REPORT
Waypoints Registrados (WGS 84) Campamento Base Campamento 1 Campamento Intermedio Campamento 2 Campamento Alto Cumbre y Localización de Caja
33º 00’ 12,2’’ S 70º 05’ 44,6’’ W altitud 3370 m 33º 00’ 39,2’’ S 70º 05’ 21,6’’ W altitud 3880 m 33º 01’ 03,4’’ S 70º 05’ 18,1’’ W altitud 4275 m 33º 01’ 23,0’’ S 70º 05’ 16,8’’ W altitud 4709 m 33º 01’ 51,4’’ S 70º 05’ 03,7’’ W altitud 5354 m 33º 02’ 40,4’’ S 70º 05’ 11,2’’ W altitud 5981 m
Route of Ascent/Descent From BC, you ascend through a scree slope of a moderate gradient until arriving at the sector where you set up C1 at 3,880 m. Once at C1, you should study the area known as Flechas Verdes (Green Arrows), which is the cliff situated under the base of the glacier that runs parallel to the Juncal Norte Glacier. There are painted green arrows that mark the route for the ascent but there are at least two more possible routes depending on the climatic conditions and the time of year. It is therefore recommended that you establish which is the safest route before you leave C1. It is even recommended to explore all these routes first to give yourself better criteria with which to decide the route to take. Just before the cliff, there is a hard and steep snow field that needs the use of crampons, which you only cross until its middle, where it is possible to re-climb on the rock. The sector is quite exposed and therefore requires special care. Once passed this stretch, you arrive at the base of the glacier, which is very exposed to rock falls and has a slope close to 50º at its narrowest part. While this pass does not require much technical ability you need some experience on ice. It is, furthermore, recommended to make the crossing early in the morning to avoid the hours closest to midday which have the largest risk of falling rocks. In this area there are also several routes, but the safest one is quite obvious. Once you are on the glacier you must pass some narrow crevasses, through a soft and moderate slope. A little higher up, there is an enormous bergschrund that is at the foot of the couloir that leads towards C2, located at 4,700 m. In case it is necessary to set up an intermediate camp, there is a terrace at 4,275 m which forms part of a spur and is ideal as it is free from the risk of avalanches and rock falls (see waypoints). Between the terraces and C2 the slope is moderate to strong but is a relatively easy stretch where the largest precaution you have to take is against rock falls. The final part of the couloir takes you to an extraordinarily soft scree slope of about 100 metres in length. From C2, the ascent can be direct to the summit or you can consider a HC at 5,354 m as we did on our expedition. The route skirts the rock and then a glacier. When you arrive at 5,000 m, there is a bergschrund that you should skirt to the left and which marks the halfway point of the route between C2 and the HC. At 5,150 m the glacier becomes less steep, facilitating the arrival at HC from where you can see the summit. For the last stretch you have to leave the glacier to the right, so you can reach the summit ridge from where the route is direct and where there is also a faint path that ascends the ridge between loose rocks and snow. The descent follows the same route as the ascent.
Registered Waypoints (WGS 84)
230 231 Los 6000’s de Chile / The 6,000’s of Chile
Base Camp
33º 00’ 12.2’’ S 70º 05’ 44.6’’ W altitude 3,370 m
Camp 1
33º 00’ 39.2’’ S 70º 05’ 21.6’’ W altitude 3,880 m
Intermediate Camp
33º 01’ 03.4’’ S 70º 05’ 18.1’’ W altitude 4,275 m
Camp 2
33º 01’ 23.0’’ S 70º 05’ 16.8’’ W altitude 4,709 m
High Camp
33º 01’ 51.4’’ S 70º 05’ 03.7’’ W altitude 5,354 m
Summit and Location of Box
33º 02’ 40.4’’ S 70º 05’ 11.2’’ W altitude 5,981 m