_xbqBGt62N2/s1600/IMG_20140806_094239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vC7suHCwNQs4-vGM_u3QAYXWVU8mFip5lB2TD4OQmqfEyw7PbcTi5eH3p09Gny449-SB429C6y5sn7jeE27e982BD5pVYlI0pr1ec8FjuZUT45-389_an9aJihaSGv4Hl_xbqBGt62N2/s1600/IMG_20140806_094239.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So... a british guy that was in the dorm forgot this in the bathroom. WTacutalF???</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3FMGx1HBFB6k79g8Aqm4eOsvkKXMP2GWnex0-MVk6RvK9AAlLQae5kNhwcoxfXP4N8yJ1aMi3txqteopgj6-bNZG4_P-d2jYZcsjUd9iSc3YW7CWyki9d_cmf3uXxsvP8YtFJARl9weEI/s1600/IMG_20140804_122753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3FMGx1HBFB6k79g8Aqm4eOsvkKXMP2GWnex0-MVk6RvK9AAlLQae5kNhwcoxfXP4N8yJ1aMi3txqteopgj6-bNZG4_P-d2jYZcsjUd9iSc3YW7CWyki9d_cmf3uXxsvP8YtFJARl9weEI/s1600/IMG_20140804_122753.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some people seem to send postcards like this. Totally awesome idea especially for people like me who never know what to say aside from "it´s all good, miss you" types of messages.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbr29DBpDu0m3RT70oOvcHLC6jkNAU0WaX4VmUbPSCZaup90dyxhp5V8SeHdxW-Nk4Gy4BzWRoNDwAnEeA5_xKh9BC5j0tx87UXdqJiv1SHiEO-tBmRVkeq_LaMrbNotX3T8y5U385ljZZ/s1600/IMG_20140723_160137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbr29DBpDu0m3RT70oOvcHLC6jkNAU0WaX4VmUbPSCZaup90dyxhp5V8SeHdxW-Nk4Gy4BzWRoNDwAnEeA5_xKh9BC5j0tx87UXdqJiv1SHiEO-tBmRVkeq_LaMrbNotX3T8y5U385ljZZ/s1600/IMG_20140723_160137.jpg" height="640" width="576" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got bitten by a mad Peruvian dog on my first day in Huanchaco, and that rendered me a month worth of rabbies shots and a week on two different antibiotics.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQT9gh1LKXcFHRGRLFaURe_1cwchrInaOwo5tROp8gVTvy1NaWwNcN4N8v44jF-b1flxgws7WZSweBEMkVYZZqnpD87fjtf3qrvY44ULv2COpG3eS9gVItTLijcyn7VJCzzUDUfCpzjmb/s1600/IMG_20140814_161128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQT9gh1LKXcFHRGRLFaURe_1cwchrInaOwo5tROp8gVTvy1NaWwNcN4N8v44jF-b1flxgws7WZSweBEMkVYZZqnpD87fjtf3qrvY44ULv2COpG3eS9gVItTLijcyn7VJCzzUDUfCpzjmb/s1600/IMG_20140814_161128.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My birthday cake! Everyone knew I was turning 33 and the question mark
candle is more like a "what should I do with my life next" type of
thing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVcSD5gbgXxPF4fjpVIRRSHCsKOJjqXZwe9yX2VpENYduzLUB5_WyLlgFyXXU0KGl4tFiLY8ezQYB4oqAeqBm1xpso4ptw93L-GVESHZeUdGPGXM7FNYGeE6LfXhBBjGFyKG_haJ300BW/s1600/IMG_20140818_103507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVcSD5gbgXxPF4fjpVIRRSHCsKOJjqXZwe9yX2VpENYduzLUB5_WyLlgFyXXU0KGl4tFiLY8ezQYB4oqAeqBm1xpso4ptw93L-GVESHZeUdGPGXM7FNYGeE6LfXhBBjGFyKG_haJ300BW/s1600/IMG_20140818_103507.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sex Burger in Huaraz, Sex Wax in Huanchaco. What´s with Peru and Sex brands?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwV8u27NUU5cL21Jo_q2VG5DF9PWvdexcAhkjLECNhZ7OfPnfop1GTzr-EGaK9NNKzxiZtF-C09Ra3a8GNZo6oZR58tbimTrdMHHgchdorQ8ZW1_iaK8kDbtTPZZ9XBh3WSBMqjElh8Ci/s1600/IMG_20140821_130113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwV8u27NUU5cL21Jo_q2VG5DF9PWvdexcAhkjLECNhZ7OfPnfop1GTzr-EGaK9NNKzxiZtF-C09Ra3a8GNZo6oZR58tbimTrdMHHgchdorQ8ZW1_iaK8kDbtTPZZ9XBh3WSBMqjElh8Ci/s1600/IMG_20140821_130113.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My second attempt at making spanish tortilla went quite well. I´m all ready to take over Euskal Herria!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h2>
PARTYING</h2>
I did a little too much partying in the beginning of the season, but then I came to the conclusion that the strongest climbers I know are all drunks and that must mean something. So I kept on partying, bar hopping, playing endless jenga games, having fake birthdays, or drinking a few beers even if it was sometimes just me, the bartender and the drunk New Zealand guy watching climbing movies at Extreme on a Tuesday night.<br />
<br />
<h2>
WHAT´S NEXT</h2>
Lucky me that what was to be a season of climbing became the first leg of a trip. The events in Paron made me take the decision to head home for some family time before heading off to debut in the Himalayas for post monsoon season. Hopefully then I will satiate my appetite for technical, hard climbing (although organizing the logistics myself is already proving to be a royal pain in the butt). In any case, Nacho´s philosophy once again fits well here: if you succeed, you drink, if you fail, you drink as well! In the end it´s all good and as someone else said, <i>"we forget about the bad parts anyway"</i>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.summitpost.org/original/45141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://images.summitpost.org/original/45141.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is next. Photo by SP member Andrzej Gibasiewicz.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pyrenees-mountains.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Web-ice-climb-Vertigo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.pyrenees-mountains.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Web-ice-climb-Vertigo.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And then this: mixed and ice climbing galore in the Pyrenees. Photo from www.pyrenees-mountains.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h2>
THANK YOUS, GRACIAS, ESKERRIK ASKO, OBRIGADO, MERCI, GRAZIE, DANK JE WEL!</h2>
Thanks to Zarela for all the support and friendship. Being surrounded by men in this climbing environment all the time really makes me value the friendship of a like minded women at times, especially the "girl talk". Special thanks to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/LA-CASA-DE-ZARELA/284691543509?ref=ts&fref=ts" target="_blank">Casa de Zarela</a> for logistics support for this entire four month period. <br />
<br />
Thanks to my partners in this season: Nacho, Victor and especially Craig, and the other climbing teams that accompanied us, Aitzol, Kepa, Tomas and Vicente. The respect, partnership and teamwork we built in each of our climbs has been almost utopian. Special thanks to Nacho and the wise words on our last night in Huaraz, they mean a lot.<br />
<br />
I´d like to have been able to dedicate the summit of Arteson, as I have tried last year, to my friend <a href="http://altamontanha.com/colunas#bioColunista" target="_blank">Parofes</a> who fought like crazy against leukemia but perished right after I arrived in Huaraz. Parofes was one of the most accomplished and admirable mountaineers in our country. No fancy ass expeditions, no shameless self promotion, just plain honest pure climbs and explorations. On top of it, a true supporter of my adventures away from the most common path taken by my fellow contrymen, and that has always meant a lot to me. Arteson was one of his favorite mountains. I therefore dedicate this season to his memory, and will keep trying to write his name on that summit.<br />
<br />
Thank you readers, I hope there´s something useful in my ramblings. The world is still spinning and it is time to move on to new mountains. Over and out for some time cuz I am freaking tired of writing by now... until the next rad climb!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQ3OrSYCVw64Rhlijmxlc5_6yfTnUYURR72lDg5AvcF3XADjooZ4tkr3DugDhq-waqODDwJX-LSZv5IcQl_AmPO-1NbxYfLbVv3uhyv7BbqGUl_FgWCR2lC6zDfQEQQNpZoYroNfj3Orj/s1600/10593042_818048514894820_3900398853828849563_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQ3OrSYCVw64Rhlijmxlc5_6yfTnUYURR72lDg5AvcF3XADjooZ4tkr3DugDhq-waqODDwJX-LSZv5IcQl_AmPO-1NbxYfLbVv3uhyv7BbqGUl_FgWCR2lC6zDfQEQQNpZoYroNfj3Orj/s1600/10593042_818048514894820_3900398853828849563_n.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That´s my friend Pri who came to visit me from Brazil and I catfighting for the fun of it in front of Chacraraju. Alpine climbing in the big mountains like this is so rad that if it was a music it wouldn´t even be rock´n´roll. It´d be punk rock all the way.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-21983662818575868742014-08-07T14:24:00.002-03:002014-08-15T18:30:39.279-03:00CORDILLERA BLANCA TRIP REPORT IN PORTUGUESEI´ve been forgetting to post about my trip reports on Brazilian mountaineering and climbing website <a href="http://altamontanha.com/">Altamontanha.com</a>, on which I write a column.<br />
<br />
Click bellow to read the second part.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://altamontanha.com/Colunas/4470/uma-temporada-na-blanca--parte-ii" target="_blank"><img alt="http://altamontanha.com/Colunas/4470/uma-temporada-na-blanca--parte-ii" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjupY6ch7_GbueaRkbc2_6_j-nYgJdf7Kw7Gg0KHYLGRPDoV00HeWoNSbzAkxZNC0ddlhGCx-wyvzICp5T-tx6njh9387myfOJmY0uoPo8eWvMOwSE79WMxBUe4GcYD_T_7CaNVXQeJmpU-/s1600/CB2014p2.jpg" height="408" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
First part is <a href="http://www.altamontanha.com/Colunas/4445/uma-temporada-na-blanca--parte-i" target="_blank">here</a>. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-3261404770814574852014-08-05T20:25:00.000-03:002014-09-24T17:42:01.231-03:00SAMBA DO LEÃO, NEW ROUTE ON FITZ ROY (2013) - FULL FILMIn the 2013 season 3 Brazilians opened a new route on Fitz Roy, called "Samba do Leão" and graded 6c+ 1400m, 30 pitches, and eventually nominated for a 2014 Piolet D´Or. Watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn4XKFTiS1o" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Gn4XKFTiS1o" width="480"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-46659260690242892432014-07-30T13:14:00.001-03:002014-09-02T12:20:03.748-03:00SURFING IN BETWEEN DISPATCHES<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxFw-WotfapJJLMpJmTP4UFxl-sb5zSdZK1cIou_JjHyraL_0xP4LdYJ_2pC0btkToofD23RjxBKIIA3DiqHRk4GiiWHwcKKu_YdTp12ojwXRWIt3uRjKUrnQ_5S-YYCqNzAz9BLeaznc/s1600/10526190_896444517051978_8309494660101827159_nB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxFw-WotfapJJLMpJmTP4UFxl-sb5zSdZK1cIou_JjHyraL_0xP4LdYJ_2pC0btkToofD23RjxBKIIA3DiqHRk4GiiWHwcKKu_YdTp12ojwXRWIt3uRjKUrnQ_5S-YYCqNzAz9BLeaznc/s1600/10526190_896444517051978_8309494660101827159_nB.jpg" height="340" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wait! Isn´t this a climbing blog? What´s this picture doing here?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The best idea of the past months was to head down to Huanchaco and get a taste of a sport I should have tried before I was even born. I left Huanchaco feeling like part of the Brazilian Storm! Just kidding! <br />
<br />
These days in the beach that have done wonders to my body and mind. I came back to Huaraz super motivated to climb, as if I was coming here for the first time in the season, even though everyone already told me that the conditions in the mountains just keep getting worse. Surfing drives up the adrenaline and is relaxing at the same time, but I´m simply not cut for glamourous and mainstream activities, so it works very well for rest periods in between my sufferfests in the mountains.<br />
<br />
Some acclimatization again, an on to the mountains!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-84660275387453702362014-07-22T13:52:00.001-03:002014-07-22T14:58:28.473-03:00CORDILLERA BLANCA 2014 - DISPATCH 4Hello lazy people killing time at work! Welcome to a new dispatch! So far July has been a month of long approaches, great partnership, insomnia, World Cup and some tense moments in Parón valley. I´ve hit the 2 month mark of climbing non stop with few rest days in between, which means I am exhausted, my body is rotten and my legs can´t take me anywhere anymore. My mind still wants to climb a whole bunch of stuff by my body simply is not obeying anymore.<br />
<br />
<h2>
"LIFE´S NOT JUST ABOUT BEING UNEMPLOYED AND CLIMBING"</h2>
So said one of my partners when I complained about feeling stressed. I´ve worked so hard on being disciplined that the other day I gained the friday-thru-monday-climber status. <b>SUCKS!</b> Party scene on weekdays in Huaraz is non existent and I haven´t had a decent night out partying in over a month. No more Tamboraju for me, Kepa! :(<br />
<br />
It´s also a month when its been latent to me the coming and going of everyone. People come in, I make friends, they spend 3, 4, 6 weeks, and leave to go on with their lives. I´m not used to that, I´m feeling lonely, I want my mom! (Nah, just kidding, I thought it´d be funny to write that). It does make me think I need to start thinking of next steps though.<br />
<br />
Also worth noting that spending the season climbing here is ruining my
equipment. I´ve already had to had my trekking boots fixed, and then so poorly done so that I had to buy new ones, my mountain
boots are covered in duct tape, my gaiters have had to be sown and so
are my favorite and only climbing magnificent Marmot climbing pants.
That´s not to mention some slings, biners and several pickets I already
left behind. How am I as a successfully unemployed person am supposed to replace
these things when time comes? <br />
<br />
Anywho, here´s a few lists I was working on the other day: <br />
<b><i>Things I like in the mountains:</i></b><br />
<i>- being able to buy cold beer at base camps</i><br />
<i>- pop corn at base camps</i><br />
<i>- blue eyed beauties from South Carolina in base camps</i><br />
<i>- being the only party at high camp </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b><i>Things I don´t like in the mountains:</i></b><br />
<i>- sleeping bag zippers </i><br />
<i>- moraines</i><br />
<i>- frozen boot laces</i><br />
<i>- being the only woman in a high camp and in need of going to the bathroom for #2</i><br />
<br />
So let´s to the mountains! <br />
<br />
<h2>
QUITARAJU, THE LUCKY ATTEMPT</h2>
July is usually prime time for climbing the big technical walls in the Blanca, and that means that since I left this place last September, most of what was in my mind was the arrival of July 2014, so that I could get my hands (actually, my ice axes) on some very wanted lines. Alpamayo is not and was never on top of my wish list but if you´re here for more than a few weeks it is sort of a must do. Since it´s a long approach and not too close to Huaraz I figured we´d have to climb Quitaraju as well.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbUZ4ptBwP8-KfyYSeInR4i3Ja-1RuYpicJCgG_vauvQgnYeMfYBZilwdLpXXO3SJEyWiNMu0cElmcgnUdfcFNnsaamZyKESX2nvdnjatJk73pYpQKKr2CagpI5cZ3pTAt-_DjGtyYIrA/s1600/DSC09827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbUZ4ptBwP8-KfyYSeInR4i3Ja-1RuYpicJCgG_vauvQgnYeMfYBZilwdLpXXO3SJEyWiNMu0cElmcgnUdfcFNnsaamZyKESX2nvdnjatJk73pYpQKKr2CagpI5cZ3pTAt-_DjGtyYIrA/s1600/DSC09827.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa Cruz valley, here we go again!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNbZ2Z5uBhbbv4PW-_0TN-05z7oeURzvNaHguOXmU6fbqoyJHGJ70V5aaep6A7qI8-TALpINzuQBuCZIqfg9OPqqZ7G-mNXRD1Loww7GYAMt6CAmqPoy3MndAlGr-bElR2WUrS2wiyiXP/s1600/DSC09831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNbZ2Z5uBhbbv4PW-_0TN-05z7oeURzvNaHguOXmU6fbqoyJHGJ70V5aaep6A7qI8-TALpINzuQBuCZIqfg9OPqqZ7G-mNXRD1Loww7GYAMt6CAmqPoy3MndAlGr-bElR2WUrS2wiyiXP/s1600/DSC09831.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tijuana posing in our camp in Llamacorral.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQFVNiFSNbPxqFbo2Bkhty0cAL14mPXfS_disFJd_RKUFv2ZENgFYKt5I0B691ZpnqleAj3HqKJCUNv_l0OROzFQqeRs42Yz5v7MrgGfbBZnkR-PtZye-h1IKiHWJt5WyCjfd4BzO5_JR/s1600/DSC09835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQFVNiFSNbPxqFbo2Bkhty0cAL14mPXfS_disFJd_RKUFv2ZENgFYKt5I0B691ZpnqleAj3HqKJCUNv_l0OROzFQqeRs42Yz5v7MrgGfbBZnkR-PtZye-h1IKiHWJt5WyCjfd4BzO5_JR/s1600/DSC09835.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We´re coming Quita, don´t move!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw59Mi7k4oaLiobvOGW1ruCjbptLCB6d9VYrklp7phLxmqZHDFAjMPaMSh7dbF_SH9mULxKjqpQoitfOKIEH1h2T5TReMH570cW1FF7_MgWgEiPAQO-7E_DmooAZ5XqUsqShCQ7WXtko5O/s1600/DSC09842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw59Mi7k4oaLiobvOGW1ruCjbptLCB6d9VYrklp7phLxmqZHDFAjMPaMSh7dbF_SH9mULxKjqpQoitfOKIEH1h2T5TReMH570cW1FF7_MgWgEiPAQO-7E_DmooAZ5XqUsqShCQ7WXtko5O/s1600/DSC09842.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa Cruz Grande and a cow seen on second day of approach.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I wasn´t too excited to head to Santa Cruz valley again because of that, on top of the first approach days being kind of boring, but it was more than about time I started climbing some serious stuff. We were excited though, and who wouldn´t be! One ice climb and one snow climb from a high camp, two classics of the range, and probably an intense week both physically and mentally. Feeling strong and able, we got to Llamacorral in 3 hours, slept a night and got to base camp in 4 hours. There we initially thought of heading to high camp all in one day because I confess, we didn´t so much research on the altitude of each camp or distances from each, but after running into Damian, a local guide I met last year, I got times cleared up and we decided to go to moraine camp and high camp on different days. That would eliminate our spare day on high camp, meaning we´d have to climb each mountain in one day, head down immediately after the climb, and no chance for bad weather. Damian also mentioned there was an avalanche on the French Direct the previous morning at around 3 am and so he came down with his group. He also advised us to climb Quitaraju first, and that was one of the best advice we ever got.<br />
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Funny enough, the soundtrack to my ascent to moraine camp was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y57T7_-hrjE" target="_blank">The Clash´s "Every little bit hurts"</a>. We got up to it with our immense packs in 3 hours, rested a lot and headed up to high camp the next day. It was 5 grueling hours with about 28 kg on my back, and in total we brought up 11 pickets plus the 2 we picked on the way up, and 10 ice screws. Not fun leading the 50 degree ramp with that on my back, but lucky me Craig is such a great partner and led the steeper two pitches that put us on the col. And by the way, although there was a highway on the glacier, the steep parts were quite messy from so many people passing and quite sketchy to climb up. At least one good thing, when we finally reached the col, there was not one soul on high camp. A few hours later some Argentinians arrived, but no immense guided groups, which was quite a relief.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuftTwGg9XTByT8BoPRwnnK_yVu_GD8c7j7uNG4oTqlhwJiMe1yRkB4AYBG-P0T30Bpq1ciIf_ckB33lFRDorlBKjtXi9N7PaNzO4RRRpvzgTGI3mSBue3oYtlqOTZy4e5aen2q2PzlcOx/s1600/DSC09857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuftTwGg9XTByT8BoPRwnnK_yVu_GD8c7j7uNG4oTqlhwJiMe1yRkB4AYBG-P0T30Bpq1ciIf_ckB33lFRDorlBKjtXi9N7PaNzO4RRRpvzgTGI3mSBue3oYtlqOTZy4e5aen2q2PzlcOx/s1600/DSC09857.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Craig cooking yet another delicious tallarin+tomato sauce+tuna dinner in perfect weather. That´s not Tijuana though.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDlWYcW1bdlMWLMkiWUk-3yK-aRDLuzRe-00eowFvX7gPTWdHp-PQmvJoeet0yoUnEUGxcSENWJ3W63O25GS3pnEVa1vkVzm-x-HWgEIbf0sSBxUBga6jxv55geWg94uv7NYI2fkC4Wcpc/s1600/DSC09858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDlWYcW1bdlMWLMkiWUk-3yK-aRDLuzRe-00eowFvX7gPTWdHp-PQmvJoeet0yoUnEUGxcSENWJ3W63O25GS3pnEVa1vkVzm-x-HWgEIbf0sSBxUBga6jxv55geWg94uv7NYI2fkC4Wcpc/s1600/DSC09858.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jinhirirca lagoon.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4G7rMyBe4g7z0yGCmfQR3xzjTko5kXef2psGmXhgj1TC5h3wwFo7vA8XjfquFeSV2zwzgDMc_Afyhakvsmr6qop69X0Yl9E3XYZX9jfVYp5xtp_EfgEF7SVVxJwwObXySJTDGyvOrSHNJ/s1600/DSC09873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4G7rMyBe4g7z0yGCmfQR3xzjTko5kXef2psGmXhgj1TC5h3wwFo7vA8XjfquFeSV2zwzgDMc_Afyhakvsmr6qop69X0Yl9E3XYZX9jfVYp5xtp_EfgEF7SVVxJwwObXySJTDGyvOrSHNJ/s1600/DSC09873.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrising on our way up to high camp.</td></tr>
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We had some time to evaluate both mountains, and indeed, there was still a part of the broken cornice hanging on top of the French Direct on Alpamayo, as so we followed the advice of Damian and decided to climb Quitaraju first. Tired as we were, we ate and were in "bed" by 15h. We had about 10cm of that damn hail for several hours during the night, which worried me since Damian said he had left footprints to the bergshrund and I wasn´t exactly in the mood for route finding, especially in cloudy weather.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8lKZcxOtXLYS2FI7VzzrcxtatEsfwrdikcnUIsDFQiieTf0EOLN9-A-88DFXlwKZmgy-W7nbwK8i8Sero_RfoZdpGP_fbJGTB60ggHObhWv1vt205K_gK3IKsJ5QM0pTTyv0J5lM-Iig/s1600/DSC09883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8lKZcxOtXLYS2FI7VzzrcxtatEsfwrdikcnUIsDFQiieTf0EOLN9-A-88DFXlwKZmgy-W7nbwK8i8Sero_RfoZdpGP_fbJGTB60ggHObhWv1vt205K_gK3IKsJ5QM0pTTyv0J5lM-Iig/s1600/DSC09883.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alpamayo´s summit and its endless flutings.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78rVxIjGV7Hic3W58oqm499T4XN9teoO39jL9AZl9Fr7wPL_NCLd5UD2-elH_Dnaicd2LE-vNGr6vxUO4J-nSPlHQ1UpZbOJYd6sEWFJr0-nvdC9TQLWScegnGdiOeAvvw_aKuf7piXSb/s1600/DSC09887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78rVxIjGV7Hic3W58oqm499T4XN9teoO39jL9AZl9Fr7wPL_NCLd5UD2-elH_Dnaicd2LE-vNGr6vxUO4J-nSPlHQ1UpZbOJYd6sEWFJr0-nvdC9TQLWScegnGdiOeAvvw_aKuf7piXSb/s1600/DSC09887.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Los hermanos coming down the col. We´re not alone anymore!</td></tr>
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But that´s what we had to do. We got up in cloudy weather and no footprints once out of camp. Craig led for about 30 minutes in the glacier until he stopped and told me he had really bad stomach cramps. Since I always carry my kidney stone medicine with me I gave him some cramp pills and took the lead until we reached the bridge, after crossing a sketchy avalanche zone. Craig requested a pit stop and so I got on the wall and climbed a bit to set up a belay and wait for him. After a while he asked if that was really the wall to which I happily replied <b>"hell yeah!"</b>We were finally about to climb stuff!<b> </b>And for several hours! Orgasm!<b><br /></b><br />
<br />
So excited to finally be actually doing some actual climbing! I brought him up and from them on it was perfect synergy and teamwork. We climbed about 200m taking turns in the lead, reaching an area near rocks and thinking we were already close to the ridge, until we realized we needed to head right to reach a cleaner part of the wall. By that time we had heard a big avalanche on Alpamayo and were kind of worried that we couldn´t see the Argentinians on the wall, but then I figured they probably had given up on their climb for that day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhw5VBgzjbYKXd9anmK6689z2FinVcBajeuWIwBMfLwZPMRLh2mvsiGcSC-uzfXiyrZ0UFEO5QUHFMFYLQYI9wYsx8o4n1iF8hn7atBwpYph-pDILxU66y3l6qBT5mdgp9drDX0RjClcL/s1600/DSC09891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhw5VBgzjbYKXd9anmK6689z2FinVcBajeuWIwBMfLwZPMRLh2mvsiGcSC-uzfXiyrZ0UFEO5QUHFMFYLQYI9wYsx8o4n1iF8hn7atBwpYph-pDILxU66y3l6qBT5mdgp9drDX0RjClcL/s1600/DSC09891.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrising over Santa Cruz Grande and Norte.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEx8GUplTp_wlBHdwfJAfJcO2ZETiARKMFVTHdlde5Uvmhg6LhZvsjA6lV0UoPzIt6q3ZKkSXgMKPigpIB43hQeAS2rIlK5-696eVBiD3ZZ3FI8BHdss89sd-Uo9NNdJFXDb3qa8JjTfQ/s1600/DSC09892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEx8GUplTp_wlBHdwfJAfJcO2ZETiARKMFVTHdlde5Uvmhg6LhZvsjA6lV0UoPzIt6q3ZKkSXgMKPigpIB43hQeAS2rIlK5-696eVBiD3ZZ3FI8BHdss89sd-Uo9NNdJFXDb3qa8JjTfQ/s1600/DSC09892.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrising over Alpamayo. Gorgeous view!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRa2qgoK6d5ymWoTrPF5UUHiSOppRNBFEUgxhlyYkTweLaynclriZJTuGSc2-qZqC2j75LgO_u1s9L1g4z5ohy3ADbxgMqrhHua3OMlGQqi0nOCr6137QW02lALVrjDOhGaDSl1coJtGel/s1600/DSC09894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRa2qgoK6d5ymWoTrPF5UUHiSOppRNBFEUgxhlyYkTweLaynclriZJTuGSc2-qZqC2j75LgO_u1s9L1g4z5ohy3ADbxgMqrhHua3OMlGQqi0nOCr6137QW02lALVrjDOhGaDSl1coJtGel/s1600/DSC09894.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrising on my face! H-A-P-P-Y!</td></tr>
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Sun was rising and finally light was illuminating our climb. I took off leading to take a look and find the best way to do so, and in that we had a few slightly sketchy pitches traversing to the right over hollow flukes that wouldn´t take pickets very well to the point I actually found some ice and stuck an ice screw after running out over a few flukes. Not the most dangerous thing I´ve done but those flukes have bad fame.<br />
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After finishing the traverse, which took us quite some time, the sun was already hitting the wall and baking us. We were pretty dehydrated and already pretty tired. By looking sideways we realized we still had about 200m of wall to climb but kept miscalculating the pitches... "just 4 more" when in fact we knew it´d be more than that. We kept going up though, already questioning ourselves if we were taking too long. I was eager to keep going and led a steepening pitch until the limit of the rope, from where I could finally see a clear way to the ridge. It looked pretty far away although in fact it was 2 and half pitches away. Craig came up and led the next one, but when he brought me up somehow I was feeling exhausted, and felt like giving up. Thanks to being a great, awesome and amazing partner, and having that motivation and team spirit that Americans are unbeatable at, Craig motivated me to keep going. He led the two final pitches to the ridge and in one of them I realized my tiredness was actually overheating.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjRQs0KeFmqTmrOAUigvch693fmtv4Bo-ocW5nGH4fagLFqZFsI108NZQYG0m5_-OAKB692M1zFsn7CePS5hSGBMS204rWZ-L110ylaJIGqLm79G9TDG9fDWwjnXiIDyXH6-m8_YvU2Sz/s1600/IMG_0118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjRQs0KeFmqTmrOAUigvch693fmtv4Bo-ocW5nGH4fagLFqZFsI108NZQYG0m5_-OAKB692M1zFsn7CePS5hSGBMS204rWZ-L110ylaJIGqLm79G9TDG9fDWwjnXiIDyXH6-m8_YvU2Sz/s1600/IMG_0118.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doesn´t look like it, but we still had 200m to go up. That´s me leading. Photo by Tallarin Team member Craig.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAJxTH5y6lTtut8bNzJdPg73TSa6I2SPpvAwxWnZWDgIO_o3tGsUr1C8f2F02pxsv8rHoGfZnvq-Att2WJootkTD6XcF1PjwuSteOVSGtm9utN0DJdnUFfCeo5eEHyc5WTYIClpYFEZpq/s1600/IMG_0119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAJxTH5y6lTtut8bNzJdPg73TSa6I2SPpvAwxWnZWDgIO_o3tGsUr1C8f2F02pxsv8rHoGfZnvq-Att2WJootkTD6XcF1PjwuSteOVSGtm9utN0DJdnUFfCeo5eEHyc5WTYIClpYFEZpq/s1600/IMG_0119.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And then descending. Photo by Craig.</td></tr>
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So much excitement when I finally walked up straight on that ridge and could see the other side of the mountain! We had just finished the north face of Quitaraju, totally unexpected, in a day of doubtful weather and taking a little detour on route, but hey, there we were on top of this underrated but quite respectable 6000m! Although the weather was great all through our climb, when we got to the ridge it got very cloudy and we couldn´t see much. So, summit picture taken, we started our descend.<br />
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A few hours and 8 rappels later, a few prussik loops and biners abandoned and just enough pickets to make it back through the snow bridge at the bergshrund, we finally reached the glacier and went back to camp, in a total of almost 14h of climb up and down. Again exhausted, we rested just a few hours, enough to cook and hydrate, chat with our camp neighbors (now there was a Czech team and in the higher camp a Venezuelan team), and then back to "bed". I was super glad we took the chance to climb this awesome mountain instead of just sitting in camp waiting for Alpamayo to be in condition. The long and arduous approach had already been worth it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04TuQMohrKe5dWpavHg3QGJGEZ_uPAS4NgwZUoHvdDzcSkz_G2V2vciRnzGLFI8AvqKQF_80hMAMcrOGR4nrBNRUz033OgT2POA7lUwU7b-g5eYFqyNc5aK6kzMFHKD9f1meJZOFU5mjy/s1600/IMG_0116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04TuQMohrKe5dWpavHg3QGJGEZ_uPAS4NgwZUoHvdDzcSkz_G2V2vciRnzGLFI8AvqKQF_80hMAMcrOGR4nrBNRUz033OgT2POA7lUwU7b-g5eYFqyNc5aK6kzMFHKD9f1meJZOFU5mjy/s1600/IMG_0116.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We climbed it! Hell yeah! Photo by Craig.</td></tr>
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We were feeling pretty tired which is always worrying. On top of it none of us had been sleeping well, especially me. My insomnia was already in record breaking mode as I hadn´t had a decent night of sleep in almost a month and a half. Still, we were so psyched by having climbed Quita I felt that if I had to climb a wall like that for the next 7 days I´d be totally okay with it <b>because climbing is that much fun.</b><br />
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Weather didn´t think the same though, and we had twice the amount of snow that had fallen the night before. Freaking hail! We got up with the alarm clock and none of the other groups was heading up. Since previous groups had already said there was too much snow on the wall and we had that much new snow, it was pretty clear we wouldn´t climb it. Bummer, for the adrenaline was still running thru this lazy body and that meant that adrenaline - climbing = more insomnia.<br />
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The next day we went down to base camp and that afternoon we had the worst storm of the three days. Craig came over to Tijuana for some food since Achiles, our <i>arriero</i>, was taking way too long to cook trout and super oily fries for us. The next morning we could see the extent of it, as the snow line probably reached as low as 4500m. In little over 5 hours we got back to Cashapampa and packed to head back to Huaraz. We were kind of bummed of not having climbed Alpamayo, and already making plans of coming back for Alpamayo and Arteson on the end of July, but definitely it had been a worthwhile trip: we had a near perfect climb, and from what I know we had been only the second team to climb Quitaraju this season. Alongside our alpine rock climb in Huamash, this was the highlight of this season so far, for me. No famous, fancy climbing, just plain honest and fun hard work. I was so happy I descended thinking I could totally live in Huaraz forever and just exist in my unemployment and be a dirtbag alpinist in Peru. Wanda and Lydia would be proud.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQz07OSARSDm7nIabXhE5Bvdy4gTi6ro7aPccOpNtjhh9YQz5NNqh001nJXae878SIKWfFa9ikP_gPV7yKwlYkMGUsiMyAGTBNazPnoFei8eyaMCQStTkQ5V7do1Mh0iVu25frSvA8PTQG/s1600/DSC09914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQz07OSARSDm7nIabXhE5Bvdy4gTi6ro7aPccOpNtjhh9YQz5NNqh001nJXae878SIKWfFa9ikP_gPV7yKwlYkMGUsiMyAGTBNazPnoFei8eyaMCQStTkQ5V7do1Mh0iVu25frSvA8PTQG/s1600/DSC09914.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrising on Arteson seen from Alpamayo base camp, after the night´s storm.</td></tr>
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<h2>
RANRAPALCA, THE NO COMMENTS ATTEMPT</h2>
Craig and I were so much on the same page on many aspects that when he asked about which mountain we should climb next the answer was pretty obvious. Ranrapalca had been in condition since very early on the season, and it would be a nice but plausible challenge for both of us. We initially thought of doing the NE face but upon some research and after talking to some Spaniards who had climbed it the week before, we realized that the North Face Direct was more fit to our capacity and desire as climbers. The NE face is in fact a steep glacier ramp and not so much a technical climb.<br />
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I dreaded going to Ishinca for the third time this season but had already made clear that this mountain was the only reason I would go back there a third time. Although I did the approach to base camp just 20 minutes slower than my record, and still in pretty decent timing, I was feeling like shit the entire way. The approach to high camp was even worse because not only I had the weight of the heavy backpack but it was also a 900m gain. It took us 5 long hours and I had to stop several times to catch my breath. I thought maybe my blood was too thick from so much going up and down, maybe I was sick from altitude, maybe I wasn´t fit, but in fact, I realized it was the two months of non stop climbing finally catching up to me. Thanks to running into this gorgeous southern US climber we had previously met at base camp I recovered my energies and made it to high camp. I´m a climber but still human!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTiotoO9Vr6BlOu7WYacvusUUEqnUQcQIqIPWkyfuGA6OZqBe8DOJoFCCH0AeoQUr502L1ofOqYLYmXFVmRWxzO1W24hhzZMtEB3itDbiSw528X6xuTaL-RS_qOXjoynESkjYWnq4M6Brn/s1600/DSC09922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTiotoO9Vr6BlOu7WYacvusUUEqnUQcQIqIPWkyfuGA6OZqBe8DOJoFCCH0AeoQUr502L1ofOqYLYmXFVmRWxzO1W24hhzZMtEB3itDbiSw528X6xuTaL-RS_qOXjoynESkjYWnq4M6Brn/s1600/DSC09922.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This partner´s mom doesn´t mind him eating canned food. No-nonsense dude!</td></tr>
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<br />
Fortunately we had a spare day because we´d knew there´d be bad weather, and Craig suggested we took a rest day, to which I happily agreed upon. He too was tired, although I guess not as much as I, but fortunately he´s humble enough to admit it. We did have a problem though: this same day he realized he had left his headlamp at base camp, and didn´t have a spare one. At first I didn´t think much of it. I do know normally this would cause us to abort the climb, but since we are not on a guided trip and assume responsibility on our own decisions, we agreed we´d try to climb with just my headlamp, and he´d try to borrow one from people coming down Ishinca on our rest day.<br />
<br />
Too bad no one came down Ishinca on our side that day and so we were left with just one headlamp. I wasn´t very happy about this but we´d follow with the plan. We checked the route in the afternoon, cooked dinner and were in bed early. The plan was for me to lead all the snow and ice, and on the rock bands the leader would shine the light on the second. Because we knew we were tired we decided to get up and leave pretty early, and by my calculations we´d be in the second rock band, the longer one, still in the dark, which could be a problem since it was a 5.9 section.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEint7Ek-f0EffnXdT9Zgy70KfQtfu6V_LQxv1CaLGojz8X6F9glIu9K07mhjHylIf_dqjQfa-nJOzOq9YnRGS8XsRCEx_hNBmbUikuCnZUd_nGexyQzPLLsKfExB4iahOoXpKnfZNdNwrZW/s1600/DSC09942b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEint7Ek-f0EffnXdT9Zgy70KfQtfu6V_LQxv1CaLGojz8X6F9glIu9K07mhjHylIf_dqjQfa-nJOzOq9YnRGS8XsRCEx_hNBmbUikuCnZUd_nGexyQzPLLsKfExB4iahOoXpKnfZNdNwrZW/s1600/DSC09942b.jpg" height="640" width="356" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our high camp on the north face of Ranrapalca, and the wall seen from bellow.</td></tr>
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<br />
Anyways, the climb was on, the alarm went off and off we went. We simul climbed until we reached a snow plateau to the very left of the route. Snow conditions overall pretty good with small penitentes that worked as stair steps, so no problem there. Craig followed in the dark but it was pretty straight forward. He took the lead on the first rock band taking my headlamp. That´s when things turned sour. The rock was of very bad quality and hard to protect, and of course, hard to climb in crampons. This section had this sort of positive dihedral and lots of rock flakes lose and falling, and tilted to the right, Craig had to belay and try to shine a light on the rock so that I could see some of what I was climbing, but in fact light only reached the last 3 or 4 meters of this section which were the easiest, so I ended up climbing two thirds of it in the dark, and the only light I could see was actually the sparks coming out of the crampons when I scratched the rock.<br />
<br />
Obviously I was a bit pissed when I got to the top, but kept on leading the second ramp. That gave me time to think up how shitty it´d be to climb the second rock band - longest, and graded at 5.9. It doesn´t matter if it´d be me or him climbing in the dark, the fact is that whoever was unlucky enough to climb that without a headlamp would be screwed. So, with the non dry rope freezing on the Guide, and frustrated with this headlamp situation - even more so because conditions were pretty good, and even though I had insomnia for almost two months I did get up with lots of energy - I talked Craig into getting down, for it would be risking a little too much getting on that rock band without such crucial piece of equipment. So we down climbed most of the route in heavy silence and slept a bit before heading back to base camp feeling like idiots.<br />
<br />
Couldn´t help but getting a few beers in base camp. Ate some pop corn and socialized a bit which led us to meet Tomas and Vicente, two Americans that were acclimatizing in the valley and also wanted to climb Arteson in the next week.<br />
<br />
<h2>
TENSION, FEAR AND DEATH IN PARÓN: ARTESONRAJU AND TRAGEDY AT PIRAMIDE</h2>
For the weeks prior to attempting Arteson´s SE face I´ve been asking around everyone I could about conditions, and all I heard was that there was too much snow. The more up to date info I got was from a party of Italian skiers who had been to the valley but not only did not get to wall but also only took four pickets for their attempt, so, I don´t really think that could be reliable information at all. One day prior to leaving a local friend passed me the info that his friend said you could stick your full arm in the wall, so that´s how much snow there was. But then, I was hearing the same thing last year, and people here tend to exaggerate things a lot, aside from the differences of info that comes from guided parties and independent climbers. I may be stubborn, but I´d rather go there and see it for myself than sit around in Huaraz waiting for perfect weather (maybe that´s why I don´t summit much? Hmmm). So, we were supposed to leave on Saturday, July 12th, but then this Canadian wanted to join us and asked us to wait to leave on Sunday the 13th and so we did, but then he bailed. Nothing changed though, but I got an extra day of rest.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQKl6rxJz9iPc77scL0Ku5ycK49hdFlyD3KMZIZU9Ee55vZQ5wEeKtqP4kFSXEXXjLeZeiXaZqUCS8nir9i52Yh2eCbqS5cCSu18MFQ4OzZEn5Hr9UQlAnUY4b6DBxpTf5jhTjnThly8h/s1600/DSC09965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQKl6rxJz9iPc77scL0Ku5ycK49hdFlyD3KMZIZU9Ee55vZQ5wEeKtqP4kFSXEXXjLeZeiXaZqUCS8nir9i52Yh2eCbqS5cCSu18MFQ4OzZEn5Hr9UQlAnUY4b6DBxpTf5jhTjnThly8h/s1600/DSC09965.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arrival at Laguna Parón. Lots of excitement for climbing two awesome mountains in what is to me the prettiest valley in the range.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZ4CNZJQ6BuQgzYaj-P6Ne31IwIgA1oYdgCNCVZnsw1TCtlwtdU8ooFU5g8T1yjnMnkXMPHsssU0m4OPBfEsnbLnuD-1grVwXz174a8BPppw2U7HiOzmYsuDIvwImwDy4iKG2MraDzB_k/s1600/DSC09972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZ4CNZJQ6BuQgzYaj-P6Ne31IwIgA1oYdgCNCVZnsw1TCtlwtdU8ooFU5g8T1yjnMnkXMPHsssU0m4OPBfEsnbLnuD-1grVwXz174a8BPppw2U7HiOzmYsuDIvwImwDy4iKG2MraDzB_k/s1600/DSC09972.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back towards the beginning of the trail.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKUGkmZ6r9GvPEEx4M0auU1cWU5QGy2lpArpV9okiYq3z0GhmPHrMe2-cNG1yWs7FQqweI3MtccLAUcphUWFIEzU3SBRa16PRTMXEyEnWTlnSxBAmCypGUCNe7kB8mapH0vWhWKtxncsTD/s1600/DSC09974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKUGkmZ6r9GvPEEx4M0auU1cWU5QGy2lpArpV9okiYq3z0GhmPHrMe2-cNG1yWs7FQqweI3MtccLAUcphUWFIEzU3SBRa16PRTMXEyEnWTlnSxBAmCypGUCNe7kB8mapH0vWhWKtxncsTD/s1600/DSC09974.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piramide de Garcilazo, the butcher mountain of the season.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yINVOjo74rOfvXAb9HVNl-pmtQRY-dWsE9xM4k7DvcfymNIS9aYdiaWVVzG1Znt6VCJDrfrJvAfc4Ojzb41idyNuKJRiOUSJmd8yuNzYE1gctiC3wMNSGdfk9Y0SMdr2p-cqSzFmV92Y/s1600/DSC09969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yINVOjo74rOfvXAb9HVNl-pmtQRY-dWsE9xM4k7DvcfymNIS9aYdiaWVVzG1Znt6VCJDrfrJvAfc4Ojzb41idyNuKJRiOUSJmd8yuNzYE1gctiC3wMNSGdfk9Y0SMdr2p-cqSzFmV92Y/s1600/DSC09969.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Organizing the packs to begin our walk towards camp.</td></tr>
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<br />
Our plan was to reach moraine camp of Arteson on the first day, climb on the second or third day, rest on the fourth all day in base camp, head to high camp of Piramide on the fifth, climb on the sixth day, and then head back to base camp and Huaraz on the seventh. Not too aggressive but also not too laid back a schedule, although we still had some flexibility on it. We knew we were both tired and not at the top of our game so we allowed ourselves those extra days for rest.<br />
<br />
This was the first time I´ve been to Parón valley, so I´m gonna describe here to the best of my internet writing abilities. First, it is far. It seems like it is tucked in a hidden corner, because the taxi drives on endless switchbacks to the entrance of the valley, and then when we finally start entering, it is another set of endless switchbacks, although this time, we are surrounded by immense steep rock towers pointing up the sky, among them, the impressive Esfinge. May Keith Richards shine a light on me so that one day I can be a good enough climber to lead on that beast. So the valley is a short one, and that is very clear when we get dropped off at the Laguna Parón. The view from this point is already impressive: you´re circled by Huandoy Norte, Pisco, and Piramide in the very end of the valley. Hidden to the left is Arteson and both Caraz peaks. Between them a beautiful turquoise blue lagoon. No naked castaway kids running around though.<br />
<br />
Less than two hours walking with a 30kg plus backpack on my back later, I was in base camp. We were gonna leave a cache of food and equipment on base camp, so I´d have to repack into my smaller backpack in order to go up to moraine camp. We dropped the loads for some rest and took the time to chat up two climbers who had arrived the day before, Cole and John, both from the US. They were planning on staying for 9 days in the valley, to climb Piramide, then Arteson, and then maybe one of the Caraz peaks. After Tomas and Vicente arrived, the six of us sat for a while studying the route and chatting. I was pretty worried Craig and I didn´t have enough rock pro for Piramide so I used the opportunity to chat Cole asbout what they had and get some of his info on the route.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAk9mrKRYcyVsJqALKvhFx_UrkeXkjcKXyJm5Dl83aptPNsetw-jgo9f50MdNmEd5j9Ot5XoS3bieZk39aXh3w0Jim_Mf2b6pjAsaxfVo760TglQga2mLqwnDimCcLEa2u3OEHNosWqTu/s1600/DSC09976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAk9mrKRYcyVsJqALKvhFx_UrkeXkjcKXyJm5Dl83aptPNsetw-jgo9f50MdNmEd5j9Ot5XoS3bieZk39aXh3w0Jim_Mf2b6pjAsaxfVo760TglQga2mLqwnDimCcLEa2u3OEHNosWqTu/s1600/DSC09976.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomas and Craig on base camp before heading up to Timber camp.</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpXOWfO4KRdchHcwa5YKFh3nfEPc3qjEqyMbs2RlO3_krqtX8ftWRrrqLAE-KO7Bip9Iiifciug5ChH1p-pYsDgUKakMR3QKYPCWzRqOkIQPGyR3SK-4i5ziLv2Tws8mSJIrZISDjZM8P/s1600/DSC09978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpXOWfO4KRdchHcwa5YKFh3nfEPc3qjEqyMbs2RlO3_krqtX8ftWRrrqLAE-KO7Bip9Iiifciug5ChH1p-pYsDgUKakMR3QKYPCWzRqOkIQPGyR3SK-4i5ziLv2Tws8mSJIrZISDjZM8P/s1600/DSC09978.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ueli Steck heading down to base camp after his scary attempt at Arteson.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbSXDB-Ryb7MNXfxpy5MYbjHimySjQG-mu56MHIEc0Zk8Q80dfgeD-7kMapr8yHJT_N_hIcCcUN-lhi5fH3-H-CdPbW_Z84paYuIKj9WnDO5MaiZdKsExxGKYgVR47KOnY9ITSliVKPyf/s1600/DSC09979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbSXDB-Ryb7MNXfxpy5MYbjHimySjQG-mu56MHIEc0Zk8Q80dfgeD-7kMapr8yHJT_N_hIcCcUN-lhi5fH3-H-CdPbW_Z84paYuIKj9WnDO5MaiZdKsExxGKYgVR47KOnY9ITSliVKPyf/s1600/DSC09979.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomas and his quirky little camera.</td></tr>
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We were in base for maybe 1h30, enough time to make new friends, repack, rest and take several pictures. Diagnostic on the route was that it was obviously packed with too much snow, and secretly from my short experience in this range I knew we wouldn´t be able to climb the cornice. Not even Ueli could and he´s a little better than us. French guide who was around with his client told us not only you could not ski that but he wouldn´t even climb it. Thanks for the support bro! Just kidding...<br />
<br />
Timber camp is about one hour up from base camp, amidst trees and in a grassy area, pretty protected from wind but still receives sun light. Although with a lighter backpack, and being it just 400m up, I felt like shit going up, in what was probably my slowest pace so far in this season, aside from when I was acclimatizing. I kept checking on the boys as they ascended to moraine camp of Piramide, sort of suffering in anticipation cuz we´d ascend to high camp in one day (taht meant 100m of vertical gain). Last time I turned around I saw them up on the moraine ridge with shiny stuff on their backpacks. Tomas and Vicente were speeding ahead and ran into a 3 person group in the distance. What was my surprise when I approached and saw who it was: Ueli Steck, his wife and a local guide were descending from their attempt on that same day. I arrived late at the conversation, but essentially he said conditions were shitty, he got avalanched on and buried, and didn´t make the summit. So, if the world´s most bad ass couldn´t do it, we´d probably have a hard time as well, to say the least.<br />
<br />
I had a decent night of sleep in Timber camp, like, maybe 5 hours, which has been a record for the past months, so I woke up rested the next day and ascended to moraine without suffering too much. Initial idea was to set up a high camp, but it was so windy and cold that we decided to be more comfortable that night and stay at moraine. Set up camp, went out to the glacier to check the route, and by 15h we were already in the tent "sleeping". Heard a big avalanche at around 19h on Piramide, kinda hoping it was the excess snow falling off our face, but it wasn´t. In truth, because of all the expert opinions aside from our own, we were pretty tense about our attempt, and one could probably sense it pretty well. I guess all of us were at least a bit scared of even getting into this glacier with the amount of snow on this wall, but we were already in moraine camp and since we each know what we were doing and take responsibility for our actions, we decided to give it a go. Certainly every local guide I know wouldn´t even be here trying to climb this, and the french guide with his client also gave up on it from base camp, but we´re hard headed and had to go.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZZ5PdDZJJoE7rSxmOBDHRR4fI3UbEctVGI-Mk2wylxeZKPjBcSkyScl_r38GSrWuazgUdRmWMLWE519NiAbql7NdWgnhx7zYB_WbnAwvVn8ybdOmXDW0Cf88IhHvRhqTSer3f1p9_c7W/s1600/DSC09987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZZ5PdDZJJoE7rSxmOBDHRR4fI3UbEctVGI-Mk2wylxeZKPjBcSkyScl_r38GSrWuazgUdRmWMLWE519NiAbql7NdWgnhx7zYB_WbnAwvVn8ybdOmXDW0Cf88IhHvRhqTSer3f1p9_c7W/s1600/DSC09987.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mountain that is way more beautiful than the most beautiful mountain in the world.</td></tr>
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<br />
Alarm off at 23h, we´re off at midnight. Wind hasn´t died and there was a pretty big cloud blowing from the summit, although the night wasn´t as cold as the one before. People told us to be careful with the water holes on the glacier but still I managed to get my foot into one, although I got it out pretty fast with no damage. In order to leave camp and get on the glacier we have to do a sketchy down climb on frozen sand, then walk on the border of the frozen lake to finally get on the dry ice part of the glacier with all those holes, then the snow ramp. I was frustratingly slow for my own standards though. We finally got up on the snow ramp with various qualities of snow, from crunchy hard to deep and sugary, which was all totally normal for this range, but as we got up, not only the wind got worse, but so did the snow conditions. I´m not super experienced on this range from what I know, and how the snow conditions were, I just knew it would be even worse on the wall. As much as we would be able to climb up, it would be nearly impossible and very risky to rappel and even down climb on snow as lose and sugary as it would be, and that´s not counting on the most obvious danger of all, of the huge wall slab sliding at any giving moment and we be under it or on it. Craig and I both ran snow condition/avalanche tests with not very nice results, but still kept going up.<br />
<br />
I knew we would get turned around at the cornice near the summit, but was hoping to at least to some pitches on the wall and then maybe have a pleasant surprise under such cornice. But it would be way too risky to even try to get on the wall itself. "What do you think of this snow? What about this wind" - I kept going, tolerable wind and sketchier snow as we ascended... but at one point I just replied that we´d eventually get turned around in an hour. We got up a little bit more and stopped at around 5200m for some 15 minutes ping-ponging the decision to go on or go down to each other. I´m pretty terrified of avalanches and the image of one of the top alpinists in the world having to be dug out of one really had its impact on me. Again, one of those moments where you question your risk tolerance and
if "now" is the appropriate time to stretch it. It wasn´t. On the way back a crevasse lip broke as I was crossing it and I was swallowed by the snow with one leg hanging in the crevasse for a few dozen seconds until I managed to get myself out. <b>Scary.</b><br />
<br />
We were back in moraine camp by around 4h30. Craig quickly went back to sleep while I sat outside for about 15 minutes in a state of trance, thinking of climbing, summits, my favorite mountain, and about how spent I was. I began considering not climbing Piramide in such a state - it was too committing and serious to climb in average speed, which was my speed at this point. I got into my sleeping bag until about 7h, which is when Tomas and Vicente arrived from their attempt, thought about this issue and decided I coudn´t go, that it was just not the right timing. I told Craig in the morning and so we decided to head back to Huaraz with the other two. That would mean rush to base camp and to the beginning of the trail in order to catch a ride with one of the incoming groups. Craig let slip he almost suggested we climb Piramide first because conditions were so bad on Arteson. This would haunt me later.<br />
<br />
I arrived at base camp followed by Craig. Right away this guy with a big puffy jacket, like those ones people use at 8000m peaks, started heading towards us, obviously to ask about conditions. Duh. This was Jakob, a German, and for about ten minutes we chatted about conditions, made pop corn and found out Germany had won the World Cup. Then the dialog went like this:<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Jakob - Did you guys meet the two americans that were here?</i><br />
<i>Us - Yes.</i><br />
<i>Jakob - One of them is dead.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
I repeated "no" a few times because obviously to me, these two boys were safe in high camp after their climb. From then on, the German started filling us on the details, that an ice avalanche hit one of them, "the tall one without the facial hair", that the rescue parties were already up there, the other boy had come down the day before desperate and looking for a sat phone, was devastated, back up in the glacier looking for the body. This cold chill kept running through my body as I realized one of the boys we met two days before and were supposed to meet again that same day, was dead. The same one we said goodbye and "see you in a few days", the same one we saw hiking up the moraine, or whom we were joking about the annoying cows. The same one I chatted about the rock gear for Piramide while thinking to myself <i>"I´m gonna flood this guy with questions when they get down"</i>. Twenty something. Gone.<br />
<br />
Second death on the same mountain, same route, in a week. A mountain a few hours earlier I decided to give up on. So much went through my head in the 5 minutes after I heard <i>"one of them is dead"</i>, that three days later while writing this I was still trying to un-knot all this stuff in my head. I thought of Cory´s friend who was at Zarela the week before and all he was going through. I thought of Cole´s partner, of his family, of my family, of my friends, of my partner. I finally thought, what if we had switched mountains and climbed the same day as Cole?<br />
<br />
Tomas remarked about all this shit that happened in these three days, that it meant something. It did. I don´t know what yet, but at that moment, it meant we needed to leave the valley. As gorgeous as it is, at that moment, Parón meant high risk. It meant death. I´ll have to do a lot of mental work to come back to this valley and climb these mountains in the future. <br />
<br />
I will, but right now my mood is the worst possible and completely anti-social. I haven´t yet figured out how to deal with this. I don´t wanna climb, I don´t wanna talk to anyone, I can´t sleep and I don´t feel like eating. I´ve refused two unrefusable invitations to climb, to trek, to party, and just decided to go the opposite way and head to Hatun Machay for a few days to decompress, which didn´t help much for I ran into some people who knew about the accident and knew friends of Cole and such and couldn´t keep the info to themselves. All I did not want to do was to talk about that, so instead of staying two nights I decided to head back to Huaraz and hide for a while and decide on next steps. I was sharing the dorm with Cory´s close friend and we couldn´t help but talk about both deaths, although that chat did help some in relieve these heavy feelings. Then I thought of soloing Vallunaraju but since the weather will be crappy on this week I had two other options: do the Huayhuash trek on my own or head to the beach where certainly I will not think of climbing. So, the beach it is.<br />
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Till the next dispatch.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-G_DLJyTnJkuLCTWWNfNbLnq_WGr1RsFtGzHboUYbEYNJGPR0ucVdp0qD4KC_F9Sg61ozNKfAxuH_wpmIZEwrLmFhdVl6MKkdaYFlENQmzNnQUFsdCJLPCOopds9F-7cd6cZ0c5fem3Z3/s1600/DSC09993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-G_DLJyTnJkuLCTWWNfNbLnq_WGr1RsFtGzHboUYbEYNJGPR0ucVdp0qD4KC_F9Sg61ozNKfAxuH_wpmIZEwrLmFhdVl6MKkdaYFlENQmzNnQUFsdCJLPCOopds9F-7cd6cZ0c5fem3Z3/s1600/DSC09993.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made this friend in Hatun Machay. Best thing about him is that he doesn´t talk.</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-12994630081250416862014-07-16T19:15:00.000-03:002014-07-17T10:06:36.817-03:00COLEOn Sunday, July 13th, I left Huaraz with Craig, Tomas and Vicente towards Parón valley. Craig and I would climb Arteson´s SE face and then Piramide´s NW face, Tomas and Vicente would stick to the first one. Upon arrival in base camp we met John and Cole. Immediately after dropping our huge packs we headed towards the two, as any climber always does, for introductions, check on conditions and overall meeting other climbers and hanging out. They were in the valley for nine days, for Piramide, then Arteson, then maybe Caraz. Cows seemed to enjoy licking their tent a lot.<br />
<br />
The two were starting to pack to head up to moraine camp with a tarp, and then climb all day on Piramide the next day, and when done they would attempt Arteson, the exact opposite of what we would do, so we agreed to meet back in base camp in a few days to exchange route info. After Tomas and Vicente arrived, the four of us shared some binoculars to examine the route, and I chatted them about rock gear for Piramide. We finally said farewells as they left for their moraine camp and us to ours. At one point Craig pointed me out to them ascending on the distance, and that was the last time we saw Cole.<br />
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After attempting Arteson, on the morning of Tuesday, July 15th, Craig went back into the tent to sleep while I sat outside for some good 15 minutes thinking about climbing and life in general. I have been in Huaraz for 2 and a half months, climbing with little rest for 2 full months, and am feeling exhausted by now. At that moment I figured it wouldn´t be wise to enter such a commiting and technical route while not at the top of my game. In the morning I told Craig I didn´t want to climb the Piramide, and I felt it just wasn´t the right moment. I guess he was a bit disappointed but understood it was a matter of safety. We then decided to head back to Huaraz with Tomas and Vicente.<br />
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Upon arrival on base camp a german called Jakob told us one of the americans we met two days before was dead. We quickly figured, by the description of the german regarding the one that survived, that it was Cole.<br />
<br />
This news hit us like a bomb.<br />
<br />
The young boy we met two days earlier, gone like that. The second death on the same mountain, on the same route, in a week. The route we were supposed to be in in two days. This was a disaster. And Craig almost suggested we climbed Piramide first because conditions in Arteson were so bad. We did find it strange to see their tent very early in the morning but not to see their tent in base camp when we were coming down.<br />
<br />
Apparently the accident happened on Monday morning, and it was an ice avalanche. The german told us there were already rescue parties up there, that his friend was devasted but up there again trying to locate the body. Walking out of the valley we did see many police and rescue cars, boat and rescuers, and that made it even more real.<br />
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Last week I wrote a piece on failure to summit but success to survive. I need not repeat anything that´s been said there, and upon realizing what was going on in Parón, I never felt more sure about the decisions I make in the mountains. I´ve also decided I am done with serious mountains for this season in this range, and will stick to the easier, walk up, safer ones.<br />
<br />
This was very close though, and has affected me so far quite deeply, as well as the rest of the my party. I cried numerous times yesterday and have not really been able to smile at all since then. Tomas remarked yesterday during dinner that we were the last people aside from his partner to see this boy alive. Alive and so eager and excited to climb this awesome mountain. So much so that the news of the death of Cory Hall in the previous week didn´t seem to affect them all - and to me they seemed very fit and capable of climbing this mountain. Still, if it was a decision on route, or the decision to climb it, or mere fatality, Cole is not here anymore, and I am pretty sure that an immense amount of people are in deep suffering as I write this.<br />
<br />
We know this can happen to any of us climbers, but still we never expect that one mere "bye" will be the last. We ran into Ueli Steck coming down from attempting the SE face of Arteson and he alerted us that conditions were very bad. A french guide with a client gave up even going to moraine camp of Arteson and said we defintely would not climb it like that. Still we attempted, and when we got down to base camp, this news. This all meant something, and we couldn´t wait to get out of Parón, which by the way is the prettiest valley I´ve been here so far. These three days in this valley are truly some of the darkest in my mountaineering experience.<br />
<br />
This is the third time someone I know dies in the mountains, yet it has never been so heavy, and so close. My deepest condolences to Cole´s family and friends. I wish them an infinite amount of strength to cope with this.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-71797040304669318282014-07-11T13:15:00.000-03:002014-07-17T14:38:16.542-03:00 A REHEARSAL ON THE DICHOTOMY OF FAILURE AND SUCCESS, NOTES ON THE FRAILTY OF LIFEMountain climbing renders many stories of heroic deeds: people overcoming many difficulties to be in the mountains and then to reach their summits. These become news, books, films, and are awe inspiring and makes us think that those are the full stories and tell how things always go. It makes people think every try renders a summit, no matter how hard it may be. But we never hear much of failure though. When one comes down from the mountains and is asked <i>"did you summit"</i>, if the answer is negative usually it is a quick and timid one, and the conversation switches to other topics in a matter of seconds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZCNtuQm8ujuVCs9KlnJNVp8oL3oZ4u_auZAeEh1FNRw3A368up4LxFFccpcYwoEe0qpF4cwp6O6fQ0Q2tw5zdCEVfKngL1gxf1Q3xL7T4p3lAFTnw85HtTowxJldSjgn6J_wEoHFevRq/s1600/DSC09962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZCNtuQm8ujuVCs9KlnJNVp8oL3oZ4u_auZAeEh1FNRw3A368up4LxFFccpcYwoEe0qpF4cwp6O6fQ0Q2tw5zdCEVfKngL1gxf1Q3xL7T4p3lAFTnw85HtTowxJldSjgn6J_wEoHFevRq/s1600/DSC09962.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bad weather and dark days in the Blanca.</td></tr>
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<br />
I have many stories of failures and in fact, I failed on most mountains I attempted, for the most various reasons. If seen from the perspective of reaching summits, I am by far one of the most mediocre climbers I have met, although I am not afraid to say I have not summited. Having coming down from attempting what would be my hardest route so far, the North Face Direct on Ranrapalca, a D+, but giving up for an idiotic reason, and now counting 8 mountains this season and only 4 summits, I could not help but feel like the shittiest and most incompetent wannabe climber I can think of. I still have close to two months to climb, but in a way I already feel like this season has been either a total failure, or close to absolute success because I´ve come so far from where I began two years ago, and this dichotomy has been killing me ever more as days pass. More and more though, I feel like I should quit this altogether - I started too late, I cannot train in snow and ice in Brazil, I´m getting old, I´m never the strongest, etc, etc. Unfortunately, it doesn´t make me feel any better to know this is a shitty season weather wise and that 90% of the people I know here aren´t summiting anything significant.<br />
<br />
Every story has a few sides to it though, and albeit it may seem idiotic, this same reason which could be a reason for laugh for some, may also have avoided a major disaster that would have been even more idiotic and laughable. In the end, it is a matter of point of view, although the responsibility for my life and the safety of my partner is none but mine to decide upon, and I feel no shame on my decisions. My partner forgot his headlamp, but we still got onto the route. Close to the second rock band, since I was leading most of the climb, my common sense spoke louder and my instinct helped on the decision to turn us around after about 200 meters up on the route. I do feel responsibility for not checking his equipment as well as I do mine.<br />
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People don´t really care to congratulate much on success but are very eager to criticize failure without knowing the effort that was put into reaching a certain limit, and it hasn´t been different this season. Unfortunately, this bothers me more than it should. Bellow is the reason why.<br />
<br />
As of mid August 2014 I will have completed two years of the ascent of my first high altitude mountain, being it Point Lenana in Mount Kenya, a walk up acclimatization hike reaching the modest altitude of 4985m - altitude which is nowadays absolutely common place for me, or as I call it sometimes <i>"moraine camp height"</i>. I feel I have come a long way since then, in all possible aspects: I´ve developed skills as independent climber which was my main goal, decision making, route finding and slowly am sharpening my technical climbing abilities, which is something that requires an amount of regular practice I simply cannot have while living in Brazil. I´ve also learned to endure climbing in bad weather since that´s what I had in about 80% of my climbs. I faced new feelings though, experiencing longing while alone with my partners in high and sometimes not so high camps with no other climbers around. <i>"What if something happens? No one will know about it until it is too late"</i> has been on my mind quite a few times. Those feelings I confess, sometimes made me want to give climbs and simply pack up things and go home, so that´s how strong they were, making me question one of what I thought was my strongest ability - that of enduring isolation, loneliness for extended periods of time... our innate Brazilian ability to endure suffering. I too need human contact, I learned. And quite often.<br />
<br />
<br />
It was in Ecuador that I had a slight experience of <i>"technicality"</i> in the mountains. Shortly after I made a conscious decision although led by heart, that height didn´t matter to me, and that I wanted to climb hard, technical routes, however big mountains would be. <i>"I´d rather not summit a hard route than summit a walk up one"</i> has been quite the controversial motto since then. As awkward as that would sound for Brazilian mountaineers - most of whom are 8000m, volcano and Seven Summit chasers, I would eventually meet many like minded people, especially from the US. This has brought me comfort, as I met numerous highly experienced climbers who had never been above 6000m or such, but who were highly accomplished in extremely difficult routes all over the world. In the private rumblings of my head, I was timidly comfortable with chasing routes and not necessarily summits, although always bothered by some people in the local community asking me about the latter. <br />
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I have not met people who are trying D+ routes independently with less than 2 years of climbing in big mountains. Most climbers I know attempting the same routes as I have at least 5 or so years of climbing on their backs. It may be irresponsible to some, but I wouldn´t be doing it if I didn´t feel capable of. I do feel I´m climbing within my limits, but going beyond on this specific route without the headlamp felt like I would stretch that limit beyond my ability to later handle any issues that would arise from it. And I knew issues would arise from it. To me this was too serious a route to be gambling on. <br />
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I think it takes a split second of a decision to make a fatal error. And I am humble enough to recognize my mere existence as a human and realize that big, serious accidents can happen to me as well. Nothing really makes me or anyone else more special so as to render us immune to getting into serious trouble or dying because of stupid mistakes, bad decisions or simply bad luck. As much as I am ambitious, I also maintain a decent distance that separates me from being reckless and I am not afraid or ashamed to put it into practice.<br />
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To some that may seem as weakness, inexperience, inability, and it may well be all that. But the most precious thing for me, although it may not seem like it, is not really the high of finishing hard routes or reaching summits, but the high of having people I love around me. And to have that, I need to be alive. I do not intend to ever overcome the immenseness of mountains for they are truly unconquerable, as much as you may stand on their summits for a few minutes. I am satisfied in feeling part of them, be it in a hard route, be it on their summit. This all may be idiotic rambling, and unfortunately I have not yet had a chance to discuss these feelings with more experienced climbers although I know many. Maybe they´ve been through all this, and maybe these doubts are part of the process of developing into a more experienced and mature climber. I am sure that when opportunity arises I will learn a lot from feedback, but as of now<i> </i>I need to vent onto the web in order to understand my own doubts a little better, and this is my little space to do so.<br />
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All this has brought me to a familiar wish: today I feel like soloing something, as easy as it may be. This realization of things that could have happened - not the summit, but trouble - sometimes need to be digested in their own environment. As of this moment in time, I am eager not only for climbing my most desired mountains in company of the great people I´ve been meeting, but of the arrival of August, in which I plan to spend a few weeks completely alone in some easy but unexplored mountains, learning and humbling myself in a way only soloists understand how. This communion with the land you step on - this synergy of matter, body, air, mountain, the soul - is the epitome of the feeling of life, as if you could hold it with your bare hands, and sometimes the only thing that can take my mind off of this dreamy, selfish and obsessive state that climbing provokes, and bring me back to Earth, to remind me there´s people waiting for me to come home (now, if I decide to go on being selfish or not is a different post).<br />
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I need to digest Ranrapalca. My failure may be not finishing the route or having so many summits, but I feel that being here trying to understand this is for now, a small personal success. I came down alive and harmless one more time, and that suffices, as mediocre as it may be.<br />
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<i>P.S. I: As I finish writing this, more news arrive regarding the death of a climber on Piramide de Garcilazo, a mountain I would very much like to climb by the end of this month, and then that would be my hardest route ever, a very respectable TD+. It makes me wonder what decisions could have been made differently to avoid this death? Because in reality, this could be, at any time, any of us climbers: me, my partner, or any of the countless climbers I´ve already met here and sometimes run into at the street or at the bar.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>P.S. II: Yesterday morning I had a first hand encounter with one of the rescuers and the best friend of this boy who died in Piramide (they are staying in the same hostel), and it is heartbreaking to watch them crying over the details and the whole situation. I definitely do not want to make anyone go through that.</i><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-79158934429772098542014-06-29T20:10:00.000-03:002014-06-29T20:11:37.197-03:00"NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST"There´s a saying that goes <i>"if you don´t know where to go, just stay where you are"</i>. I´d like to think, if you don´t know where to go after the season is over, watch this:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/62716181?color=999999" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <a href="http://vimeo.com/62716181">35</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/arcteryx">ARC'TERYX</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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Not that you´ll have any answers though, but it´s a great video. ;)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-45997620504206603092014-06-20T18:09:00.000-03:002014-07-02T18:50:39.622-03:00CORDILLERA BLANCA 2014 - DISPATCH 3<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLCxBEd-bHVF8H827W7pF7GzFbFZPHQx7cw2GdPWsPpSbZvB5qjbM9Iu4FCp_0XZI6kMKVDPa0C30PYoNMjMADnmWMTleA6yw0O7wE1aWmnbaX5Y18psCgrEi1zD4G74nK4wED71CWQzb/s1600/IMG_20140606_002049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLCxBEd-bHVF8H827W7pF7GzFbFZPHQx7cw2GdPWsPpSbZvB5qjbM9Iu4FCp_0XZI6kMKVDPa0C30PYoNMjMADnmWMTleA6yw0O7wE1aWmnbaX5Y18psCgrEi1zD4G74nK4wED71CWQzb/s1600/IMG_20140606_002049.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to a new dispatch, courtesy of Sex Burger in Huaraz.</td></tr>
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Huaraz is a bad city for climbers. As Nacho says, its bars suck away your money, give you a hangover and make you lose focus on the actual climbs. I cannot deny any of this and in fact, as we say in Brazil<i> "the flesh is weak"</i>, or as Sublime sings it <i>"Lord knows I´m weak"</i> or worse still, quoting Chantal Mauduit who quoted Rita,<i> "so many men, so little time"</i>... On top of all, the partying forces me to eat out and on more than one occasion I ended up at Sex Burger eating suspicious food that gave me stomach problems. I used to be a really disciplined athlete, I really don´t understand where all the motivation of my youth went... <br />
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Anyways, it happened by chance to finally start climbing something exciting. A night at Xtremo rendered some very interesting introductions and a great idea. After many drinks we reached no conclusions, but decided to set up another meeting at a bar on the following day with the basque guys, and that my readers, yielded the idea to climb the granite cracks on Huamashraju, a mountain which I had already climbed via the glacier in the previous year.<br />
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<span id="goog_1300531426"></span><span id="goog_1300531427"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUDepE5NyKBG6Cegs7Ix6zLXm6MFOvnAakSaBFfG_mCAHlKTDULEdstAMkGdUcgjbo4LwufLQpEJs8q7vP3dZHpCUbHN7mniL-UiyWqmvbXG8odlCRoFbnnpOgZVcFgfxt4eCEc6fSH2v/s1600/DSC09666.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUDepE5NyKBG6Cegs7Ix6zLXm6MFOvnAakSaBFfG_mCAHlKTDULEdstAMkGdUcgjbo4LwufLQpEJs8q7vP3dZHpCUbHN7mniL-UiyWqmvbXG8odlCRoFbnnpOgZVcFgfxt4eCEc6fSH2v/s1600/DSC09666.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We went bouldering with this guy named Rolo, as in Garibotti, from Patagonia, and his friend Bruno Sourzac, as in Aconcagua south face speed record. Humbling.</td></tr>
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<h2>
CRACK-FREEZE CLIMBING IN HUAMASHRAJU</h2>
<i>"Let´s go to Huamashraju tomorrow"</i> said I to the undecided basques. They promptly agreed, we chatted up arrangements for camping and food, and off I went with Kepa and Chusky to do some bouldering while Aitzol returned to the hostel to cook and surf the internet (on a day when there was an internet and phone blackout in Huaraz). Anyways, upon returning we finally got a hold of slippery Nacho Borracho who promptly agreed to go with us. So, it´d be me and Nacho, Kepa and Aitzol as the two teams climbing. Jacinto picked us up in his taxi at around 10 in the morning and after a typically eventful peruvian ride we were finally on route to moraine camp.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfaLByRluFmKR_PFJYA9Lu2FL-c7LP65PRnmjnsEpVg8WTkE3Ha-qWlrOkGslTDmjc-UEph3PcGVvxY3G3TFIAVF6BG1MrJ6zCTS3pMoWMruqoAq_wC5mIGWe4SK-CG3GPZIAo8cEa3v8Y/s1600/GOPR0107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfaLByRluFmKR_PFJYA9Lu2FL-c7LP65PRnmjnsEpVg8WTkE3Ha-qWlrOkGslTDmjc-UEph3PcGVvxY3G3TFIAVF6BG1MrJ6zCTS3pMoWMruqoAq_wC5mIGWe4SK-CG3GPZIAo8cEa3v8Y/s1600/GOPR0107.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last stop before reaching moraine camp: me, Nacho and Kepa eager to drop our packs and rest. Photo by Aitzol.</td></tr>
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Once again I was playing mule with a 25kg+ backpack since I had all the equipment for my team. I did pass the rope to Nacho and he <strike>happily</strike> accepted it. We reached moraine camp in 3h40, just 10 minutes more than last year when I actually had a porter. This small achievement restored some of my confidence in my physical abilities - confidence that had been shattered by the rude and obnoxious comments from the previous partner. I may not be the strongest, but I´m doing pretty good and that suffices. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeSG3t8plsJtXIu3ESy81Jp9C8y1Bz5CtSpKeXO40hXcKSJhLLqrTtkvy8v0JoHx88LdrOdNJpCRcvGQz6SHFgD9Xf4gJQYuECUPWrXmJrgThcf2g4nQbVkhG5pBHQNyCvJLRcA14ccQs/s1600/DSC09675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeSG3t8plsJtXIu3ESy81Jp9C8y1Bz5CtSpKeXO40hXcKSJhLLqrTtkvy8v0JoHx88LdrOdNJpCRcvGQz6SHFgD9Xf4gJQYuECUPWrXmJrgThcf2g4nQbVkhG5pBHQNyCvJLRcA14ccQs/s1600/DSC09675.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huamashraju, meaning "Mountain of Fear", as seen from moraine camp. A lot more snow than last year.</td></tr>
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Aitzol had the topo pretty detailed and I was excited to lead some easy cracks on pros, but once we reached the base of the routes Nacho and Kepa decided to try other lines. Since I´m not accustomed to leading on pro, have not climbed trad on this granite and on this cold, and I´m not a super climber, I was put off about leading, which in the end I regretted because yes, it was within my abilities. Oh well, maybe another time.<br />
<br />
Kepa and Nacho started leading on two different lines while myself and Aitzol froze our asses to death belaying, and our turn to climb seemed like it would never arrive. When I started on what was 3rd class I actually postponed taking off my boots and crampons as much as possible but eventually had to put on the climbing shoes and remove the gloves, which was a grueling task in that cold. Worse still we knew the sun wouldn´t reach the wall up until noon. That made me very, very sad, as in, icicle sad.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXknc84aATCsW_49EX5dew2QJlaLlsl-BqJrOBR2GQ_uTnhK6jhE7wo6KJga734epCSlMV4PcL_oZSm6YVwv7xah033rQJ2jM4H2LAhcRwheVVaq4vW7RTsXr5yr4jxaut1weR7DDcCBp/s1600/GOPR0115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXknc84aATCsW_49EX5dew2QJlaLlsl-BqJrOBR2GQ_uTnhK6jhE7wo6KJga734epCSlMV4PcL_oZSm6YVwv7xah033rQJ2jM4H2LAhcRwheVVaq4vW7RTsXr5yr4jxaut1weR7DDcCBp/s1600/GOPR0115.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching the wall from climber´s right side of the glacier. So much snow this year that it looks like a different mountain. Photo by Aitzol.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81vY_0F0WVA9q5DDcPes7-pxJf0FbQlBNFNd5uQBZlR0ccakLqr63Luky4NlT62Gg-Qho1zbEphGNW-5f_s6ALSikvfsbZ3XS9zbLUfQec5hYzy31K86AFVF37vQgvA6nWHZv550bOCzf/s1600/20140604_131242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81vY_0F0WVA9q5DDcPes7-pxJf0FbQlBNFNd5uQBZlR0ccakLqr63Luky4NlT62Gg-Qho1zbEphGNW-5f_s6ALSikvfsbZ3XS9zbLUfQec5hYzy31K86AFVF37vQgvA6nWHZv550bOCzf/s1600/20140604_131242.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The several crack systems of the left wall. Photo by Kepa.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Qzq23cnNJ2DRQABXDJep4sTKVXUfeSDnt__0814e8F8pbikjgncUxB9SGWdlzGKTZ3YyXi3bq9KiBaox2D6e-I8LJ9tfme4mIb9XhtzeRhAehP2yI4Jm4OJxwza8typ1XaGkDeq4bS7z/s1600/20140604_131315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Qzq23cnNJ2DRQABXDJep4sTKVXUfeSDnt__0814e8F8pbikjgncUxB9SGWdlzGKTZ3YyXi3bq9KiBaox2D6e-I8LJ9tfme4mIb9XhtzeRhAehP2yI4Jm4OJxwza8typ1XaGkDeq4bS7z/s1600/20140604_131315.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking cool, or rather not. Photo by Kepa.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlVskcpNQRodgB-uC7K4b_okPxYsxufTRd0Oe3qll6fafTsF69d9CrUKtH_rfcouaMpM9GMrr3gbreN3_HuAETN67OSLrKsSAeatYquhvRqUSHNWCUNnDyQgZ3fMbVxD0PbtWVF1tqTLV/s1600/20140604_125726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
The basques went up their crack system while Nacho and I went up more to the right, towards the roofs, which ended up being a bad decision because the cracks went "blind" (don´t know if that is the right way to describe them, it means no way to protect them). We then spent close to 2 hours traversing down with sketchy pendulums and traverses into the crack system the boys went up originally.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcPxd7bN-0UCRGEj2Xv-PcJB0xN5ZXlNi3eBUCK9LkMlJ9geJ-yqzGUf89w4pQXe3d7lmH0T5lab9Y1j2Cgf3so0hVhUOOwQFbh2U4YZnaWOiJ6Mz24CBGThbkGVG-68jp6XAQ6PzARvWi/s1600/DSC09679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcPxd7bN-0UCRGEj2Xv-PcJB0xN5ZXlNi3eBUCK9LkMlJ9geJ-yqzGUf89w4pQXe3d7lmH0T5lab9Y1j2Cgf3so0hVhUOOwQFbh2U4YZnaWOiJ6Mz24CBGThbkGVG-68jp6XAQ6PzARvWi/s1600/DSC09679.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kepa leading the first pitch of the day, at -3 celsius. Torture!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuLQR1tEMH8VQPFpDJzciTSog1e_llNBxqRr1JUyIRiJ3f5gr8MWfRcx_dkAlxrlXZ7aaQh68Dcnr6y_Gf59QtpouxHeH4TSbHgk6OLrooLfUI0d8EV7S2ySIfLJdzELTA0BxRVWxfZT-/s1600/DSC09681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuLQR1tEMH8VQPFpDJzciTSog1e_llNBxqRr1JUyIRiJ3f5gr8MWfRcx_dkAlxrlXZ7aaQh68Dcnr6y_Gf59QtpouxHeH4TSbHgk6OLrooLfUI0d8EV7S2ySIfLJdzELTA0BxRVWxfZT-/s1600/DSC09681.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don´t remember which pitch this is but that´s Nacho up there on the anchor station.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We followed on a bit worried about time, since we only had a 60 meter rope and rappels required two ropes of that kind. Also, snow was starting to melt from atop the route and running down our crack system. We persisted, exhausted, hungry and with almost no strength left, but reached the end of the route to finally spot the summit and the basque boys getting ready to set up their rappel from the base of the rock band. We put back boots and crampons and marched up stopping every five steps or so, but finally reached the rappel station. From there on it was all about dragging ourselves down the glacier and moraine to our camp. We got there at 6 pm absolutely exhausted. It was a 13h day, and none of us expected it to be this long and tiring. On the other hand, it was visible on their eyes the feeling of conquest and satisfaction with such an accomplishment. Kepa himself said this was a typical north face in the Alps, and that this had been a day of true alpinism. In the end our routes were in between 250 and 300 meters, about 6a+ in grade, some eventual bolts for rapelling, but mostly total clean climb.<br />
<br />
Happy as we were, we didn´t even remember to call up our driver to let him know we´d be going down the next day, we were too exhausted to head down at night (see, even UIAGM guides get tired). Fortunately we had some leftover food (and what great cooks these basque guys are, I´m copying their menu from now on), for dinner and some crackers for the next day´s breakfast.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMhLEpJKNsaPipoT1-dTw99K4OgLibDBGfwv4nRYP3chnSnA59AWQfYKbV0p3wOt5I9PpnkHabpVGMPz4yQBYJ-uMyuSSXBAtKboxylqyve2jNFHrxGzy2ZZT2TlRet7cDFMnmvoevPbD/s1600/DSC09676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMhLEpJKNsaPipoT1-dTw99K4OgLibDBGfwv4nRYP3chnSnA59AWQfYKbV0p3wOt5I9PpnkHabpVGMPz4yQBYJ-uMyuSSXBAtKboxylqyve2jNFHrxGzy2ZZT2TlRet7cDFMnmvoevPbD/s1600/DSC09676.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The team: me, Kepa, Aitzol and Nacho.</td></tr>
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<br />
Finally, in about a month of travel, a true and accomplished climb. I returned to Huaraz super excited and eager to go even further and even harder. Now I needed ice!<br />
<br />
<h2>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoYiQ8Qsozk&feature=kp" target="_blank">BOREDOM BOREDOM</a></h2>
I came down with plans to leave for Toclla on a friday, head straight to moraine camp, and climb the next day with a guy I had recently met and had never climbed with before. Aside from that, I would originally have only thursday to get some extra pickets, rent ropes (I only have 1 60 meter rope), buy food, arrange arrieros and a porter for I would definately NOT carry all that by myself to moraine camp and then lead the whole climb. On my <a href="http://www.summitpost.org/a-brazilian-venturing-into-technical-mountains-cordillera-blanca-2013/873264" target="_blank">trip report from last year</a>
I wrote regarding Toclla that <i><b>"In truth, I didn't care. I realized I
need to stop attempting climbs I’m not really passionate about."</b></i> which also influenced me towards... giving up... especially when I received a Whatsapp message saying that my partner hadn´t really made to Ishinca the day he should, and god only knows if he would have time to climb Ishinca and be acclimatized and rested for Toclla. Since I´m not a guide or agency, I decided it´d be too much responsibility to put on my shoulders, and gave up the climb. Good enough decision for my stomach was once again effed up. <br />
<br />
I was bored and started getting pissed though. I had been here a month and did only one technical climb and it was on rock. I had no yet seen ice, and I was needing true adrenaline to get me excited and going again. In other words, I was starting to wither, earning for something truly challenging, difficult and ultimately a rewarding experience.<br />
<br />
Then came a pretty tempting, delicious, almost unrefusable offer.<br />
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<h2>
THE WILD SHAQSHA</h2>
Shaqsha (5703m, also known as Huantsán Chico, is one of the southernmost mountains of the Cordillera Blanca, most famous for being on the cover of Brad Johnson´s climbing guide. Nacho has told me about it last year and I really wanted to climb it but didn´t have the time, and being stubborn as I am, having received the offer from Victor, a super fun local guide I met last year, for opening a new route, I simply couldn´t refuse it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-K8eia0UGF75DN3ZcB66jyVcYul4JGqx0VI72lKDMKdXBt9FhViuH4OvAGmJSVy-mIiZZDGxOx51byTTuGCqHfwvusgYbtag9vePrLzTGDVqnLfQniwMYrelL-oCT9ho1PKYZCwUg54IY/s1600/DSC09704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-K8eia0UGF75DN3ZcB66jyVcYul4JGqx0VI72lKDMKdXBt9FhViuH4OvAGmJSVy-mIiZZDGxOx51byTTuGCqHfwvusgYbtag9vePrLzTGDVqnLfQniwMYrelL-oCT9ho1PKYZCwUg54IY/s1600/DSC09704.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Shaqsha, from Brad Johnson´s book.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
To be honest I didn´t do any research on the existing routes on the mountain, but this was a case of mountain I layed my eyes on and simply had to climb. Victor arrived from Lima on monday morning and on we went towards Olleros, and then Huaripampa, where we met our arriero. From there it tooks us maybe 4 hours on the fields towards base camp. The approach is similar in distance to that of the Ishinca valley, but quite boring, as the landscape doesn´t change and there´s not much of a path. In front of you most of the time though, you see Shaqsha and the Cashans.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhShJtV_dKihlyeCIba994Nk3WzmFBEuRfkfQPHzyP93sHGqJb7L65zhGloceFyz2rNei-78LqU8WdvCnHYs-BVHOWS1l25xTvSPfEzherRzbNHZX8K_giI63aSzzzX6U_p2kSH_did5r53/s1600/DSC09692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhShJtV_dKihlyeCIba994Nk3WzmFBEuRfkfQPHzyP93sHGqJb7L65zhGloceFyz2rNei-78LqU8WdvCnHYs-BVHOWS1l25xTvSPfEzherRzbNHZX8K_giI63aSzzzX6U_p2kSH_did5r53/s1600/DSC09692.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cashans seen from the approach trail to Shaqsha base camp. So many possibilities here! Definately one to come back to for some exploration.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
Victor had just arrived from Daulaghiri a few weeks prior and was in Lima doing some speeches. He was pretty tired and not acclimatized, so we decided to set camp for the day at base, and rest the following day. In fact, on the following day we spent close to 3 hours at the moraine taking much more pictures than we needed and studying possible paths to the summit. The mountain is highly crevassed and has many enormous seracs we we managed to see a few bridges here and there and set plans A, B and C for the next day.<br />
<br />
Too bad that the weather took a turn for the worse and by 18h clouds engulfed camp and we could barely see our equipment layed out in front of our tent. Always positive, I figured it would improve by 22h30 (we´d leave this early because we decided to skip both moraine and glacier camp and just climb from base), when we were supposed to get up and go. Well, it didn´t, so we decided to stay in for the night and attempt the next day, for we still had some food for it. In the morning, the sky was clear and and we regretted the decision a bit, but not too much.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzJJOhYVtOVyLpfson_ohlMahWCzpkpK7ksO12eHp3A6obCbwjE5SMD0HP8_TxU27ko9yh3HHuTHpUIKTTJqG2Yazd4GhQuo8mhWUIyBXQvwaf9nFktH08iHiZoyxptPslYXAvdxIm914/s1600/DSC09708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzJJOhYVtOVyLpfson_ohlMahWCzpkpK7ksO12eHp3A6obCbwjE5SMD0HP8_TxU27ko9yh3HHuTHpUIKTTJqG2Yazd4GhQuo8mhWUIyBXQvwaf9nFktH08iHiZoyxptPslYXAvdxIm914/s1600/DSC09708.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tijuana all set up during sunset at Shaqsha base camp. Bienvenido!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbOEUOAoydeShL3bXV5zOyUgARc5D5C9LXQZPeopNaqBlb1SEfG2A4hMwsXX5rK9n7eaCewFHcspXvH-pbiJeAl0Hhyphenhyphen0eM1HY9cDdjouy6a5Nrgs8uDmD7eLXbKtQejq9G_8PZs68Nv1L/s1600/DSC09731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbOEUOAoydeShL3bXV5zOyUgARc5D5C9LXQZPeopNaqBlb1SEfG2A4hMwsXX5rK9n7eaCewFHcspXvH-pbiJeAl0Hhyphenhyphen0eM1HY9cDdjouy6a5Nrgs8uDmD7eLXbKtQejq9G_8PZs68Nv1L/s1600/DSC09731.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrity Victor Snake Charmer asking Pacha Mama do let us climb this beast.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Good thing about climbing with friends and sociable people is that moments like these become much more lightweight and easier to bear. You chat, joke around, be goofy and generally relax body, mind and soul, so when time comes to tackle the mountain your mind is empty enough to think of climbing and nothing else. Victor and I get along super well, fortunately, and I do hope that my next partners are somewhat similar, for this type of easy going partnerships is one of the highlights of climbing itself, at least for me.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRVujdFcooJi0-fN3kZgw3QeUZzsiUhv5cxBRd2GU3XjH6LD76ciCTayZ2omF1KqzpEjoNU42jaVPooYGRUunvSi9Jrw-vE5CFQ41hkHEncWc0AKJpmNGu9WeIZFO1itm8sRoyqgv3cYY/s1600/DSC09744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRVujdFcooJi0-fN3kZgw3QeUZzsiUhv5cxBRd2GU3XjH6LD76ciCTayZ2omF1KqzpEjoNU42jaVPooYGRUunvSi9Jrw-vE5CFQ41hkHEncWc0AKJpmNGu9WeIZFO1itm8sRoyqgv3cYY/s1600/DSC09744.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very nice rock walls on these mountains seen from base camp. The steep triangular one seen on the left is apparently still untouched.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anyways, enough cheesyness. We spent the day doing nothing and took some more pictures. Changed plans a bit but our excitement was reaching record highs. Slept in the afternoon a bit, cooked dinner and were inside Tijuana (some people name their cars, I named my tent after a Manu Chao song) by 17h30. I slept a few hours to wake up to a clear, starry sky. We were super excited and seeing this just pumped us more, therefore we couldn´t sleep at all. Alarm went off and off we went.<br />
<br />
After maybe 40 minutes of moraine we reached the beginning of the glacier, gaining the gentle slopes that lead to the more complex part of the mountain on the left. That all took us a little less than 3 hours, and then we finally started our hard exercise of route finding. The moon was almost full and that helped us a lot in analyzing possible risks, and we changed plans twice. On the first time we realized we wouldn´t be able to reach the small bridge that would put us on the wall because it would put us right underneath a corridor on which either giant cornice on the summit, if broken, would fall straight into. So we decided to simply go the Brad Johnson route that starts on the left ridge and leads to the summit. Well, well, not even that we could do! The ridge was too broken up and seemed like that route doesn´t exist anymore, at least for this year.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJdVqGhS_IBA1rHVRuSLiY2AR1xrbLfAasSW3tcg9QKd-OiaHKd7tHq0NOekI9qJO2b8QfnJqPd_XbDbyKE2hgla1GFIxnTP_4RU9qnY-fR3fFeVQGnJyjj8v7vytlug4rpmRFfs-zzFsh/s1600/DSC09750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJdVqGhS_IBA1rHVRuSLiY2AR1xrbLfAasSW3tcg9QKd-OiaHKd7tHq0NOekI9qJO2b8QfnJqPd_XbDbyKE2hgla1GFIxnTP_4RU9qnY-fR3fFeVQGnJyjj8v7vytlug4rpmRFfs-zzFsh/s1600/DSC09750.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The closest we got to the summit, which wasn´t really that close. Path blocked by huge seracs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLMkq1GWgJ2efBrtV-PwWEQHyXv7VXr4eyWq9BchgK291LRAz1GhpgN35GJqtU5COCUH6XnSc3f5ySAKQ-_WvwUlGS-N72IYc4_cjN6wCoQ-wVdHgiwlsQL3gLIKqcf4MfIDJYTOWg3Or/s1600/DSC09751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLMkq1GWgJ2efBrtV-PwWEQHyXv7VXr4eyWq9BchgK291LRAz1GhpgN35GJqtU5COCUH6XnSc3f5ySAKQ-_WvwUlGS-N72IYc4_cjN6wCoQ-wVdHgiwlsQL3gLIKqcf4MfIDJYTOWg3Or/s1600/DSC09751.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of the Cordillera Negra during sunrise.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuY6mV9R63i0d_xPDbg7o94jubSUWPQk4rp56prbk3rIXIvl1XQv_rOqou8JFgip8oDw1_fAjdmePkNgmkaf3VNMSH96iyX0t_Kih3-5_98lNQmPaEctmUhR9z_OvG0CWyd8LgB0J-XF9/s1600/DSC09754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuY6mV9R63i0d_xPDbg7o94jubSUWPQk4rp56prbk3rIXIvl1XQv_rOqou8JFgip8oDw1_fAjdmePkNgmkaf3VNMSH96iyX0t_Kih3-5_98lNQmPaEctmUhR9z_OvG0CWyd8LgB0J-XF9/s1600/DSC09754.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And even though we decided to head down, we couldn´t help but make fun of ourselves and celebrate our non-summit day.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DYpGqwrI4j4zEj8Oe98X5eHFKMm8KdxSfduqkPH_Qcv9rZauq7PrCYwfnHOn2xQp14LMV9VWnU6dInUzyF4IdceOoTBCAyLnHwwAaTjPd9NBDErb9jzU-vrvoK_8ciV7tjVdS7FD_e6b/s1600/DSC09759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DYpGqwrI4j4zEj8Oe98X5eHFKMm8KdxSfduqkPH_Qcv9rZauq7PrCYwfnHOn2xQp14LMV9VWnU6dInUzyF4IdceOoTBCAyLnHwwAaTjPd9NBDErb9jzU-vrvoK_8ciV7tjVdS7FD_e6b/s1600/DSC09759.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our track down there and views of the east side of the valley.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pjy_c4G0gOoMuPLNA5HLhhpDgmC_zR3hQej54Qq_ImNeYeuOvJG1_6ZfhT2Dfkh0d70bcsrVY8GKB7fwdxcTRGnFrABYaJ5kqDK-ZQS8fM0JE1p30nmlWQUVfw3WJ0cS3OAGNTIQIeUZ/s1600/DSC09760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pjy_c4G0gOoMuPLNA5HLhhpDgmC_zR3hQej54Qq_ImNeYeuOvJG1_6ZfhT2Dfkh0d70bcsrVY8GKB7fwdxcTRGnFrABYaJ5kqDK-ZQS8fM0JE1p30nmlWQUVfw3WJ0cS3OAGNTIQIeUZ/s1600/DSC09760.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very broken glacier, although not as much as Antisana. Still, complex and time consuming route finding.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIuA-tCoDatq4l6WJ5OQmeD2q_X3dWVNX-hpOpc3Ui_dkKCd1JHO0pnsGXfOuQaRn2n6zvzVan4sBc7MyAtYch716zVYn3PhGsw5kldfYbtrvdXowoH_zGloAlf_p6_Ve4qVfMbygGWZ-m/s1600/DSC09763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIuA-tCoDatq4l6WJ5OQmeD2q_X3dWVNX-hpOpc3Ui_dkKCd1JHO0pnsGXfOuQaRn2n6zvzVan4sBc7MyAtYch716zVYn3PhGsw5kldfYbtrvdXowoH_zGloAlf_p6_Ve4qVfMbygGWZ-m/s1600/DSC09763.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw3XhsH_a1JLzggJpc3Z5m45FujItz99U_YtNYcUbVXL4cRGhnjTmabBD1onPmsogjrg5cKaDhtidu89uv0RqMLOu_XI9UXul7HekcGbFppqKMoBwFn4g1tQJ3T3iwNNj3iDQoJN3LyhlF/s1600/DSC09764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw3XhsH_a1JLzggJpc3Z5m45FujItz99U_YtNYcUbVXL4cRGhnjTmabBD1onPmsogjrg5cKaDhtidu89uv0RqMLOu_XI9UXul7HekcGbFppqKMoBwFn4g1tQJ3T3iwNNj3iDQoJN3LyhlF/s1600/DSC09764.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The west summit. Only now I realize how interesting a wall there is on the right side, with passage. Worth a visit later in the season.</td></tr>
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So go for yet another change of plans, and we decide to head up to some steep slopes and try a traverse to the right to see if there is passage anywhere. We climbed a few pitches at 60 degrees to be once again blocked by immense crevasses. It was about 7 in the morning already - our planned summit time. We still had a last option that was a bit too risky and would probably lead us to another dead end, but I wasn´t willing to climb down a snow plaque on top of a crevasse to check it. We spent those long minutes wishing to see a miracle in front of our eyes but that was it for us. We were at about 5300m or 5400m, don´t know, and decided to descend. We took some pictures, messed around and laughed a bit. Albeit frustrated, like I said before, it was a good partnership and that helps a lot in moments like these.<br />
<br />
Frustration, anger, and yet another mountain and no summit, but that´s the price one pays for not going the most walked paths. I like wild and unkown mountains and I´m aware that the more difficult and unknown, the lesser chanc eof making a summit. Still I had tons of fun route finding and actively participating in the climb, which is something not everyone is able to share. Ultimately, if you don´t take anything from an experience like this, you need to quit climbing.<br />
<br />
We descended to base camp where Calixto, our arriero, was waiting for us, quickly packed and headed down quiet in our thoughts and frustrations. We arrived in Huaraz 15 minutes before the Brazil-Croatia match ended. I quickly got myself ready to meet one of my next patner, Peter from Hungary, at Cafe Andino.<br />
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<h2>
YET ANOTHER HUARACINO WEEKEND</h2>
I´m now truly realizing how hard it can be to travel alone for climbing and having to constantly keep on searching for partners. This is definitely harder than finding a boyfriend! The basques were at Alpamayo and so was Nacho. Some spaniards were off at the mountains and the frenchies were leaving. Seemed like I´d have to start making friends all over again. Thank god for Zarela who accompanies me to some beers, we make a good sleepy drinking team.<br />
<br />
Anyways, as it was last year, it took me a month to start feeling like a million bucks and I felt I didn´t need two or three days of rest anymore. So I decided I wanted to climb Huarapasca, a 1 day technical climb near the Pastoruri glacier, but I got stood up by my partner and decided to drink my anger away. Next day I met Craig and we decided final arrangements, for I would join them on Toclla the next week. Yes, here we go with the Tocllaraju soap opera again.<br />
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<i>(I´m really trying to get rid of the Mon-Thu climber status but people keep asking me out to the bars and I finally ended up in Tambo. It´s really not all my fault. José at Xtreme is the best rock DJ ever and it´s my favorite bar in Huaraz. And by the way, the party season in Huaraz has finally began. Nothing else to add)</i>. Why am I still writing about this?!?!?<br />
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<h2>
TOCLLARAJU, THE SOAP OPERA</h2>
I´m not an "everybody goes there so let´s go there too" type of person, but I was on the hunt for good climbing partners and I felt these two would be it. A guy from Hungary and one from the US, both of whom I had been talking to through the SP partners section. With Peter it was a go but with Craig I was having some schedule issues and it seemed like we wouldn´t be able to climb together. Surprise, surprise! The three of us ended up deciding to give it a go, and because they were still acclimitizing, we headed up once again (for me) to Ishinca valley. Them for climbing Ishinca, and the three of us for Toclla.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgtwWDlsyQgvs65X9gKu9fv0ZkLAE7DwWe7MCzxEdvjwUL1mrTZcI2XJFUUQ15gD7l-7LOgbykelBlLbh7LN-3RDrwBTlvVivPbERYXQADSAs9Piqh7VBjmcNh2C4Pi8KzGL63zRNlHD3/s1600/DSC09776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgtwWDlsyQgvs65X9gKu9fv0ZkLAE7DwWe7MCzxEdvjwUL1mrTZcI2XJFUUQ15gD7l-7LOgbykelBlLbh7LN-3RDrwBTlvVivPbERYXQADSAs9Piqh7VBjmcNh2C4Pi8KzGL63zRNlHD3/s1600/DSC09776.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out the route on Toccla the day before our climb. </td></tr>
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On Monday morning I raced from Pashpa square to Ishinca base camp in about 3h20, which is without modesty, quite fast (for me, definitely not for anti-social swiss men who can probably do it in oh... 15 minutes faster). Anyways, I scoured base camp to find my partners who had just came down from Ishinca, Apparently one of them wasn´t in such good shape, as in not very well acclimatized, and presenting some worrying symptoms of AMS. Still, we were up for Toclla the next days, and that´s what we did.<br />
<br />
To cut short to the interesting part, next day we got up early and packed quickly to head to moraine camp. I finally managed to get everything in (and out) of my 35 L backpack (food for a day, stove, pan, sleeping bag, tent, sleeping pad, climbing equipment, you name it). Nacho would be proud! We missed the entrance of the trail by a whole lot and wasted time and energy amongst bushes trying to find the real trail. Whatever time I saved the day before, we wasted on this day. Original plan was to camp at 5300m, but upon reaching moraine camp we run into a three men Austrian team that told us how miserable it was camping up there because of high winds, so we decided to stay in moraine. In our own team, one of the members kept presenting symptoms that worried us and made us wonder if he really should be ascending instead of descending.<br />
<br />
Now to the interesting part. 00h30: alarms ring off, we get up, cook breakfast, get gear ready. 30 steps to the glacier. About 5 minutes later, Craig and I are at the top of the entrance of the glacier, while our partner is ever more so tired, panting and slow. When he gets up to where we are, we have a small chat and tell him he really is not in condition to climb this mountain and it is best that he descends before it gets any serious. To my surprise, he agrees, descends and we continue on. A few hundred meters later Craig and I rope up. By the way, worth saying Craig and I hit it off (in the climbing sense of the word) from the beginning, and he´s got that unbeatable american team spirit. Now THIS is a good partner!<br />
<br />
From then on I lead non stop to high camp where we stop for a quick bite and some water. To my surprise, Toccla was empty on this day. Worse still, Austrians left later then we did, and were much slower (I was hoping to meet them in the route and I imagined they had studied it during the day since they were camped there the day before). And even worse still, it had snowed the day before, it was windy as hell, and therefore, no footprints. That meant we had to do the hard work of route finding on limited info with slight moonshine. No problem! We reached the so called "traverse, all the way on the left of the mountain" after taking the long way and wasting about 1h, and after climbing the steep step twice because we thought it couldn´t be the right way but it was, and wasting another 40 minutes or so.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg65J97ZSzxBK9ff6SiBTnc8bbiYdd81rVwFieOzGu1nS5U42fcGIIdZzkYD8kEw5auh9LDXhPFYjYCu1n_SEvZlGodgY8JM6SphR9sIPlPtmWjwVVPX2nrkjsGqfzhnHcmU9rY5BT4squl/s1600/DSC09779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg65J97ZSzxBK9ff6SiBTnc8bbiYdd81rVwFieOzGu1nS5U42fcGIIdZzkYD8kEw5auh9LDXhPFYjYCu1n_SEvZlGodgY8JM6SphR9sIPlPtmWjwVVPX2nrkjsGqfzhnHcmU9rY5BT4squl/s1600/DSC09779.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrising on Toclla.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZk7uMPHpPPxL7e0oa-RcjOt-D6g72w2sCxt02mFxrnNqEqBo_tBADn4q6bB-GT8PMkue4Xmb3iWFfSbS6MIi5o6uJJfrne6Dn8GU1mM9FfS3pzGDL-dkK3IDGbYR7m7Xty0MeQ3uzHty/s1600/DSC09781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZk7uMPHpPPxL7e0oa-RcjOt-D6g72w2sCxt02mFxrnNqEqBo_tBADn4q6bB-GT8PMkue4Xmb3iWFfSbS6MIi5o6uJJfrne6Dn8GU1mM9FfS3pzGDL-dkK3IDGbYR7m7Xty0MeQ3uzHty/s1600/DSC09781.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More sunrise from high on Tocclaraju.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXUpxcpsBujxuBUQipP8p1Jyp2ZYiwpS3y5DeoH5xr2bY4M7ipXQS7TdQAwlCBtr_m2cH2yT6wR3BrsGS4SO7zT09awyBFBvbJav3KQjiTcSU6YKxdGGIfExpOz2pDK5qqF7yYAmGpa4y/s1600/DSC09784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXUpxcpsBujxuBUQipP8p1Jyp2ZYiwpS3y5DeoH5xr2bY4M7ipXQS7TdQAwlCBtr_m2cH2yT6wR3BrsGS4SO7zT09awyBFBvbJav3KQjiTcSU6YKxdGGIfExpOz2pDK5qqF7yYAmGpa4y/s1600/DSC09784.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our turn around point, very close to the summit headwall, around 5817m.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuCLuWdwu7LMDbSS128iEUbx_tUXgtSvlJ3rEBOalC-4QigWn9hgmHfFDfmZGOUBxAYwh1lpOBVTcR2OX93_M_-Sg68ljDjGYLvAgjrVPd_C-p9Pd262ltRHFw6AMnhpvd8TguRt7ksC_/s1600/DSC09789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuCLuWdwu7LMDbSS128iEUbx_tUXgtSvlJ3rEBOalC-4QigWn9hgmHfFDfmZGOUBxAYwh1lpOBVTcR2OX93_M_-Sg68ljDjGYLvAgjrVPd_C-p9Pd262ltRHFw6AMnhpvd8TguRt7ksC_/s1600/DSC09789.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strong winds all the way. Annoying but tolerable.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVT2XjYUEeicRldxvc4w3VdHIiRqixEqcSKtrgU9G1-z_NZWA7ea7-w_1hf_9dNl7fob-TUs_AY21MpACBBF7HkUJJKKq3uCHKXEG3Re_Ml37nzC9qSmTtaYw-Er1AKjE9UPs4xu31IRy2/s1600/DSC09790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVT2XjYUEeicRldxvc4w3VdHIiRqixEqcSKtrgU9G1-z_NZWA7ea7-w_1hf_9dNl7fob-TUs_AY21MpACBBF7HkUJJKKq3uCHKXEG3Re_Ml37nzC9qSmTtaYw-Er1AKjE9UPs4xu31IRy2/s1600/DSC09790.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new partner, Craig from the USA. Awesome guy!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOxb4H6PuOqZGEsuZahhJCa7mn1RqV4USvNmdOg2H6lKGraz_jvr1Msy3TvrnzgDDwaORPwR2yL-VGv1Lb1NIaxRiDUmX6gutJtJpMU5YZL3kcK6zEt8YEBrRkR72vDtp9BXJIKcp_MGYL/s1600/DSC09791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOxb4H6PuOqZGEsuZahhJCa7mn1RqV4USvNmdOg2H6lKGraz_jvr1Msy3TvrnzgDDwaORPwR2yL-VGv1Lb1NIaxRiDUmX6gutJtJpMU5YZL3kcK6zEt8YEBrRkR72vDtp9BXJIKcp_MGYL/s1600/DSC09791.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pretty big crevasse sits in between these two slopes.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofizbWEPt_LW6EGrvAEXqxgKM5jN3_Zzv4YlI-AvfkqRXt8_j8UxPA2wFmd9aSIJJ1ws3mepvSoQMK7QxHUlIj2oFIRdMWeEZNaNJY97taUBSsSQyqfnO0e1Zcu9y18XzYOQ53Z5Wdonw/s1600/DSC09792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofizbWEPt_LW6EGrvAEXqxgKM5jN3_Zzv4YlI-AvfkqRXt8_j8UxPA2wFmd9aSIJJ1ws3mepvSoQMK7QxHUlIj2oFIRdMWeEZNaNJY97taUBSsSQyqfnO0e1Zcu9y18XzYOQ53Z5Wdonw/s1600/DSC09792.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deadman to the bottom of the traverse.</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
But let me talk about this steep step for a moment, since it was the only actual climbing I´ve done so far, aside from some 60 degree slopes on Shaqsha. You have to get on this steep 10-12 meter wall, and in order to do so, you have to cross a bergshrund. Now for Craig who climbs waterfalls and is very tall that´s no too hard, but on both times I got on it, at moments I was hanging but one ice ax and supported by one foot and everything else was in the air. <b>Something exciting for a change!</b> On the first time we climbed it was about 75, maybe 80 degrees, the second time we got in it, it was a bit less, but still very enjoyable. That´s what I came here for!<br />
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Anyways, from there we got to the other side of this ridge and traversed left, switched leads a few times and finally we walking up again. I was already pretty tired by this time, but seeing the summit headwall made me really excited - we were at 5817m - I really was almost sure we would get there, until Craig started making me questions involving rope lengths, number of rappels, math, chemistry, quantum physics and logic, and we realized that if we did get to the summit we wouldn´t have enough pickets to come down.<br />
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Imagine my face. Try it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcVku5egMm-0FcwtWrcSaNpA0vlcptwpOr67keA7VS5FP1dy7A84xB_L0Lwv0PGwHGGu7w7cLXM5ufRmFUg8yHJFut_zqSd-UO2Ek8NkPQFga9thqgSTBzCMktks9WlZN0U5ig5jT8vWY/s1600/DSC09800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcVku5egMm-0FcwtWrcSaNpA0vlcptwpOr67keA7VS5FP1dy7A84xB_L0Lwv0PGwHGGu7w7cLXM5ufRmFUg8yHJFut_zqSd-UO2Ek8NkPQFga9thqgSTBzCMktks9WlZN0U5ig5jT8vWY/s1600/DSC09800.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the only reason I will ever come back to this mountain. As the Argentinians wisely say, "normal route my ass".</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMd8Tn_S1HnC6lIH71-AbWYFydZPH3s250QBzfUJdATraJJnm9461Z1rEoR_107x4ru9NQzVQ888decGEEFJLtKqYNwhVp1w9Ky0SxZJZTIjJs_Z1j4q7sIhWIjnKucAWoSPWYB-csnVV/s1600/DSC09801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMd8Tn_S1HnC6lIH71-AbWYFydZPH3s250QBzfUJdATraJJnm9461Z1rEoR_107x4ru9NQzVQ888decGEEFJLtKqYNwhVp1w9Ky0SxZJZTIjJs_Z1j4q7sIhWIjnKucAWoSPWYB-csnVV/s1600/DSC09801.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading back to moraine camp, with Ranrapalca and Ocshapalca on the background, another two good reasons to go back to Ishinca.</td></tr>
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Yeah, I can´t either. I never wanted to climb this route in the first place, we were close to the summit and had to turn around for such a stupid reason. Worse still that when Nacho told me to take 6-7 pickets I thought it was too much. We had 5.<br />
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Lesson learned the hard way. Yeah, you can laugh your ass off and call me an idiot. I´m doing the same right now. Nothing else to add for now aside from enough with these walk up routes. July is around the corner and I wanna to some real climbing, summit or no summit. Over and out.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-87733998936132702832014-06-06T21:33:00.000-03:002014-07-02T18:45:41.982-03:00CORDILLERA BLANCA 2014 - DISPATCH 2Here we go for a decent post about this trip, vacation, gap year or whatever one calls it. Yes, it´s an El Niño year and I only got to know about it a few weeks before I left, but that didn´t make me change my plans. Positive thinking all the way, and by the way - I´m used to climbing in crappy weather.<br />
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<h2>
</h2>
<h2>
ACCLIMATIZATION ON THE ROCKS - HATUN MACHAY</h2>
Because weather has been crappy enough not to permit any brave climbers to attempt these big mountains, the solution for our problems in the first week was to head to Hatun Machay for some days of rock climbing. Although I was hit by a case of moderate AMS for a few days, police officers trying to bribe the driver and then our driver almost on purpose getting the car stuck in mud, I did make it and made some new friends in between. In the refuge nothing but known faces: obliged to mingle with others since my partner was quite the misanthrope, I hung around the argentinians I met in Los Olivos, the basques we met in Zarela´s, the americans that came in the car with me (super nice Alex and Jennifer - I love meeting these happy couples) and a few faces I remembered from last year, aside from the white cat that jumped me over during the night and adopted my partner´s back as his new favorite couch. Once again I tried routes around the 5 and 6 grade (french) and nothing more than that since my rock climbing has gotten worse since last year, but still had tons of fun while at it. We also walked up the 4700m high cerro that´s near the refugio in order to acclimatize a bit more. I felt like shit especially since my partner´s pace is out-of-this-world extraordinary.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRpZwZoplO61foLWEpOOj47meFDn2Vb6qlD-FXv2f2ntLR1Kf63P8gmOkVV-64ez6laUd5jG9BavBq2_wAzmW2V1M3C4Tdr7QSYfq1qwtK3KM5xyjxI6jZBXndXh8IUZsfgAQV0R7ZJoP/s1600/DSC09534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRpZwZoplO61foLWEpOOj47meFDn2Vb6qlD-FXv2f2ntLR1Kf63P8gmOkVV-64ez6laUd5jG9BavBq2_wAzmW2V1M3C4Tdr7QSYfq1qwtK3KM5xyjxI6jZBXndXh8IUZsfgAQV0R7ZJoP/s1600/DSC09534.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Claus from Argentina working his way out of a 6a fr chimney.</td></tr>
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<h2>
ACCLIMATIZATION ON THE MOUNTAINS - ISHINCA VALLEY</h2>
Back to Huaraz and drooling whenever we turned our heads to the Cordillera, we decided to give it a go and head to the Ishinca valley to start some real acclimatization where we´d be able to put to practice our mountaineering skills, even though the weather forecast wasn´t very promising and there were some 71mm predicted for wednesday. Decided upon playing mule for a few days, we left Huaraz early on a monday morning with close to 30kg each on our backs, and arrived to Pashpa to start our grueling 5h walk to base camp. We set up camp, admired the beauties around us (Toclla super packed with snow) rested and had a pretty poorly planned dinner that preceeded our clumsy attempt at Urus. Clumsy for my partner said he knew where the route began but when we left in the middle of the night there was a lot of mist and we couldn´t find it, therefore we "climbed" the moraine through some other path which was obviously not a trail, and that consumed us some time. Me going ahead with these ever annoying plastic boots, I suffered most and still had to endure some awfully rude (WTF) comments from my partner who helped in nothing into finding the trail (he did like the fact I had a GPS though). Also wanting some more adventure, once we reached the snow line we chose a variation of the normal route, and entered the glacier to the left of a buttress, on a more steeper section, although nothing actually technical. A few hours later we were at the summit, for me as usual with cloudy weather. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiab3PT0ptpxLQHjw771sZ4GP-f-DT_ZIr1EPGjFEqHKuGEj1s80vRch8ov3548WXY723-mRCV2JelAicxk1caRyKA2Vu08kmwws1aRVH1cdGXWo3jbE-MsslVIsV5jKlj47qjUgjOra82o/s1600/DSC09549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiab3PT0ptpxLQHjw771sZ4GP-f-DT_ZIr1EPGjFEqHKuGEj1s80vRch8ov3548WXY723-mRCV2JelAicxk1caRyKA2Vu08kmwws1aRVH1cdGXWo3jbE-MsslVIsV5jKlj47qjUgjOra82o/s1600/DSC09549.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ranrapalca seen from the summit of Urus.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbluhHZ3Tt6srM_BvgRBssmE5d-Ilhs9GrIs5FRolbX-081N1EonX832pj62yJGwLrIy4fpoGsup6VeBWW3TtlgNAdnYWkSXnGIaZ2Fs1e9Rs_cg7n3Ry-53jld29VNzz6zlsUqu-ThD5/s1600/DSC09547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbluhHZ3Tt6srM_BvgRBssmE5d-Ilhs9GrIs5FRolbX-081N1EonX832pj62yJGwLrIy4fpoGsup6VeBWW3TtlgNAdnYWkSXnGIaZ2Fs1e9Rs_cg7n3Ry-53jld29VNzz6zlsUqu-ThD5/s1600/DSC09547.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheese on the summit!</td></tr>
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We descended to base camp and just about an hour later so did the predicted 71 mm of rain and hail. Every time the rain seemed to stop I attempted to get out only to be obliged to head back into the tent. Oh I never wanted a book so bad! It rained all afternoon and I was stuck in the tent while my ever more anti-social partner was in the refugio. I wonder if is the not-so-funny jokes I tell that put him away or if it really is possible for someone to be so withdrawn all the time, especially considering you´ll be spending most of the days isolated in mountain settings without much other people to talk to. Or maybe I´m too Brazilian, oh well... Anyways, at this point I had already given up the efforts to socialize and be nice, it was just too hard and demanding to try to engage someone who speaks several languages but can only say "yes" or "no" aside from complaining about absolutely everything. Tough work.<br />
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This unpredicted day off wasn´t in the food plan, and starving as I was, with no food but snacks for the next day and the day´s dinner, I went to grab lunch at the refuge. Made me think I need to stop being so nice and accept other people´s suggestions just because they seem to be more experienced. How is mashed potatoes with tomato sauce an energetic dinner for someone who´s climbing at altitude? In the end, my fault, should have been more incisive when we went food shopping, for this is not the Alps with fancy refuges and rescue a phone call away. Stupid me, I know...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR98dwg7p7zQ9K8Vs0oRpg8_kCA23cU085cA8Yc4H72Ipxjl31NHpmt7Zq6o0Vr7djxEW8AKUiVRI2wK6mpv44b9LSPXSeVbjUBLNQ9imCDSSFGXcQ0IN3HBpgAonms8_Kz8jlGuv4-Iyw/s1600/DSC09566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR98dwg7p7zQ9K8Vs0oRpg8_kCA23cU085cA8Yc4H72Ipxjl31NHpmt7Zq6o0Vr7djxEW8AKUiVRI2wK6mpv44b9LSPXSeVbjUBLNQ9imCDSSFGXcQ0IN3HBpgAonms8_Kz8jlGuv4-Iyw/s1600/DSC09566.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful alpenglow on Tocllaraju (left) and Palcaraju (right) after torrential rain and snow.</td></tr>
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Anyways, it would obviously be a bit idiotic to attempt anything that night and so we decided to go for Ishinca on the morning of Thursday. So on Wednesday, after waking up to obvious copious amounts of snow on the mountains around us, I used most of my time to be a human and socialize with fellow campers. Some Arc´Teryx sponsored skiers from the US, some students also from the US, some guides in training from Ecuador, and especially my friend and former guide of mine, Nacho, also from Ecuador, who was guiding a couple.<br />
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On Thursday we got up early to tackle the right side route of Ishinca. Moraine took us longer than expected but once we hit the snow, which was pretty decent, things sped up and after 6 hours we were at the summit, pretty much at the same time as two other parties that ascended up the left route, including Nacho and his two clients. Weather was clear, but being <i>moi</i> at a summit, there had to be something wrong, and this time it was the wind. No problem though! We took some pictures and quickly headed down the shorter and steeper left route, taking the time to do some crevasse training in the end and using the opportunity to show my Alps trained partner how good and reliable <i>estacas</i> can be (he still had doubts because according to him, <i>everything in Europe is better and South America sucks</i>).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kSltRLwzf3ghDwLvz39ESn3_1NWhUPpBwmqMjRttyXYKSH5g3DFQmzkZKmRciS7TVrKXBxou3KIZDCN2xZXFy9xmUccuMN-4Xn6A34H_9Iba1mamqZ_7JwK8pXBRkoEp6PFtZcwJcnOA/s1600/DSC09572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kSltRLwzf3ghDwLvz39ESn3_1NWhUPpBwmqMjRttyXYKSH5g3DFQmzkZKmRciS7TVrKXBxou3KIZDCN2xZXFy9xmUccuMN-4Xn6A34H_9Iba1mamqZ_7JwK8pXBRkoEp6PFtZcwJcnOA/s1600/DSC09572.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading towards the summit of Ishinca.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPuQ8FdoBKq1KZtTB6iGzZk74fFYkH4m5HiMQbb6vMfLrXjWkAsvJcRvHvW92Eo3uqulQu_Pc4J2ygWsuwO2I7-V-dElU1reAvOca6EMaWgWLX5_dxtoFnCADmZLc86qugVKzWNTs5Fvs/s1600/DSC09585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPuQ8FdoBKq1KZtTB6iGzZk74fFYkH4m5HiMQbb6vMfLrXjWkAsvJcRvHvW92Eo3uqulQu_Pc4J2ygWsuwO2I7-V-dElU1reAvOca6EMaWgWLX5_dxtoFnCADmZLc86qugVKzWNTs5Fvs/s1600/DSC09585.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hypnotic Huantsán.</td></tr>
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After and hour rest at base camp, we packed our stuff and again played mules down to Pashpa, arriving in Huaraz late afternoon. We hit the bars on Saturday for some celebration. On Sunday I was invited for some ceviche, and although last year it caused me damage and delayed my trip to Toclla, I eagerly accepted it. <b>Bad decision!</b> Once again I was hit by a case of Huaraz syndrome and had to delay our departure to Chopicalqui.<br />
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<h2>
BREAK</h2>
Should I get into details of Huaraz nightlife? Hmmm... maybe not... we´re already gaining bad fame as Monday-Thursday climbers. Worth saying that upon returning to Zarela I met the frenchies that opened the new <i>uber</i> hard route on Siula Chico. On Saturday Zarela made us some Pisco Sour, then we all went to Cafe Andino and then 13 Buhos, and the other day to Xtremo, on which I introduced the basque guys, Kepa and Aitzol, to Nacho, and there was formed a little latin climbing clique. Can you believe they painted over all that graffiti from the wall and ceilings? Bummer!<br />
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<h2>
GAMBLING AT 6000</h2>
Chopicalqui is known to usually have a lot snow, maybe because its normal route sits on a face that receives wind and little sun, and therefore there´s more accumulation than normal. We were feeling fit and eager to tackle a 6000er, even knowing that we would encounter probable difficult conditions. This time I hired a porter for myself, which was a wise decision considering I was pretty sick the day before (I won´t get into details for the sake of my parent´s hearts, but although I was off for a shorter period than last year, it did get more serious).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9cCEeAGiJwP1UJTxOkaEw_1gHbSw_qydFqvFoHyKbTdCW0_ZL808gMTgfoyoH6h6hGB-HJta-Wi-r-9ueAfRMcsUdLPw-kyzDEJb0qmVvPsSShKbr4AsyF0c438EKIixQ-uOdOPuM8BF/s1600/DSC09610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9cCEeAGiJwP1UJTxOkaEw_1gHbSw_qydFqvFoHyKbTdCW0_ZL808gMTgfoyoH6h6hGB-HJta-Wi-r-9ueAfRMcsUdLPw-kyzDEJb0qmVvPsSShKbr4AsyF0c438EKIixQ-uOdOPuM8BF/s1600/DSC09610.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The approach from base to moraine on Chopicalqui,</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2DNHidQyTSiW4sQ8JNLXCGJSaYvGq-EEQozCX5uHzsHhPeInRcmOfYlXryHVzDjw7uFzQKTVq9QB4HpDD1MiSNot1ElWBqpTyYcup0mL4MNcL0GwzXzEIMKF31rOGvqcjfZb8LSSfkRj/s1600/DSC09614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2DNHidQyTSiW4sQ8JNLXCGJSaYvGq-EEQozCX5uHzsHhPeInRcmOfYlXryHVzDjw7uFzQKTVq9QB4HpDD1MiSNot1ElWBqpTyYcup0mL4MNcL0GwzXzEIMKF31rOGvqcjfZb8LSSfkRj/s1600/DSC09614.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The huge glacier.</td></tr>
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In order to avoid the possible bureaucratic problems of not having a guide (regulations are being enforced more thoroughly this year), we left Huaraz at 4am and entered the park at around 6h30, and by lunchtime we were already at moraine camp enjoying the sunny afternoon with eventual clouds and eventually, a view of the mountains on Paron valley. Abraham and I chatted and joked actively to relax while I sensed a growing and <strike>un</strike>fortunate break in the group. In reality, the situation was becoming a pain in the ass, and I couldn´t imagine myself out for almost 10 days, for example on Alpamayo and Quitaraju, with one who is so "superior" that he cannot even sit down to discuss climbing plans or even say <i>buenos dias</i> in the morning to the person sleeping next to you in the same tent. I´ve never been so pleased to have a porter and a cell phone with a long lasting battery. Coward that I am, I started hoping to get dumped... What´s the point of having a strong partner if he´s more like a cold cyborg than a human? I have no pretension of being Ueli Steck and mountains are supposed to be fun. <b>Period.</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQgpExezmjK_Blypm7PRyYBhy8g6dsWJBJpzXOYVfLcNvTs7ihLPUNykf955Dk4VfALrg-UVJ-DgYdn1QyHypshmtMuqhWwAs-j_rlEayYInixXYKLxi94SrMd5hftp1ugzlzEEHETLzj/s1600/DSC09623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQgpExezmjK_Blypm7PRyYBhy8g6dsWJBJpzXOYVfLcNvTs7ihLPUNykf955Dk4VfALrg-UVJ-DgYdn1QyHypshmtMuqhWwAs-j_rlEayYInixXYKLxi94SrMd5hftp1ugzlzEEHETLzj/s1600/DSC09623.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moraine camp all to ourselves, good enough for there was little water available.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0DiXWY_heokrQog5wdC0saiUAnuVP4tmN9prvRGSiT94Wp23d_nFNZnfVrJM100ieqBXX1ZlymbZqe3dpFCTrO0yYIfSLLAhjtYoWWaTLLU05WQTym9KZj9XZqF-7_76_Qc5PZBmFyTyE/s1600/DSC09627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0DiXWY_heokrQog5wdC0saiUAnuVP4tmN9prvRGSiT94Wp23d_nFNZnfVrJM100ieqBXX1ZlymbZqe3dpFCTrO0yYIfSLLAhjtYoWWaTLLU05WQTym9KZj9XZqF-7_76_Qc5PZBmFyTyE/s1600/DSC09627.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many avalanches on Chopi´s glacier.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7mHoZ8GLfU6DXq_KFK5cEY_SH-ahvmzC2gMS9Feh3uF15b8E-nYZjKG5dYpiiz8GI9e3MIkl4nJv_JxgcPgx-6iDN_mKqjuyiqA0VV6Q6Odb6l4LR2-GFfxuOL33I0XZPbhr5M131xzHj/s1600/DSC09637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7mHoZ8GLfU6DXq_KFK5cEY_SH-ahvmzC2gMS9Feh3uF15b8E-nYZjKG5dYpiiz8GI9e3MIkl4nJv_JxgcPgx-6iDN_mKqjuyiqA0VV6Q6Odb6l4LR2-GFfxuOL33I0XZPbhr5M131xzHj/s1600/DSC09637.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ascending to high camp.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8Suz2JLiIShLv-pe1HG5VY4fI5R78DLD-6I-E7CUUrvp0OQ2-raiqL9_JXoHtBKnh9zSz6qeK0zgQ5gxhyphenhyphens7DtVrPABGGNgnsuJdZVYTuT47G653zc_i-PoGj_n4yBR76umUMk5f-NWg/s1600/DSC09642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8Suz2JLiIShLv-pe1HG5VY4fI5R78DLD-6I-E7CUUrvp0OQ2-raiqL9_JXoHtBKnh9zSz6qeK0zgQ5gxhyphenhyphens7DtVrPABGGNgnsuJdZVYTuT47G653zc_i-PoGj_n4yBR76umUMk5f-NWg/s1600/DSC09642.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A brief rest for some route spotting.</td></tr>
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<br />
On the following day we had time for an easy going breakfast before crossing the glacier in about 3 hours to reach camp. Footprints weren´t very clear but the snow platforms were definitely there! No hard work for us, although I was pretty tired and did not join into searching up the route. Installed camp and already working on my glacier face, we ate early, slept and woke up a little later than 1 am to head for the summit.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmw_Y-GvuL7J2PlfcHfTzphE7xBOZdl0i-9A6bExYO2EGB-eDNJ0rr5i7NjvRXB9Q-hg2oXjKlnw3d6zDZzxm8X3dUGK9lFbhgwvAu0lV6O5rzWPm9IDhpLpwExVGEt5R2FFuE5HMG-IpY/s1600/DSC09648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmw_Y-GvuL7J2PlfcHfTzphE7xBOZdl0i-9A6bExYO2EGB-eDNJ0rr5i7NjvRXB9Q-hg2oXjKlnw3d6zDZzxm8X3dUGK9lFbhgwvAu0lV6O5rzWPm9IDhpLpwExVGEt5R2FFuE5HMG-IpY/s1600/DSC09648.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High camp on Chopi! All set and ready to go.</td></tr>
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<br />
This was definitely a heinous day in the mountain. I knew there would be a lot of snow but a lot of bad snow was endless on our route. On the steepest ramp we ran into you could at time put 3/4 of your arm into the snow, pickets were useless and for every step up one would fall 2 steps down. Oliver being much taller than me, his footprints didn´t help much and I had to break my own trail to hold on the energy for the whole route. It was annoying, even more so because we both had energy enough for average to poor conditions. For 7 hours we broke trail and only got to the false summit. Obsessive compulsive people could have (and would have) continued, for they ignore safety standards such as going down on snow as bad as this one. After doing some math with the time it would take us to reach the summit and then descend, and then pair it up with the noon sun, I finally made myself heard (I was sort of stuck in an authoritarian situation) and demanded we get down, at around 6015m, just bellow the false summit ramp. Demand promptly accepted, the descend was awful as well, both from the summit route as from high camp, and I kept getting either leg stuck all the way into snow to the point of having to dig snow out to pull it out. We had to dig over a meter and a half to place pickets for rappel and the second one didn´t hold well at all, even with all that digging. Obviously I was frustrated but I have the whole season to retry Chopi and therefore a month into it with these conditions is not ideal timing for getting myself into serious trouble. Worth saying that at the first rappel, while I was midway rearranging the mess that my partner did with the ropes, a block the size of a fridge fell 15 meters away from me. I´m sure Oliver would have wished it had fallen ON me, but fortunately I´m still here to write about it. I do not appreciate recklessness at all.<br />
<br />
I can´t really tell the feelings my partner had about us not making the summit because he doesn´t communicate.<br />
<br />
Anyways, it is worth saying that I finally reached the 6000m mark, which was a myth for me, and in the end, it wasn´t as difficult as I thought, and more like a psychological barrier than anything else. Had the snow been half decent, we´d had reached the summit in good timing.<br />
<br />
On the same day we descended to base camp at around 4300m, and left on the next morning to head back to Huaraz. Again, lots of celebration, a nice basque dinner at Zarela´s, <i>caipirinhas</i> for the gringos, but no sign of life breathing out of my soon to be ex-partner. Yes: on Sunday I got dumped and we decided to part ways and not climb together anymore. My sister´s definitely right when she says I´m a man! Oh if every divorce conversation was as objective and quick as this the world would be a much better place, for sure! No worries though, I had a hard job of keeping my Mon-Thu climber status, and so we went for it on yet another <i>huaracino</i> weekend that yielded a great idea.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4Q2kxoP_UUPUD0_yLV_jexoYauTvqQxjXiY0JiuP-jf-PxsMvoIc9y8o8pYr9_Tqcps0H_hdZoJ6zauDQ3lwTaw8S4vFMmDOh2tmljZYM8gcyzzkcgO05RyGCorvMSVhbFCnxXYpgVtX/s1600/DSC09652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4Q2kxoP_UUPUD0_yLV_jexoYauTvqQxjXiY0JiuP-jf-PxsMvoIc9y8o8pYr9_Tqcps0H_hdZoJ6zauDQ3lwTaw8S4vFMmDOh2tmljZYM8gcyzzkcgO05RyGCorvMSVhbFCnxXYpgVtX/s1600/DSC09652.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Base camp, our last stop after a failed attempt.</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-47050859749488470202014-05-12T18:56:00.000-03:002014-06-14T20:51:31.439-03:00CORDILLERA BLANCA 2014 - DISPATCH 1<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzLCi82PB4kabfvipi2aIfUByLheKSJIfW4TFvWxInJqWQiVb9JljxvEVeMwU2KoBSJkmtcg2t0xRWXvfELWXK58UPFAZbzwWDwKX7UMNuU7P3PskIwhQOiUmNG5BZP9l4hqWkg_DVxYDt/s1600/DSC09528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzLCi82PB4kabfvipi2aIfUByLheKSJIfW4TFvWxInJqWQiVb9JljxvEVeMwU2KoBSJkmtcg2t0xRWXvfELWXK58UPFAZbzwWDwKX7UMNuU7P3PskIwhQOiUmNG5BZP9l4hqWkg_DVxYDt/s1600/DSC09528.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oliver and his alpine-swissness-awesomeness kicking butt on the Cordillera Negra, crazy gringo!</td></tr>
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<br />
So this is how this journey begins: head to the airport at midnight, flight leaves delayed at 4h in the morning, arrive in Lima at around 7h, 1h15 of traffic to get to the Cruz del Sur bus terminal, over 12h of waiting for my bus to leave, watched 4 movies, surfed the internet, had 2 meals, almost fell asleep on my laptop several times, got on the bus at 22h30, got in Huaraz at 6h30, arrived in the hostel shortly after that, chatted with Zarela a bit, got to the room a little earlier than 8h, got woken up by the arrival of Oliver at around 8h40, got invited to climb by Cesar at around 9h, got to Los Olivos at around 10h30, climbed several routes, had a headache, short of breath, nice dinner, finally slept in a bed after 48h of traveling, woke up at 7h, picked up at 8h30, climbed several routes at Los Chancos, more dizziness, went to bed early, got up early, rented bikes, rode up to 3900m trying to reach Punta Callyan, 46km total, out of breath, headache, dizziness, nice dinner, too many beers. Woke up today messed up, dizzy, short of breath, high pulse, weak = AMS.<br />
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At least the weather is improving.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3oFTAR9jqB8lfliVOv4XTbeV2gDasg3zoyykRF9yGPoApWQYbORkS3WOVU9WDO0042TaT4gZm20jlSeKh5sNnPwwDvo7_lPNL5wQ8Fm6u_xaXdoHP7KdmwGtkI_66NeHK9tSUNOa0kz_/s1600/10269648_10154129990380174_2664462973280016270_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3oFTAR9jqB8lfliVOv4XTbeV2gDasg3zoyykRF9yGPoApWQYbORkS3WOVU9WDO0042TaT4gZm20jlSeKh5sNnPwwDvo7_lPNL5wQ8Fm6u_xaXdoHP7KdmwGtkI_66NeHK9tSUNOa0kz_/s1600/10269648_10154129990380174_2664462973280016270_n.jpg" height="640" width="475" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sport climbing in Los Olivos, a crag 15 minutes away from Huaraz, on foot. How awesome!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-68711208125218424232014-05-08T20:38:00.001-03:002014-05-08T20:38:14.907-03:00MY 33So here I am in the Cruz del Sur bus terminal waiting for endless hours for my bus to leave to Huaraz. I´ve had breakfast, listened to some music, did some crossword puzzles, cut some Alta Montanha stickers and just finished watching "500 days of Summer". In all those moments I kept asking myself what the hell I am doing here without script and no date of return. Goodness! The deliciously guilty and precise feeling of total uncertainty!<br />
<br />
I´m already starting to lose the track of time as in, not knowing which day or weekday we´re in. Or getting tot he end of the day and realizing I didn´t even miss not checking Facebook. I then watch <a href="http://vimeo.com/62716181" target="_blank">35</a> to make myself feel less guilty about being "one of those people" (sorry dad).<br />
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Sometimes I am indeed afraid of myself and these crazy ideas of mine. Can´t wait to meet the boys and climb like there´s no tomorrow! :D<br />
<br />
This is a pretty intimate post. Just a happy blurb though. Needed to share. ;)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-45975518405987339532014-05-01T13:29:00.001-03:002014-05-06T15:12:43.604-03:00ON EVEREST 2014I didn´t write anything on the Everest season because my opinion is very well rounded on it and I don´t feel a need to share it, but I just HAD to post this excerpt from this interview:<br />
<br />
<i>"Do you think any teams will climb the South Col route without Sherpa support this season?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>No, highly unlikely unless they are<b> true climbers</b>. Certainly not a commercial expedition."</i><br />
<br />
Read it all <a href="http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/enough-of-misinformation-the-truth-of-everest" target="_blank">here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-9019698777035221402014-04-01T14:05:00.001-03:002014-04-01T14:05:21.435-03:00"QUIT, DO EPIC SHIT"<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNoYu8YMqLP58pLYZwpy6Mebc6DptjCfafakNKSHFnWZ3DpQoFI5-RUwhLcBB5o0F6PI1nUqaENrzKcuVjJAhd0nly0m-QblN3I4gOkeunBzF6Pnzuv0zi14IbV-ikYoqEijhlsbo3l34/s1600/timeandmoneyexp.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNoYu8YMqLP58pLYZwpy6Mebc6DptjCfafakNKSHFnWZ3DpQoFI5-RUwhLcBB5o0F6PI1nUqaENrzKcuVjJAhd0nly0m-QblN3I4gOkeunBzF6Pnzuv0zi14IbV-ikYoqEijhlsbo3l34/s1600/timeandmoneyexp.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Third time is a charm"</td></tr>
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<br />
A few days ago I quit my job as middle-management at a multinational here in Brazil. I had a decent salary, great health plan, meal plan, life insurance, and a bonus plan. Why am I writing about these things really? I guess because these are means to an end.<br />
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A season of climbing is every climber´s dream. To stay at one region for a summer or whichever other season, several weeks or months, is the epitome of desire for anyone in love with climbing.<br />
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I've got a one way ticket, a plan which is to have no plan, and a desire to simply climb as many peaks as I can. I´m about to spend even more than the entire season in the Cordillera Blanca and possibly even in the Cordillera Huayhuash.<br />
<br />
So, at around 5 pm on April 17th I´ll be unemployed, but free to roam to world´s peaks as I wish. May it last long, and be the most fun ever. I wish myself some awesome climbs!<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-47881240110702633572014-03-10T17:25:00.001-03:002014-03-10T18:28:55.221-03:00DEATH IN THE MOUNTAINSAround this time of last year, I was avidly searching for news of a brazilian climber that went missing on Aconcagua. I didn´t know him in person, but we had created a virtual acknowledgment of each other since he tried to buy a down jacket from me in a Facebook classified community we were both part of. That was late 2012, and after much convincing he understood it´d be too big on him and accepted my refusal. He did cheer on whenever someone asked about it, and when I eventually sold it. It was a men´s Ama Dablam by Marmot, just in case.<br />
<br />
Months later I would realize he was the one missing in the Sentinela de Piedra. His body eventually was found. Apparently he ascended by himself after his partners gave up already above 6000 m, and on the way back from the summit got lost in a whiteout and fell. He left a wife and a daughter.<br />
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Today I went through the same feelings again. On sunday I logged on to the Desnivel website just to see what was news and read a piece about a tragic weekend with 5 dead in some spanish mountains. I read people´s names and one sounded familiar, but it was such a common name there that I figured it couldn´t be someone I know.<br />
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The news kept coming on my Facebook timeline though, always with Luis Gonzalo tagged. So this morning I thought something was way too strange and that this Luis Gonzalo from the news couldn´t be the Luiz Gonzalo I met. But it was.<br />
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I met Luis Gonzalo while climbing Elektra, a classic trad line in Ana Chata mountain, in the São Bento do Sapucaí region here in Brazil. I was climbing with two other friends and he was coming fast behind us with a partner. We were lucky to be tied to a tree in a spacious plateau that allowed us for a nice chat, in which among other things, Gonzalo said that alpinism was his favorite type of climbing. Upon telling him I was about to leave for the Cordillera Blanca in a month or so he fondly remembered leading the crossing of the schrund in Alpamayo, which left both his feet dangling in the air. We conversed for about 10 minutes or so and then let them pass us, until we met on the summit again.<br />
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What striked me most about Luis Gonzalo was his ever present smile. Apparently, it was stroke everyone sending condolences on his Facebook page today. In the short moments we had together, he was always smiling and cheerful. Makes me question why is it that it is always those people that go so soon. It makes me feel very empty, even though I know he lived his life to its fullest and was an example to follow. It is just too hard to accept that that huge smile simply is no more. But such is life, and such is alpinism.<br />
<br />
It has been in my plans to climb in Spain, and I always thought I´d get in touch with him. It´s not a possibility anymore, but it relieves me to know he was doing what he himself said was his favorite type of climb. Rest in peace, amigo.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-62044950417808883672014-01-14T19:29:00.000-02:002014-01-14T19:29:31.064-02:00FIRST CLIMB OF 2014: THE AID CLASSIC "TETO DO BAÚ"Happy 2014 everyone! I hope this year is as filled with great climbing as 2013 was. Actually, I want more!<br />
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<h2>
INTRODUCTION</h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Ksr0DKyFCQMj_c_8yYP_kugWg_i_kqwqMY5nu3KT5T4S6sAKqnHpBHHI5V57fY55R3Tyh5o4oVx70I6np2u1sx5qPSXcSN22GMYWS4nw18arXdEfL1Ji1jH0kGSle3nReKeoS8uC-kX4/s1600/DSC09196b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Ksr0DKyFCQMj_c_8yYP_kugWg_i_kqwqMY5nu3KT5T4S6sAKqnHpBHHI5V57fY55R3Tyh5o4oVx70I6np2u1sx5qPSXcSN22GMYWS4nw18arXdEfL1Ji1jH0kGSle3nReKeoS8uC-kX4/s320/DSC09196b.jpg" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The roof is the topmost tip of the rock.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
When I first started rock climbing a little over a year ago, I set my eyes on quite a few routes that are abasolutely amazing but obviously out of reach of a beginner, let alone someone who's a late comer to the sport.</div>
<br />
"Teto do Baú" (Baú's Roof) was one of them. A classic aid line in the Mantiqueira range, this route seemed like territory for super experienced climbers, not only technically, but also on exposed routes, given that it is super aerial in 90% of its two pitches.<br />
<br />
Given that sport climbing makes up for most of the rock climbing activity in Brazil, I thought I would never get to climb it, since it was hard enough finding partners for less commiting routes of lesser grades, or even a mentor to get me through learning everything I would need to know to get myself climbing similar routes until I could give Teto a try. It was one of those things that was just too out of reach.<br />
<br />
The tip of Pedra do Baú, know as the "Roof" is obviously a result of erosion. Its lower part probably dropped as time went by, leaving this huge overhanging tip that is ssen from most angles.<br />
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<br />
<h2>
THE ROUTE</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI20akVqE4tCw6Q6NaElyrBT7jaBibBZPfcX3LyjotI8BLsAQ8FgqbO2Rxfr0uXZQ0ez7ASn9XkLzMcCbnwhKYXzENSq5qxQJm0BhLjzxRBEfKzha8fiPfhRQeGVFYqFnOi17dgmmFn4GC/s1600/DSC09241b-topo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI20akVqE4tCw6Q6NaElyrBT7jaBibBZPfcX3LyjotI8BLsAQ8FgqbO2Rxfr0uXZQ0ez7ASn9XkLzMcCbnwhKYXzENSq5qxQJm0BhLjzxRBEfKzha8fiPfhRQeGVFYqFnOi17dgmmFn4GC/s320/DSC09241b-topo.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<div>
Teto do Baú is an A1 5c french/5.9 YDS line that starts at a small plateau, following the south side tip of Pedra do Baú. After about 40 "Ps" (home made bolts very commom in Brazil shaped as a P, I'll refer to them here as bolts to make reading easier), you reach the first anchor station. From there to the top lies the A1 grade, for you need to climb a bit in order to reach two other bolts quite apart from each other and follow on with aiding. After this second bolt, the route turns positive and it's a 3rd class climb to the summit.</div>
<br />
Because the bolts are from the 70s and the route is very exposed, authors of the guidebook have decided to ommit it from the guidebook. In other words, there's no topo. I don't know if ethics wise I should put it here or not, although the route is quite obvious once you get to the base.<br />
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<br />
<br />
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<br />
<h2>
THE CLIMB</h2>
Pedra do Baú is filled with trad routes, bolted, mixed and clean, of a large range of grades, so there are several options to get to the base of the Teto route itself. You can join routes on each other on either face, it all depends on your experience, weather conditions and time. Because we're at the height of summer season and it's been extremely hot aside from forecast that predicted storms at any time, we decided to french climb the shortest and easiest possible route to the plateau, which is called "Cresta". We did so in 30 minutes over about 55 meters of route.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnbKcgR8l0eviLXXMSbJHtoyKBBJAhflyjJS-d1VC0xYOz6g8e9IqLalAv443uxa_l_2PzvvAIgxUfHAQQ7iyiSK0F22lUQc4rFtknffYdZYjbFizlvD_i0A53TBKUPYQsgH8x4C-ZsNu/s1600/DSC09198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnbKcgR8l0eviLXXMSbJHtoyKBBJAhflyjJS-d1VC0xYOz6g8e9IqLalAv443uxa_l_2PzvvAIgxUfHAQQ7iyiSK0F22lUQc4rFtknffYdZYjbFizlvD_i0A53TBKUPYQsgH8x4C-ZsNu/s400/DSC09198.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the first bolts of the route.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">About to head to exposure!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLjfhHkpsAq5WsXoz4aLQZJztxHqJf-znqKKij6gkWgf9YGv9x_tNvuwuFjW0fYCNJlAqBmLFbfqbVJXttZDVXuQLr6-pi3Zkxv_9mAkeAIp4dXDh3qzZvaOE4wb7qe-PmoIQDQhg3JtX/s1600/DSC09206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLjfhHkpsAq5WsXoz4aLQZJztxHqJf-znqKKij6gkWgf9YGv9x_tNvuwuFjW0fYCNJlAqBmLFbfqbVJXttZDVXuQLr6-pi3Zkxv_9mAkeAIp4dXDh3qzZvaOE4wb7qe-PmoIQDQhg3JtX/s400/DSC09206.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dangling in the air, literally!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearing a passage under a small roof, and then on to the anchor station.</td></tr>
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There were some ugly looking clouds above us as well as a pretty strong wind and I started the route figuring I'd have to retreated. But by the time I was about a third of the first pitch done, the clouds sort of disappeared and the wind turned to a breeze. <br />
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From there I entered an airy part with pretty much no contact with the rock, then went bellow a small roof, and finally started climbing up again to the anchor station, where I set up belay for the second, and sat for about 40-50 minutes dangling my feet in the air and admiring that exclusive point point of view while he climbed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIE7fJsW5p8HOzZ_OH7QjHyBUdSCtFNalDo0_1YhrlTkRrSurG52Xmu_O4CKPzcyJnYL43qDaRnJb5JCdU19gOuHlM59oVlePYjZvADm9p55uDZ0cCjHfGtYOnwTvWGhCgtU0dlH-139W/s1600/DSC09230b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIE7fJsW5p8HOzZ_OH7QjHyBUdSCtFNalDo0_1YhrlTkRrSurG52Xmu_O4CKPzcyJnYL43qDaRnJb5JCdU19gOuHlM59oVlePYjZvADm9p55uDZ0cCjHfGtYOnwTvWGhCgtU0dlH-139W/s400/DSC09230b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The classic shot from the dropping tip.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSYl7y9w6Mo7CBSlBLXhU9LKqvZT6dONAj_JzxWFa3ETUj7sS0kTr4DeMwZxQRV3DARtDqgzpl15BXMyLHCnkiAEExURZE3bjdc5IokPBHOXAk9T_JvUMhDA9kyDC9sJ48gTr-ptuV3vr/s1600/DSC09233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSYl7y9w6Mo7CBSlBLXhU9LKqvZT6dONAj_JzxWFa3ETUj7sS0kTr4DeMwZxQRV3DARtDqgzpl15BXMyLHCnkiAEExURZE3bjdc5IokPBHOXAk9T_JvUMhDA9kyDC9sJ48gTr-ptuV3vr/s400/DSC09233.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">About to reach the anchor.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQTIgNXE6HHOqJ_1or5BMMGpORjheHhstm7Bz5DGil1c-LEywbBJ8pEA0I2qiU9zXki2wr_1w-bJz7aYxcTFHzwrSMZJ49FfhF5KNXLt0JyCLBb3tYH9iJgOCr6td8reYRjyaOb4OG5ffb/s1600/DSC09238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQTIgNXE6HHOqJ_1or5BMMGpORjheHhstm7Bz5DGil1c-LEywbBJ8pEA0I2qiU9zXki2wr_1w-bJz7aYxcTFHzwrSMZJ49FfhF5KNXLt0JyCLBb3tYH9iJgOCr6td8reYRjyaOb4OG5ffb/s400/DSC09238.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baú's east face as seen from a viewpoint after the climb.</td></tr>
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In order to expedite the climb and because the sun was a bit hard on our skin, my partner came into the anchor station, switched to his climbing shoes and lead the second pitch to the summit. We then descend to the base of the route by trail, and from there did two rappels to trail that led back to the parking lot. All of that took us less than 4 hours.<br />
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Overall I thought the route to be technically easy on both aid and free climb sections. What makes it daunting is its exposure, so for people who are not used to leading aerial routes, this one is a no-no. I did think I'd shit my pants in this lead but somehow I didn't. In fact, I felt great and serene at all times. It was a transcendental experience for sure.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-27869587350316556722013-12-10T19:37:00.000-02:002014-06-29T20:11:51.147-03:00ALASKA CLIMBING IS SO SEXY IT HURTS.Someday I'll climb there just to get my humility back.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="375" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/67690291" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/67690291">Alpine Climbing in the Central Alaska Range</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user18750106">Braden Downey</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="375" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/66026021" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/66026021">The Alaska Range - Mooses Tooth - Shaken Not Stirred</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/ephay">Ephay</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/24338977" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/24338977">Mt. Foraker via the Sultana Ridge, Alaska Range, 2011 (V6)</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/damntall">damntall</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-88890694292099301002013-12-05T19:17:00.001-02:002014-08-15T18:31:05.931-03:00SILVIA VIDAL INTERVIEW ON ALTAMONTANHA.COMI recently interviewed big all, aid and solo awesomeness of a climber Silvia Vidal for brazilian mountaineering website <a href="http://altamontanha.com/">AltaMontanha.com</a>. It's in portuguese and I cannot publish it in other languages but that's what Google Translate is for. Check it out by clicking the image bellow.<br />
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<a href="http://altamontanha.com.br/Noticia/4235/entrevista-com-silvia-vidal-expedicoes-ao-extremo" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuve9wq-yJu1G7triweKDmPTGp4oVLrZogQx-2I3HQwkNiqo6XZQyxjkQEnHsgwc7k99cSnm_8otU0tEYL7jxdyeGjs5FtsoB4C0gzPMPQ3rZ-5xYK8ug18LBjd5HnAejA6QdQUzyhyphenhyphenb75/s400/silviavidalinterview.jpeg" height="312" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6629217989481767147.post-78340255932088124292013-11-12T19:20:00.000-02:002013-11-13T19:48:46.267-02:00AERIAL IMAGES OF THE DEVIL'S NEEDLE IN BRAZILNot a great editing job, but definately a well put collection of images of a seldom climbed (due to weather) spire in the Serra dos Órgãos region in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The Devil's Needle is 3rd-4th class climb up on slabs and mainly chimneys with a considerable long and steep approach, but considered one of the most beautiful rock climbs in the planet. Enjoy!<br />
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