I’ve never been one to keep a journal, and in recent years I have realized that, regardless of how interesting it may be or not be to others, this blog is quite valuable to myself. While we are accustomed to thinking of wealth in terms of money and property and material, I think that true … Continue reading A Frigid Spanking – Attempting a Winter Solo Ascent of Cerro Torre
Tag: Patagonia
Chaltén 2022-2023: Pilar Goretta Solo, El Corazón Attempt, and Respect to Sean
01 GUILLAUMET 02 GORRA BLANCA 03 LOMA BLANCA 04 TORRE VOLONQUI 05 GORETTA PILLAR SOLO 06 CORAZÓN ATTEMPT 07 REFLECTIONS As I have done sometimes in the past, I am beginning to write this blog post while sitting on a bus from El Chaltén to El Calafate. After more than three months in El Chaltén, … Continue reading Chaltén 2022-2023: Pilar Goretta Solo, El Corazón Attempt, and Respect to Sean
Fitz Roy Winter Solo
During the past few years I have been lazy about writing on my blog. I think this is largely because I now share snippets of my climbing on social media, and after already writing about a climb on social media, even if only very succinctly, some of my motivation to write more deeply has dissipated. … Continue reading Fitz Roy Winter Solo
Chaltén 2020
It hasn't been long since I departed El Chaltén, but sitting in quarantine due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it already feels like a long time ago. I spent the entirety of January and February in El Chaltén (Argentine Patagonia), teamed up for the month of January with Fabian Buhl, and teamed up for the month … Continue reading Chaltén 2020
A Brief Visit to Patagonia, and Reflections on Hard Solo Climbing
I’m currently beginning the long journey back from El Chaltén, concluding my shortest-yet trip to Patagonia, and by far my least productive. I have by now made a total of 16 trips to El Chaltén, and the biggest, most stable window of good weather I’ve ever seen was during the past two weeks. However, August … Continue reading A Brief Visit to Patagonia, and Reflections on Hard Solo Climbing
Chalten 2017-2018 Photo Essay
On the Argentine side of the Patagonian Andes, the Chaltén Massif is a dense range of extremely steep mountains, famous for Cerro Torre and Chaltén itself (the native name for the peak also known as Fitz Roy). I have been coming to this mountain range on an annual basis since 2003, often for a three-month … Continue reading Chalten 2017-2018 Photo Essay
Patagonia 2016 – A Dud
[Editor's note: This was now written more than three weeks ago, on Dec. 31] I’m beginning to write this blog post on an airplane from El Calafate to Buenos Aires, on my way back to the northern hemisphere, after three weeks in the Chaltén Massif of Patagonia. I had planned for a big and hopefully … Continue reading Patagonia 2016 – A Dud
Hunger Games at Cerro San Lorenzo
After years of climbing exclusively in the Chalten Massif, I have finally exposed myself to another location in the Patagonian Andes. I spent most of November underneath Cerro San Lorenzo, Patagonia’s second-highest peak, with my longtime friend Rob Smith. While El Chalten becomes a bit more like Chamonix every year, the rest of the Patagonian … Continue reading Hunger Games at Cerro San Lorenzo
Cerro Pier Giorgio, First Complete Ascent
Last week the weather forecast showed one of the most promising windows of the 2013-2014 Chalten climbing season (which doesn't say much this year), and Rolo and I hiked into Niponino on the 22nd with ambitious plans. When we went to sleep it was snowing heavily, but we felt confident it would stop soon. When … Continue reading Cerro Pier Giorgio, First Complete Ascent
Cerro Madsen, Aguja de l’S and Cerro Domo Blanco
The 2013-2014 season in El Chalten continues to be a cold and stormy one. Since my arrival in mid November there hasn't been a single weather window that I would call "a good one," and the gnarliest summits, Cerro Torre and Torre Egger, have both yet to see a single ascent this season. However, at … Continue reading Cerro Madsen, Aguja de l’S and Cerro Domo Blanco