geordie Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 Trying to put a trip together for spring. Knowing a few cc folks have likely been, what were your favorite climbs, why? Thinking about spending most of our time in the Condoriri area, but might do some acclimitization in the Cord. Occidental. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terminal_Gravity Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 "Fuck 'em; they're all posers anyway" I've never climbed it; but it's my favorite name of a bolivian climb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary_Yngve Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 "Fuck 'em; they're all posers anyway" I've never climbed it; but it's my favorite name of a bolivian climb Let me guess... a Mark Twight route? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordie Posted January 4, 2004 Author Share Posted January 4, 2004 yeah well, we didn't climb "ice motherfuckin tea, bitch" when we were in the Icefields Parkway last winter. (that's MFTs route name on the topo, it's "Ice T" in the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason_Martin Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 Geordie, My favorite climb so far in the Condoriri region is the Southwest Face/Southwest Ridge of Pirmida Blanca. It's a short approach with about four pitches of sixty to seventy degree ice and then a bunch of fifty to sixty degree pitches. Super fun! The Southwest Face of Pequena Alpamayo is another great route of similar difficulties. The topout on this one can be a bit more scary though as it generally climbs through a region of unconsolidated snow. I've heard reports of trips through many years on this particular section where parties have continuously found the same type of ground. Something you might consider is picking up the Alan Mesili guidebook when you get there. His "Los Andes de Bolivia" is in Spanish but still has quite a bit more info than the Yossi Brian book. (Don't get me wrong, this english language book is a good start.) Mesili is the Becky of the Bolivian Andes and his book has a lot of good aerial photos with grades and overlays that you can easily understand even if Spanish is a bit of a stretch. Not only that but the book has about three times as many routes as the other. You can find this book at some of the Bolivian Guide services which are spattered throughout the touristy areas of La Paz. Good luck! Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordie Posted January 4, 2004 Author Share Posted January 4, 2004 Jason- on p. alpamayo is it the SE Face (directissima), SW ridge (via normale) or is the SW face a route not in the Brain book? g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mneagle Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 I've put in two trip reports in the past: http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB1&Number=5918&Forum=f1&Words=bolivia&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Main=5918&Search=true&where=sub&Name=310&daterange=0&newerval=4&newertype=y&olderval=&oldertype=&bodyprev=#Post5918 http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB1&Number=30557&Forum=f1&Words=bolivia&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Main=30557&Search=true&where=bodysub&Name=310&daterange=0&newerval=5&newertype=y&olderval=&oldertype=&bodyprev=#Post30557 I posted some pics of the Ala Izquierda climb in the alpine gallery. The best routes down there really depend on the conditions. I would advise avoiding the Quimsa Cruz area due to glacial retreat. The Condoriri area is a great place to bag multiple moderate peaks and if conditions are right, a few major alpine routes. Yossi Brain's book is pretty good, although many routes may be up a bit in difficulty due to glacial retreat. Have a great trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason_Martin Posted January 4, 2004 Share Posted January 4, 2004 Sorry Geordie, I meant the SE face of Pequeno Alpamayo. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkemp Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 My favorite "climb" was Pico Austria in Condoriri area - cause thats the only thing I got to the top of! boy, I was really sick the whole time. Pico Austria is a hike, and most do it as a acclimatization outing before doing something technical. I was going so slowly that my buddies got way ahead of me. After awhile they were way way up there and I was hiking alone. I would stop, bend over huffing and puffing and coughing, and a minute later move on. At one point while wheezing with my hands on my knees I noticed a shadow flash by on the ground. I looked up and there were vultures - I'm not kidding - VULTURES CIRCLING OVER MY HEAD! I pointed up to them and shouted (weakly) "THATS NOT FUNNY!" Stupid vultures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefffski Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 cabeza de condor. great exposure, not too technical but much harder than pequeno alpemayo. mesili is a wonderful character. ask around for him at the agencies on sagarnaga--if you speak french or spanish. don't trust any of the other 'guides' for route conditions. monitor the political conditions before you go. road blockades can you leave you stranded for days at a time. also i recommend hostal maya on sagarnaga. about $5us per night, great beds with warm comforters. showers are ok. good tv. clean and new. have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Parker Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 Geordie, nice quote, but you should give Gimli his credit for saying it! (just saw the movie last night!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordie Posted April 9, 2004 Author Share Posted April 9, 2004 Thanks for all your advice, off to CO on Sunday, then Bolivia in a week!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefffski Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 strongly advise not going to bolivia at this time. the situation is very unstable. see this site for the latest news http://www.livinginlatinamerica.com/se/archives/cat_bolivia.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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