El Canal/Meliquina Mountain Traverse

Co. Agudo eastern edge of the Northern Icefield Photo by Frank Preston

On Jan 6th our students arrived for our next 30 day mountain trip. Frank Preston and I had planned a trip that started by heading up Rio El Canal to Canal Glacier teaching skills there, and then pushing over an exposed glacier shoulder to the Meliquina Glacier and traverse to Cerro La Torre and out the Leones Valley (about 125km).

Canal Glacier, Hyades in the distance and Queso Grande left of center Photo by Frank Preston

As far as we knew the route had not be done by NOLS and not many other people travel or even visit this particular area so we had little beta. Frank had been in the El Canal Valley the year prior and I had just finished a trip with friends on the Meliquina so we knew both those areas, linking them was uncertain though.

After we got the students there gear and organized them for what was to come we got on a bus and headed south to Lago General Carrera to Rio El Canal to start our trip.

We started with a 5 day re-ration and no technical gear. So we could get used to the basics of travelling and living. On day 5 we dropped down and got all our technical gear and 10 days of food. From our camp it was about 2 days travel to the glacier. We made it to our camp in good time and started to plan for technical glacier and snow classes to set the students up for peak climbs and leading ropes teams.

Teaching snow school Photo by Frank Preston

First day roped up on the Canal Glacier and travelling through firn zone Photo by Frank Preston

Frank and I split into 2 small groups, he took 6 students and attempted the east most sister and I took 2 students and scouted our next move.... the scout didn't take long as we made our way through a steep 3 class boulder field to the glacial shoulder. From views we had earlier we knew the glacier shoulder went.
So the 3 of use dropped back down to the Canal Glacier and headed west through firn to climb what we called Queso Grande of the Canal. We made good time getting up there navigated the bergshrund, climbed steep snow and a short section of 4th class rock to a scree slope that led us to the summit 2200m. The views of the Northern Icefield where spectacular! We headed back to camp.

The next day we pushed the route we scouted and then onto the Meliquina glacier where we dug in for 2 days to learn more skills and get a feel for perimeter camping. We taught snow pro, munter/mule, and got students leading rope teams.

Students on the Meliquina Glacier checking out this big old crevasse Photo by Frank Preston

Our 10 ration was coming to an end so we dropped down off glacier. A group headed down into the Meliquina Valley to get our next 8 days of food. When they returned we planned on heading back up to the glacier and traverse to Cerro La Torre. As we planned we made it to the nunatak camp below La Torre. Frank and I took 5 students and climbed a very exposed and wonderful snow ridge to a rock summit just out of camp. That night the winds started to come in and we packed up early the next morning and ran/got blown down trying to get off the glacier. The winds where probably in the 80-90km range. It was pulling the ice rounds from the frozen snow and pelting us as we ran. We got to shelter on a rock ridge and hunkered there for 2 days before we had to descend into the Meliquina Valley for an Asado (BBQ) at the local Quacho's Campo.

Beautiful ridge line climb with the nunatak camp behind Photo by Frank Preston

The Asado was great and we all really appreciated the hospitality Don Enrique Esponza showed us.

The next 8 days had Frank go with 4 students and I with the other 4 for different objectives. Do to weather not to much climbing happened. We got in position to climb Co. Poblete but the winds again had us running like chickens done the to the trees (90-110km). Even though the winds didn't allow us to climb we got to do an afternoon that involved ice climbing and pulley systems with a flatland demo of single team crevasse rescue.

Cerro Hyades with the winds coming Photo by Frank Preston

Overall an amazing mountain course area with 17 days of traveling on glacier, 4 peak climbs, and great cultural experiences!

Thanks to Frank and all the students for a great course!

Asado with Don Enrique Photo by Frank Preston

Holidays + Mountain Adventure + Patagonia = Awesome!

This is the team! Starting left-right Top Betsy Winston, Me, Michel Raab, Steve R, Pete Blau Bottom Patty Soto, Tre-c Dumais and Mita C.

Some people eat turkey, relax with family and party over the holidays. This holiday was a bit of a different one for me. I spent the past 8-10 days on the Meliquina glacier with 7 friends exploring and climbing peaks.

Laguna Meliquina and Meliquina Glacier Photo by Betsy Winston

So on christmas eve we where on the road early so we could start hiking into the mountains. The next day we got up to the alpine with great views of our objects and route.

Pretty Freakin' beautiful eh! Photo by Betsy Winston

Our next move was up to the base of peak 2602m or what we dubbed Cerro Meliquina and dug in there. Once we established camp we chatted about routes and teams for trying to climb Cerro Meliquina. First we tried as a team of 8 but got shut down by terrain. The next day we split into 2 groups and tried the northeast face and southwest face both groups had limited success due to terrain and heavy winds.

Travelling on the Meliquina Glacier Photo by Betsy Winston

Looking out over the Meliquina Photo by Betsy Winston

The next day 5 folks continued on the traverse to our next base camp while Betsy, Michel and I went for the NE face again and then planned on joining up with the rest of the group later in the day. We cached our gear at the base of the climb and then went for it.

The first pitch is the crux, while navigating the bergshrund you get to a short section of ice capped by overhanging snow which pushes you left onto rock after a few moves of mixed climbing you get back onto moderate snow up to 60-65 degrees. The remainder of the climb was navigating 60-65 degree glacier ice/snow and cracks. After our time on the summit we descended the north ridge which involved a short rappel. We picked up our cache and then headed to meet up with the rest of the group. The route is 600m AI2 5.7 D.

Sunrise Photo by Michel Raab

Me climbing the crux pitch on Cerro Meliquina Photo by Michel Raab

Betsy at the top of the first pitch Photo by Michel Raab

Betsy leading out Photo by Michel Raab

Summit of Cerro Meliquina

Cerro Meliquina our route went up the far left side of the glaciated face to the rock summit in the centre Photo by Betsy Winston

Beautiful peaks on the Meliquina Photo by Betsy Winston

On the way across the Meliquina glacier we had amazing views of the Northern Icefield and Cerro San Valentine which is the highest peak in Patagonia. Also the wind started picking up with gusts up to probably 60km/hr. Once reunited with the rest of our team we decided to drop off the glacier to a lower camp to reduce our exposure to the wind and coming weather. Our day started at 5am and after we built the rock walls for our tents it was around 10pm and time for bed. A long day of climbing and moving.

That night the wind didn't let up and we had off and on showers. With the weather not ideal we decided to relax for the day.

The next day the weather didn't improve so we headed down to the trucks and back to the NOLS Campo to celebrate New Years with the folks there. All in all the trip was amazing!

Thanks to Michel and Betsy for putting this trip all together! 

San Valentine 4000 plus metres highest peak in Patagonia Photo by Betsy Winston

Another great trip in the Patagonian Mountains!

Raul Marin Balmaceda..... Good Surfing!!

View out to Bahia Tic Toc from river mouth

When working in the mountains for 2.5 months straight sometimes your legs need a rest and floating in a kayak is pretty sweet. I had a great opportunity to jump on an advanced sea kayak seminar that headed to Raul Marin Balmaceda located on the northwest edge on the Asyen Region of southern Chile.

Raul Marin Balmaceda (RMB) used to be only accessible by water until 2 years ago when they pushed a road through down the Rio Palena. Rio Palena is known by NOLS for having really good surf and rough water practice which suited our seminar well.

Puerto Raul Marin Balmaceda

To get there from Coyhaique you need to head west to Puerto Cisnes and at the turn off to Puerto Cisnes head northwest through the Queulat National Park(the rainiest place in Chile and then to La Junta which is where you will find Rio Palena and head west to the coast.

Our trip started with some review of skills and rescues in flat water. After that we headed out to play in the surf. On day 3 we headed to Bahia Tic Toc which had our crew paddle about 10-15 nautical miles in great conditions and arriving at Rio Tic Toc in the late afternoon. The weather to this point was just blue bird and very little wind... which I have to say is not the typical Patagonian weather.

Paddling by Hue Pan Island on the way to Rio Tic Toc

Sunset

We spent 2 days at Bahia Tic Toc and relaxed on the beach did a bit of river mouth surfing and fishing. Then planned our move back to RMB.

Mauro fishing in Rio Tic Toc with Yeli Peak behind

Bahia Tic Toc

On the move back we had some weather coming in which was super fun to be in seas you hope to never paddle in with a large group of students. We had probably 10-15 knot NW winds, beam seas at 1m and an exposed committing move to get back to RMB.

Once back we started to get the real Patagonia weather! We woke to rain and heavy winds probably up to 40 knots from the NW.  I was pretty psyched to get in the surf and play so a group of 5 of use went and played. A few of them ended up swimming and doing some good self rescues and then after a nice surf session we headed back to camp.

A little hail, it is had to capture a picture of the willywalls. It was pretty windy and rainy!

The next day involved some chatting about different certifications to take to develop more as instructors and why at NOLS things are a bit different. That afternoon we paddled to the vehicles for an early morning departure the next day.

Pete, Rio Tic Toc, Yeli and the fuego

Thanks to Mauro and Fabio for putting on a great seminar and to Steve, Peter, Pilar, Carrie and Emily for some great times paddling in remote Chile!

Patagonia..... The Land of Fire and Water

View from the NOLS Campo

Life has been just cruising along this past few months and to be honest faster then I would like. After my time in the Bugaboos I ventured back to Vancouver Island, Washington State to work a mountaineering course for the National Outdoor Leaderships School(NOLS) and now I have just finished a mountain course in the Aysen Region of Patagonia with NOLS.

The Nido.... my home when not in a tent

The course was 32 days with 17 students 3 co-instructors and a Chilean instructor in training. Needless to say there were a lot of us!

We started in the town of Coyhaquie at the NOLS Campo and got on a bus and headed for Cerro Castillo National Reserve about 90km east.

We hiked into the park from the northeast to the Rio Turbio and then headed to the base of the Penon Glacier to introduce the students to some basic mountaineering skills.

El Condro.... FA in 2009 be Christine, co instructors and NOLS students

As Christine Steidle, the course leader and long time Chilean NOLS instructor, taught the students the glacier rig and travel Cait Parker, Riley Hopeman and I headed for a near by couliour for some instructor development. We climbied about 250m of steep snow, 50-70 degrees to a short step that we then placed a few pitons and roped up for the crux that was M4 and then 30m more of 50 degree snow to the top. We made it back to camp for about 1pm and helped Christine teach the remainder of the classes that afternoon. Thanks to Christine for the opportunity to go play!

The famous "Great White" Riley Hopeman

Our couliour

The next few days involved more skills to get the students ready for the glacier. Once ready we headed up the glacier to be in the snow for a few days. The weather rolled in as we settled into our camp, snow and wind had use tent bound for 3 days, on the 4th day we broke camp and headed back to cower in the lenga trees.

Students heading up Penon Glacier Valley

Riley enjoying the view on Penon Glacier

The crew heading up Penon Glacier

Looking down from the pass where we camped

Sunset from camp

Our home in the snow

After a few days and more travel we worked our way over a pass and down to Estero del Bosque campsite on the southeast side on Cerro Penon and Cerro Castillo.

Cerro Penon from the Southeast aspect

More skills and a transition in leadership from instructors to students presented a new dynamic and it turned out to be a very fun one. Our next move involved going over another pass to Los Portadoreas campsite on the west side of Castillo and a few kilometres south of the New Zealand Camp.

Cerro Penon from the west aspect

Cerro Castillo's East Face

We re-rationed at Los Portadoreas and then headed to the infamous New Zealand Camp. In the 70s a group of Kiwi's came to Patagonia and did a number of first ascents in this region hence the name New Zealand Camp. We set base camp here for about 5 days did skills got about 12 students up on summit, ice climbing and had a large number of them also do single team crevasse rescue.

Christine teaching a class on running protection... pretty nice classroom eh?

As the last few days of the course where coming we decided to break into 2 small groups and go 2 different ways, 8 students/2 instructors pre group, and go exploring. It turned out great both groups had tremendous experiences and where sharing stories non-stop when they came together.

Sam heading down on a fixed line toward Penon's south ridge

Grant high up on Penon

Grant and Daniel high on Penon

Christine high on Penon

When on a long wilderness trip there are commonly things that you think about that can change your plans like: medical/ non-medical evacuations, steep impassible terrain, weather that stops your progression....... I mean what else could you think about?? Well there is something and we where on red alert once informed that a near by Volcano had/was erupting. We finished our course a day early. Pretty exciting seeing the mushrooms clouds a 100 or so km away.

Facial hair protects you from the sun!

A large un-named peak's east face

All in all the course was fantastic and we are all back at the NOLS Patagonia Campo healthy and happy. The students will soon be headed out on the ocean to sea kayak, the Chilean instructor in-training, Felipe will be heading back to Puenta Arenas, Christine and Riley head out on a Patagonia Year Mountain Section, Cait also heads back into the mountains with more students and I have a few days off and will be right back in the field for more mountain goodness. Hope you enjoyed the reading and photos!