Patagonia Short Stories: Mountaineering
This is a series of short stories from my time in Patagonia. Throughout the trip I would take time to write in my Field Notes notebook about daily events, activities, exciting adventures, and memories. These are some of my stories from my first month in the field.
An Afternoon of Adventure:
After finishing avalanche rescue and advanced knot tying classes, we were given some free time to hang around camp. I took some time to go to the bathroom and clean myself in the river. My bathroom spot took me to a place high on a ridge where I could see an incredible range. I have never felt so small and in such awe of a place so large. This is one of the first times where I have been in true awe of the world surrounding me. Standing on the ridge for 10 minutes just looking around and pondering my thoughts. I then headed down to the river to wash up. I have never felt so alive and clean after taking a shower in the cold Chilean water and the warm sun to dry me. This is an afternoon I will never forget while here in Patagonia and for the rest of my life.
Alpine Start:
1:30am wake up to be hiking by 3:30am to summit the pass by 7:30am. From there we descended down to a camp in the moraine of the glacier. When we were at the top of the pass the first light had just started to show. Easily one of the prettiest settings and sunrises I have been a part of. The mountains were dark and the sky was filled with orange and purple colors. On another note, we arrived at camp to high winds and rain around 10:30 am. Throughout the day we have been experiencing terrible conditions. Winds gusting up to 70mph have broken multiple tents and poles. I got blown onto my butt by one of the gusts. Truly the strongest and most powerful winds I have experienced. Headed into a sleepless night of holding the tent and tightening the guide lines. It was an awesome day filled with heavy breathing, headlamps, sweat, and love for the team.
Currently 8:18am on Saturday the 14th, the next morning. We were awake for most of the night holding the tent and fixing others’. Boiling water now for wheat berries. One of my tent mates is driving me silently insane. Ha, nothing but a little singing can help.
The Best 360 Degree View I’ve Ever Had:
Today, Oct. 16th, has started with brutal winds and not so good conditions. Plan for today was to learn about rescue techniques in crevasses. Yesterday we climbed a mountain. We woke up at 2:30am to make wheat berries for breakfast and started the approach to the climb at 4:15am. All climbing gear in packs, we head out absolutely stoked to climb this thing. We roped up and made it to the first pitch at around 6am. From there we began the climb with a fairly steep initial pitch followed by a 2-hour traverse to the summit. The climb was incredible! I loved pushing myself and being a part of a team to top out. I have increased respect for the mountains here. Yes, the conditions could not have been better throughout the day, but these mountains are unpredictable and dangerous if not handled with care. Glad to be back to camp with everyone safe and happy. Words cannot describe the stoke. Venga!
“When you try to climb a mountain to prove how big you are you almost never make it. And even if you do it’s a hollow victory. To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountain which sustain life, not the top” –Robert Pirsig
Non-favorable Conditions:
The day began at 3:05am when the weather check was made. The team had expected it to be snowing and cloudy, but we had cold clear skies and continued to prepare for the climb. The team split into two separate groups to climb two different objectives, and the approach began around 4:30am. My small team arrived at the starting pitch at around 5:45am after some early equipment trouble and loss of a couple of group members due to illness. We roped up and began ascending around 6:00am. The whole face of the climb was a sustained slope, but with fresh snow and wind I knew that the avalanche danger was relatively high. About half way up the climb I fell shoulder deep into a snow hole. I caught myself with my shoulders and ice axe. The whole was probably 30ft deep from my point of view. The dark ice and snow below me made it hard to see how deep it really was. The snow conditions continued to not be in our favor after the winds picked up, and Rodrigo said we should turn around after spotting an icy patch near the summit. The descent was not too challenging, but the conditions made it so that we were descending without seeing our tracks from the way up. We safely descended and made our way back to camp. Getting shut down by the weather and conditions are completely out of your control, and in that situation managing your risk is crucial. I think that we made the clearest and best decision and am glad that we all made it back safely. Respect to the mountains!
Met a Chilean Gaucho:
The team woke up this morning and made breakfast, packed up, and began our move to the next camp. Our next camp spot was about 4 hours away traveling south through the forest on dirt trails. We made it close to two hours before we came across a man on a horse. After having a conversation with him in Spanish, it turned out that we had been traveling on his land. He then approached us for money, and we said that we would cross as quickly as possible and exit his property. That did cut our trip a day short, and that night we ended up at the cabin. I had a great couple of days leading a rad crew through an incredible place. Super excited for the transition and the sea!