Capilla del Monte is the place for winter climbing in Argentina. That is, if your idea of winter climbing is warm, dry days, spent climbing on easily accessed, sunkissed granite.


Last time I was in Capilla was during my winter break in 2012. That was only six months after my revision surgery and I still had a long ways to go to overcome the difficulties of my hip problems. Since then, I've had my right hip resurfaced and, at this point, with a ceramic on ceramic THR on one side (three and a half years post revision) and a new resurfacing on the other (one and a half years post op) I'm climbing better than I have in almost a decade (which is still pretty weak).

My wife Gaby and I were actually part of the original group to climb in Capilla (back in 1995 and 1996) although I doubt the locals here now know anything about that. In fact (spray warning) Diego "Pedulin" Roldan and I made the first explorations into a part of the canyon now known as "Perdidos" and made the first (hangdog) ascent of a modern testpiece called "Historias de Poder" a 7b+ gear/crack route that Diego later redpointed, after I left Córdoba.



This time around I was once again climbing with Gaby (Team Bratten). Sometime ago we used to tear it up a bit, but it's been awhile (many years, actually) since we got into a rhythm together. Our daughter Cecilia, who is in full adolescence, has recently renounced climbing. She stayed with relatives in Rio Cuarto.

For our first round of climbing, we were also joined by Gaby's nephew Rodrigo, who drove up from Córdoba, for the day. We began with the three long slab routes on La Tortuga (rated 5+, 6a and 6a in the guide, but I would say more like 5.8 in every case).





We also did a 6b (5.10) on the steeper wall just above and to the right of La Tortuga. The start of this route was tricky and bouldery and it took me some work to figure it out. After that, I managed the redpoint.


The second day Gaby and I went to a new sector of easy routes called El Gusano.


El Gusano has six short, but very nice routes, that entail climbing on beautiful, small crystals. One is rated 5, two more are called 5+, two others are rated 6a and the remaining one is called 6a+. Pretty mellow, but the rock is high quality and provides a fun way to tick off a half a dozen routes.


After finishing up the routes on El Gusano we walked down to check out the wall known as Objetos Perdidos. This is the new, premium, sport climbing wall and looks very good. However the two easier routes on the main wall (a 6b and a 6b+) were both occupied, so after waiting for awhile in the late afternoon shade, we decided to head back to the hotel.

The third day we went to the sector Ferrata. This is the main wall right in front of the entrance to the canyon "Los Mogotes" and even though it was Saturday we had the place to ourselves. There are a variety of good routes here including several two pitch climbs and the beautiful 6b hand crack, Sr. Matanza, which we (Gaby and me) first did back in 1995 or 1996, when, I suppose, there had been very few ascents.






The last day climbing we went up to the Placas de Arriba. This is a beautiful, steep wall above the canyon, with a bunch of long, technical face climbs on small edges.


We started with the easiest route (an easy 5+), which is short and strange and then moved over to try Placa Turistera. This is a route I've wanted to try since before 2012, but I didn't feel ready to give it a go the other times I was at the wall. Originally rated 6a+, I think the new 6b grade is warranted (I would call it solid 10c in US grades). The route starts with a challenging move to get to the first bolt and then remains steep and technical for several more bolts (with at least one good rest) before finally getting easier near the top.




Gaby and I both climbed well on this one (I guess you could say we kind of hiked it).

Next we climbed a strange and elegant 6a+ on the left side of the wall that I had done a couple of times before. Originally rated 6a, then upped to 6a+, and now, for some reason called 6b in the new guide, this route counts as the easiest 6b we've done at Capilla At any rate, the route is harder if you're short and in that case the new grade might be more accurate.


After that we crossed over a bushy gully to the Gran Balero where I managed to onsight in pretty good style a stout, Argentine-old-school 6b slab (I would call this one solid 10d in US grades): one of my hardest onsights since hip surgery and my second 6b onsight for the day.


Our last route for the day was my attempt at a long 6b+ on Placas de Arriba. It turns out this route has a tricky, bouldery crux section at the fourth bolt. My feet were so sore and spent from four days of slab/face climbing that I was in no condition to work the crux and go for the redpoint. So I pulled on the sling to pass the crux and then finished up the easier climbing above, to the top of the route.


All and all a very nice trip with Gaby (who climbed quite well). This was the first time we managed to get back into a our old "Team Bratten" climbing rhythm for many years and I think it felt kind of magical to both of us.