easy climb ideas in Southern Chile (NOT Patagonia)

[morphius916]

My wife and I are going on a trip to Southern Chile for her Ph.D. research (ecological recovery at Chaiten volcano - erupted in 2008), and we will be taking a week or 10 days for fun afterwards. She is a kayaker (I am not) but she isn't much of a mountaineer or a strong rock-climber (protected 5.8 and below). So we are gonna raft a couple rivers (Futaleufu area) and hoping to go on an easier glacier climb or alpine rock-climb during that period too.

 

First trip to Chile for both of us, I am strong in Spanish and not too worried about figuring out our way around, but I have no knowledge of climbs down there. Any good ideas of resources for me to look at?

 

Really the best thing would be to take her up one of the glaciated volcanoes that doesnt have mandatory guides (Michinmahuida or other). But I'm tempted, cuz Chaiten is over halfway to Patagonia proper... only a 6-8 hr ferry ride and a few hours of bus... Then there are the real mountains.

 

Dying to hear from climbers/travelers with experience in Southern Chile.

[Hugh Conway]

only a 6-8 hr ferry ride and a few hours of bus... Then there are the real mountains.

 

I can't figure out if this is sarcasm or serious.

 

The C. Austral is pretty awesome; more ruggedly and remotely awesome than most of the other parts of that region. Rent a truck and knock yourselves out. Plenty of kayaking, fishing, hiking and climbing and was easily the best section ime.

 

Check out:

http://www.escalando.cl/

http://www.stonedance.com

[JosephH]

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1312583/Chaiten-Chile

[dalius]

From Puerto Montt all the way south to Tierra del Fuego IS Patagonia. Most people just think it's Torres Del Paine / Fitzroy because that's where all the world famous climbing is.

 

My wife and I spent a good deal of time travelling that part of the world. The closest easy-access awesome climbing I can recommend to you would be across the border in Argentina out of San Carlos de Bariloche. Bariloche is known as the Chamonix of South America - beautiful mountains, volcanoes, alpine lakes, great town, and climbing at Cerro Catedral - golden granite spires near refugio Frey. I went through there in the fall and unfortunately the rains had started by then and no climbing was to be had (but from what I've heard...) I think you can find some trip reports here on CC.com. If you go in summer though, you're sure to find dry rock. I can't remember the names, but there are supposedly some glacier climbs near there as well (look up Cerro Tronador).

 

Otherwise, there are some basic glacier slogs you can do on the chilean side - volcan osorno outside of Pucon, possibly others.

 

If you're up for serious adventure, really really close to Chaiten, just north, is the Valle Cochamo with insane Yosemite bigwall granite. Existing routes are commiting, though it's mostly unexplored - adventure climbing.

 

The Careterra Austral is incredible and is great if you're just looking for general adventure, travel, sightseeing. Spectacular flyfishing. Haven't heard of anything in the way of developed or well known climbing areas until you get all the way to Fitzroy area, but maybe I'm just not in the know. It's not for the lack of mountains, for the area is nothing but mountains - it's just that it seems that most everything is exploration and adventure - need lots of time and planning for those sorts of things.

 

My suggestion? With the time you've got, go have your fun on the Futaleufu, then head up to Bariloche, spend some time climbing out of Refugio Frey, possibly hit up some alpine glaciers in the area, call it a vacation. Your money should go a lot further in Argentina as well.

 

Love that part of the world. Have fun!