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ROCK CLIMBING
WORDS BY ROBBIE PHILLIPS AND PHOTOS BY DREW SMITH
A VERY REAL POSSIBILIT Y On establishing a route in Cochamó Valley that might be too hard—but might not. It often blows me away, the apparent randomness that sets the paths leading us through life. Just over a year ago, a friend of mine met Crispin Waddie while working on an oil rig in the North Sea. A member of the very first team of climbers to visit Cochamó Valley in the early 1990s, Waddie told my friend tales of towering granite tucked away in the jungles of northern Patagonia, Chile. What are the chances that my friend would not only meet Waddie on an oil rig but that they would discuss Cochamó, one of myriad expeditions Waddie had undertaken? Not only that, but also that Cochamó would turn out to be exactly what I’d been searching for—a beautifully wild landscape at the beginning of its climbing development.
It is now my second season in Cochamó; 11 months after the first and I am back trudging the long, winding trail that leads into the valley. Occasionally I stop to look back, hoping to catch a glimpse of all my climbing gear and fi ve weeks’ worth of food that’s being carried by horse. I’ve forgotten how long the walk is, but not how swampy. My feet are sucked into the deep muddy trail where the clay grips my boots, before finally giving out an almighty squelch, and allowing free passage of my leg into the next stride. It feels endless, but after nearly four hours of mud pools and trenches and wishing for wellies,
in the meadow and there in the Cochamó Valley, the enormous granite walls of Trinidad, Amfiteatro and La Junta erupt out of the jungle green like ancient, armored Titans. The physical landscape and climbing style are reminiscent of America’s Yosemite Valley. The lines are long, technical and flowing and favor bold climbers. There is seemingly infinite potential for new lines and a growing number of diehards eager to pioneer them. Cochamó’s climbing scene is alive with energy, much like I imagine Yosemite to have been in the ’60s. Natural gear whenever possible is the ethic in Cochamó, but when there
the trail eases. The jungle dissipates to allow glimpses of blue sky and sporadic granite outcrops. It’s not much farther before we arrive
is no gear, placing bolts is accepted. This allows for relatively safe yet ambitious climbing for everyone. Most of the safely protected
1998
300+
5.10 c /6 b+
year first route was established
number of existing big wall or cragging routes
easiest starting grade for most multipitch routes
Will it go? Ian Cooper (left) and Robbie Phillips scope the terrain above. When every pitch on a route requires something different than all the others, planning and creativity are crucial.
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