Popurri

Santiago Valerga en Dulce Duro, Piedra Parada.

It´s been a little bit of everything. It was good to spend more time than usual in Argentina,  get to climb in the local spots and get to share with local climbers. Definetely, spring, is the best time of the year to be a climber in Argentina and Chile. Since the ski resort shut down at the end of september, it´s been kind of a non stop road trip for us.  Headed to Santiago de Chile, to climb with Martina, Carolina Fritz (my wife) and Camilo, for a week. Climbed mainly in Las Chilcas. Drove all the way to San Martin de los Andes and spent some days there, climbing and bolting some new routes. A few days later we drove to Bariloche and enjoyed the unseasonable warm weather, climbed a little bit on each area and laid down at the beach by the beautiful lake on the rest days.  Drove to Piedra Parada, before the Petzl rock trip madness and enjoyed most of the routes for ourselves. Got to climb the Piedra Parada with Martina, up the most amazing line on it, Chocolate Profundo, 9 pitches, 8a / 13b.

After that we went back to Bariloche hoping to hike up to frey and do some trad climbing, but the weather got bad and we drove back to San Martin, for some more bolting and climbing in the sun.  

Every weekend drove to bariloche, to climb at Paredes Blancas, definetely an amazing laboratory of hard sport climbs and sincerely my favorite wall in Argentina, so far. 

View of San Martin de los Andes, with the full moon.

One week before the Rock Trip in Piedra, my frind Mariano Tome, flew from Buenos Aires and it was great to share the rope with him again, after many years. We climbed in San Martin for a few days and then headed to Bariloche for another 3 or 4 days. He flew back to Buenos Aires and I drove with Carolina to Piedra Parada, to find that the peaceful and quiet place we´ve been at a couple of weeks before, was hosting about 2000 people now. The event was rad. Great organization from Petzl, everything was perfect and despite the amount of people, we were able to climb at will almost every day. 

After 5 great days out there, it was time to head back to Bariloche to pick up Ian and July, friends from the States, that will be climbing in the area the next month or so. Climbed in bariloche for 2 days and drove to San Martin with them. Packed and took a bus to Santiago. Tomorrow we are flying to Aspen, back to winter times and psyched to ski and train for the next months. 

Life is great. Enjoy the pictures.

Tick list of this past month.

- Sauron 8a+, Covisal. 

- Dulce Duro 8a, Piedra Parada.

- Emocionado 8a, Pared Blanca.

- Corsario Negro 7c+, Pared Blanca.

- Anhilator 7c, Pared Blanca.

- Al Abordaje 7c, Pared Blanca.

- Forza Makita 7c, Ventana.

- Sin Nombre 7c, Piedra Parada.

y muchos 7b+, 7b y 7a.

Pared Blanca, Bariloche.

Said Beljah trying Osho, 8b+. Pared Blanca.

Refugio Cordillera, bariloche, the best place to stay.

a view of Bariloche.

Caro, Santi, Ian and July

French climber on Corsario Negro, 7c+.

Gerome Pouverau trying Osho, 8b+.

Santiago Valerga before entering the crux section on After Hour, 8b.

Said sending Emocionado, 8a.