Trip Report
The hidden granite of the Exploradores Valley....It's waiting.
Monday March 2, 2015 12:08pm
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In the last few years a dirt road has been gradually pushed to the sea thru the virgin rain forests of the magnificent Exploradores Valley in Chilean Patagonia. I first visited the granite part of this area several years ago when I explored a previously untouched side valley culminating in discovering a beautiful small glacier which I named Ventisquero Angela after my wife.
I went back that year with Angela and a young Friend Weston Boyles for some more exploration.
Angela and I made a couple of trips this year into the Exploradores
The next series of photos are some of the sights in the Exploradores.
Three weeks ago three friends from the AAC (Doug Beall. Clark Gearhardt, and Keegan Young) came to visit resulting in a revisit to the Ventisquero Angela area. No trail, you have to earn your way in.
Time was short and we didn't get the window to do this hidden, moderate but UNCLIMBED peak.
Once you tag the summit you can set your sights on the excellent granite comprising the yet unnamed peaks's north face.
A few pics of some of the other unclimbed rock that needs serious attention.
That's it for this season but I can assure you that next year granite cracks are on the menu.
We can't wait to get back down and renew are relationship with Stumpy the one legged Southern Crested Caracarra who adopted us.
donini
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About the Author donini is a trad climber from Ouray, Colorado. |
Comments
this just in
climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
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Nice looking granite for sure. Funny I had the nerve to warn you about a forty minute approach at Shuteye. Haha. Thanks for the TR.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Shame you don't have more fun on these terrible terrible trips. ;)
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EdwardT
Trad climber
Retired
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Beautiful mountains. Another little corner of heaven.
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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The whole area/region looks just incredible. Many thanks for posting up about it.
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limpingcrab
Gym climber
Minkler, CA
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Beautiful! Such a cool looking area but I think I'm gonna have to wait for that place to get a little more globally warmed before I do any climbing.
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Charlie D.
Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
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Stunning, thanks JD.
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Jones in LA
Mountain climber
Tarzana, California
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Outstanding. The adventure, the photos. Everything! Thanks again for sharing, Mr.D.
Rich Jones
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Fritz
Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Beautiful photos Jim. We did love our Exploradores day trip with Angela. A most wonderful place.
I thought this roadside pinnacle along the way would be calling out to you? I appreciate however, it might be too tiny for your attentions.
Sure would be a great summit shot of you balanced on the summit beak.
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norm larson
climber
wilson, wyoming
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Nice, Jim. Judging by the amount of glaciation I'm guessing it's not blue sky too often.
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Norwegian
Trad climber
dancin on the tip of god's middle finger
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i imagine that the fella who first discovered the vagina
was no less pleased.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there say, donini... wow, no words to describe how lovely this is...
wow, precarious, too, but very very lovely... thanks for sharing...
also, say, fritz, very nice rock, share, too...
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Unbelievable stuff, Jim.
Thanks for sharing!
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kaholatingtong
Trad climber
The fake McCoy from nevernever land.
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Dude! Wow! Cheers!
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rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
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Congratulations on a world class climbing area discovery by a world class and tireless explorer.
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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fantastics, thanks!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Beautiful!
One of these winters I'm headed down there.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Author's Reply
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Mar 2, 2015 - 05:10pm PT
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Jaybro....mi casa es su casa.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Outstanding looking mountains Jim!
How is the area around your casita recovering?
That is some tasty looking stone. I got gold Camalots...lots of 'em!
You don't carry anything but two blue ones, right? One for each end of the rope. LOL
Fritz's eyeful looks like Stumpy...if you Caracarra.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Author's Reply
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Mar 2, 2015 - 06:17pm PT
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Steve...what goes for Jaybro goes for you and Mimi. Recovery has been spectacular.
edit: Fritz's little morsel seems devoid of cracks...might be fun for Caldwell and Jorgensen on a rest day.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Great photos Jim. Looks like a great area almost as good as Wyoming. Good to see you back on here. The place has been sorely lacking in good content.
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Trad climber
Will know soon
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One of my all time favorite TR's. Dude and Dudette you guys rock.
My favorite pic is the first of the two waterfall pics. So abstract, surreal.
Blessings to you both and thanks for the share. lynnie
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Fritz
Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
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OOOPS! I just found this shot, among my photos, from the Exploradores road of the "little" pinnacle I was encouraging Donini to climb and pose on.
There is likely a prime & clean hand crack, or not, on one of the three-sides not shown in my close-up photos up-thread.
And on a positive note, the sport-climbers will likely not be fighting the cold-jungle to bolt it.
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TWP
Trad climber
Mancos, CO & Bend, OR
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FritZ:
Your photo caption: "An easy walk from the road." Your joking, right?
And Jim, I think we'd all like to hear a bit more precise data about the approaches. Temperate rain forest/jungle must make the approaches take about 1 mile/day. Or is it slower? You may not need Sherpas or llamas to carry the loads? But what is the going rate for campesinos to weld machetes and cut minimally passable tracks for gringos who want to get to the base of climbs? Perhaps that logic/concept has been tried for ethical or aesthetic reasons, but why not hire locals for this kind of work to make exploratory expeditions move a hair breath faster to "the good stuff?" (Eyesight bad, please forgive any typos, etc. in the above; cataract surgery coming soon).
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bootysatva
Trad climber
Idyllwild / Joshua Tree Ca.
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That looks so stellar! Drooool.
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
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Fritz's freak beak for the win.
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Yafer
Trad climber
Chatsworth, California
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Fantastic landscapes! I would love to see places like these someday. I was glad to have met you Jim and Angela. Great travels to both of you.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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"How I Spent My Summer Vacation" by Jim donini Donini.
Usted es El Supremo!
Gracias! Muchas gracias!
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yanqui
climber
Balcarce, Argentina
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Muy lindos los fotos!
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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That part of Patagonia is beautiful. I spent a couple of weeks touring the area back in 2006 with some Brazilian friends. We also took a boat ride to see the marble caves in the area. Beautiful land, beautiful people. Thanks for the great trip report and photos. You have found a true and unspoiled paradise
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C4/1971
Trad climber
Depends on the day...
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Jim,
Nice to see that you are still charging....I have great memories.
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Can't wait till scientists invent a machine that would enable me to be in several places in the same time. :) Thank you for sharing Jim!
Hope I can see you in Indian Creek, and we should plan something for the Sierra too!
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Grippa
Trad climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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PUT ME IN COACH!
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
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Those cracks look amazing,
Thanks Jim,
You are a lucky man!!!
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Morgan
Trad climber
East Coast
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Steepest glaciers, ever!
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GARY Owen
Trad climber
Lexington
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Thanks for inspiring!
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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TFPU!
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stefano607518
Trad climber
italy/austria/switzerland
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ehy Jim i think i might visit you down there once...looks awesome
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kirkadirka
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Awesome photos Jim. These help replace all the ones I lost after I dropped my camera off a very large cliff in cochamó a week ago. Hope to meet up with you in Chile one of these days. If you need a place to crash in Santiago next time you come down just let me know.
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Que bonita!
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L
climber
Just livin' the dream
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Most amazing set of mountain and damn waterfall photos I've ever seen. How were you even able to choose a starting place with such a granite buffet?
I love Stumpy!
Thanks for a great TR, Jim.
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Cole
Trad climber
los angeles
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So very cool! That granite looks impeccable.
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
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You are certainly getting your money's worth out of this lifetime. Beautiful!
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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What a life, what a world...
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Karla
climber
Colorado
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Thanks so much for the hospitality! I ate the calafate berries when I was there, you know what that means!:)
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rolo
climber
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Mar 15, 2015 - 06:10pm PT
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Last year Enzo Oddo and a couple of other French climbers went to a wall in the Río de los Exploradores, which they described as being 3000 feet tall, with good compact granite. I wonder if it is one of the walls that can be seen in your photos. Here is a shot from them.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Author's Reply
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Jul 30, 2015 - 06:37pm PT
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Thanks for the kind words Chris and thanks for creating a forum for climbers. Internet forums are truly democratic. A soapbox for anyone who cares to step up. But you can also seperate the chaff and there is a lot of wheat on ST.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Jul 30, 2015 - 06:56pm PT
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Two thumbs up and a big toe!
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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Jul 30, 2015 - 07:34pm PT
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Looks ok, if your into that kinda thing I guess. :)
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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May 31, 2016 - 02:49pm PT
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Bump to page 1 ;-)
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