Tell us about your adventure!
My main objective was to develop my alpine skills through an immersive 7 month trip through South America, climbing in the Fitz Roy Massif in Patagonia and finishing my trip by climbing Alpamayo, considered the most beautiful mountain in the world. I also heard of Cochamo right before the trip. I decided to start the trip with a solo ascent of San Jose (5856m, F+) in Chile. Then moved down to Cochamo and climbed some classic, beautiful trad lines such as E.Z. Does It (5.10d), Camp Form (10c), & Onomatopoeia (5.10b). After, I went to El Chalten in Patagonia and climbed in the Fitz Roy Massif in alpine style climbing Mojon Rojo (F+), Aguja de l’s Cara Este Route (6a), and outdoor bivvied for 4 days in the massif to climb Comansana-Fongrue (6B+) and Brenner-Moschioni (6B) on Guillamet.
After this, I went to the Cordillera Blanca and successfully summited Vallunaraju (5686m, PD), Yannapacha (4560m, PD+), Nevado Pisco (5752m, PD), Alpamayo via the Ferrari Route (5947m, D/D+ due to conditions), Artesonraju, also known as the Paramount logo via the South Face (6025, D+) and Chopicalqui (6354m, AD+).
What was the biggest challenge you faced?
I think the biggest challenge faced is just enduring suffering. You’re usually cold, in a calorie deficit, carrying heavy packs (23kg+), potentially at altitude, or pushing yourself on runouts, with inevitable shifts in weather that weren’t predicted in the models, and then having to make highly critical decisions that accounts for all that. Then there’s finding the right partner to endure all that with.
Was there a moment you’ll never forget?
I think climbing over the glacier and reaching the Alpamayo High camp seeing this incredible rock and ice feature towering above me, and then summiting, after having it as a screensaver for 1 and a half years, is one of those good moments I won’t ever forget. Getting stuck in a serious whiteout at 6354m and rescuing a mountain guide and his client who were stuck up there due to poor visibility, then going off route, and having a 16hour day navigating through some treacherous terrain with no visibility and falling into a crevasse, won’t escape my mind easily either, that was quite the epic.
What’s one thing this adventure taught you?
I think finding the right partner in climbing, particularly in alpine style, is important. You’re trusting your life with that person, you inevitably find yourself in highly stressful situations, and having partners that can hold their own, communicate and support each other through that is a key to success. You’ve got to be able to respect each other, and each other’s limitations.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone dreaming of doing something similar?
Starting off doing a technical mountaineering course, I did one with Alpine Guides in Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand. Develop your trad climbing, route finding and rope skills so they’re really strong, get some exposure and then commit.
What’s next?
I think a winter ascent lead rope solo of Federation Peak on the NW Face; and Ama Dablam are high on the list.
