After numerous expeditions to South America we know the area well and have scheduled a full slate of programs for adventurers of all tastes.
Patagonia Exploration
Huge Glaciers, cloud wreathed summits and wild landscapes make Patagonia a legendary place and somewhere not to be missed in this life. Few places on earth are as spectacular and offer such stunning scenery. This program explores both the Paine and Fitzroy areas with hiking and climbing in both.
The North Tower of Paine
The first ascent of the North Tower was accomplished in 1958 by Italian guide Jean Bich and even today this is a route demanding respect, testing the skills and tenacity of any climber. The approach to the "Col Bich" is technical and above lies the dozen or so pitches involving both free and aid climbing on some of the finest granite in the world. Patagonian weather is also legendary so we allow time to sit out the storms in the low beech forest and prepare for what is sure to be one of the highlights of anyones climbing career.
The Patagonian Icecap
The Patagonian Icecap is the largest icecap outside of the polar regions and is a mysterious place, often wreathed in clouds and scoured by the winds. But when the clouds clear it is truly spectacular and despite the hardships this is a place that keeps drawing us back. This program loops around the Fitzroy massif and takes us by the little seen west side of Cerro Torre and into the "Cirque of the Altars" where the steep granite fangs of Cerro Torre and its satellite peaks rear their ice encrusted summits skyward.
Cerro Guillamet
Located in the Fitzroy group Guillamet is only a couple of summits away from Fitroy proper. What a difference a few summits make - Fitzroy is an awesome granite tower over 11,000' high; Guillamet is 3,000' lower and offers a mellower Patagonia climbing experience - if the weather cooperates. A cushy basecamp complete with fresh bread and warm beer positions us for a move to a high camp at about 4,500'. Weather permiting the climb is done as a day out and back from high camp and is characterized by a snowy approach and then fifteen to twenty pitches of fine rock climbing that are somewhat reminiscent of the East Buttress route on Mt. Whitney.
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