Firsts and Innovations from Andes
This page has details of some of our previous successful 'First Ascents' expeditions and other innovative itineraries that we have run through the years since we started business in 1992. See our Expeditions & Explorations page for details of the unusual and interesting expeditions we are offering this coming year.
The first ascent we made with two clients of the remote peak of Medusa Northeast (6046m) in January is featured in the June 2010 edition of Climb Magazine. We've also just published the dossier for our next First Ascents expedition for November 2011. Four spaces remain on this unique expedition, two spaces have already gone.
Puna de Atacama 2010 - First ascent of a 6000m peak.!
Cordillera Blanca Climber 2008
Argentine Ski Mountaineer 2006
Patagonia Ski Mountaineer 2005
Expeditions from Previous Years
Puna de Atacama 2010
Volcan del Viento seen from Aguas Calientes - several clients later made an ascent of this 6028m peak in very different conditions. Hot sunny weather on the approach soon turned to snow and very cold camping conditions...
Although we were not able to climb Ojos del Salado, our main objective, the bad weather had us hunting around for other objectives and we eventually went off to the 6046m high peak lying northeast of Medusa, which turned out to be a (probably) unclimbed 6000m peak.! There is no real record of this peak in climbing literature or the internet and there were no signs on the summit of previous ascents - so it probably has just been overlooked all this time. Pictured below are Thom and Barry on the way there.
....and below again is Thom making the final few steps to the very small summit area. The big peak in the background is Incahuasi.
Colombia Climber - February 2009
Our third and most successful expedition to Colombia reached two major summits in two separate mountain ranges, despite some terrible weather.
Three clients with a combined age of 195 on the summit of Ritacuba Blanco, Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, February 2009. You're never too old to do something adventurous.!
Panorama of the El Ruiz crater, February 2009.
Cordillera Blanca Climber 2008
Our 2008 trip to the Cordillera Blanca had focussed on an unclimbed summit, but unfortunately we weren't successful due to a combination of illness, bad weather and a longer and more difficult route than anticipated. We did however make an ascent of Pisco on the final glorious day in the mountains.!
Pictured above is Rob on the summit of Pisco, looking towards Artesonraju and Pucajirca.
First Ascents in Peru 2007
On the summit, Pere does his usual handstand.!
Argentine Ski Mountaineer 2006
Our first ski mountaineering trip based in Argentina was successful on Volcan Domuyo. Indeed we may well have made the first ever ski descent of this extinct volcano, which at 4709m is often considered the highest peak in Patagonia!
Skiing from just below the summit on Volcan Domuyo.
First Ascents in Peru 2006
Our 2006 First Ascents trip took us back to the remotest parts of the Cordillera Vilcanota where we attempted eight 5000m+ peaks and summitted on six of them. We did several major new routes and several minor ones, some preliminary pictures are posted below.We already have a half full "First Ascents" trip for 2007......see here for details
Pictured below is assistant leader Linda and seven times Andes client Barry nearing the summit of Alccachaya, 5780m on the south ridge (pictured above). This new route was on the highest peak we summited during the trip, though we may have climbed higher while attempting a new route on the remote and rarely climbed peak of Jatunaño Punta. Another Andes trip back in 1999 made the first ascent of Jatunaño from the south.
Pictured above is Linda on the first pitch of "Via de las Vizcachas" an excellent if easy c.150m rock route we did on the solid granite slabs of the north face of Quimsachata II, 5370m, in the southern Cordillera Vilcanota.
Patagonia Ski Mountaineer 2005
Back in 2005 we had great luck with the weather and some superb snow conditions, and managed in total to ski 14 days out of a three week trip to Patagonia. Highlights were three great days around the Portezuelo Ibañez, with superb skiing during the day and barbecues round the campfire every night, and also climbing and skiing on San Lorenzo towards the end of the trip. Pictured above is David skiing on Glaciar Alto, looking towards the high peaks of San Lorenzo. Pictured below the summit of point 1998 near Ibañez, looking towards Cerro Castillo.
See our latest photos page for more pictures from this expedition
First Ascents in Peru 2005
Our fourth 'First Ascents' expedition to Southern Peru in June 2005 was one of the most successful yet, with one client reaching nine summits from the ten 5000m+ peaks attempted. All our clients reached our highest summit, Chichicapac 5614m, the second highest peak of the Cordillera Carabaya, by what may be a new route (pictured above). On the other peaks we climbed at lest three were first ever ascents and several others were by new routes.
Puna de Atacama 2005
Our return to the Puna de Atacama in February 2005 was blessed with generally good weather and was another very successful trip for us, with one client reaching four 6000m+ summits, including both Ojos del Salado and Pissis, the 2nd and 3rd highest in the Andes. All of our clients made at least one 6000m peak.
Volcan del Viento - in 2005 we made the second ever ascent, and the first British Ascent of this previously unrecorded 6000m peak
Mercedario 2004
Our first expedition to Mercedario (6700m) in early 2004 was a great success, with five out of six clients making the summit in good conditions on the 25th January. It's a very nice mountain, a much more interesting route than the normal walks up Aconcagua with great views from the final summit ridge.
Mercedario from the Guanaquitos base camp.
North Patagonian Ice-cap 2003
Sledging in to camp two on the North Patagonian ice-cap
Our trip to the North Patagonian ice-cap expedition in 2003 was badly affected by the weather. It was the worst weather we've ever seen in Patagonia and the worst Spring weather many locals had seen for many years. We had 48hours of torrential rain at camp one, after which any serious attempt to climb San Valentin in the time available was pretty much out of the question. We did however reach camp two after drying out at base and got in a days skiing on the edge of the ice-cap. We then made an early return to Coihaique and went to Cerro Castillo, where the weather was still not ideal but certainly a lot better. Still it was a great adventure and we saw some stunning scenery in the short spells of better weather.
First Ascents in Peru 2003
Linda Biggar leading the first grade III icefall, Callumachaya Buttress, Cordillera Apolobamba, Peru
Our 2003 First Ascents trip went to the very remote Peruvian Apolobamba where we had the same bad weather (but much better snow conditions) as in 2002. Despite this we were successful on a number of peaks, some clients reaching a total of seven 5000m+ summits and everyone making at least a few peaks. We also made probable first ascents of the peak called Ritipata Oeste 5380m and Palomani Tranca Central c.5600m. We also made first ascents of the W ridge of Ritipata 5410m, and the S face of Palomani Grande 5723m, both giving some great ice and snow climbing at up to Scottish grade III
However our main objective, a new route on the E face of Callijon had to be dropped after we did the distance/time/speed sums and they didn't work out!
Ten More Years of Innovative Expeditions
2002 - First Ascents expedition to the Cordillera Apolobamba of Peru, where we made a number of first ascents despite poor weather.
2001 - Our first trip to Colombia. Despite the bad press it's a really friendly destination with great 5000m peaks.
2000 - Our 'First Ascents' trip to the Puna de Atacama of Argentina climbed four 6000m + peaks in total, made a First British Ascent of Bonete 6759m, the fourth highest peak in the Andes and a first ever ascent of Baboso 6070m
2000 - Our First trip onto the South Patagonian Ice-cap and ascent of Volcan Lautaro 3580m, a very remote and rarely climbed peak.
1999 - Our first ski-mountaineering expedition to Chile.
1999 - Our first 'First Ascents' trip to southern Peru was successful on a number of high peaks in the Cordillera Vilcanota.
1998 - Pioneering trip to the Sierra Nevada of Venezuela, where we climbed Pico Bolivar.
1997 - Another groundbreaking trip into the remote Puna de Atacama, this time to attempt Bonete. First ascent of p.6144 to the north of Bonete.
1996 - First British Ascent of Pissis 6795m, the third highest in the Andes. First ever ascent of Nacimiento del Jagüe.
1995 - Pioneering treks around the Huayhuash and Vilcanota including a number of peak ascents now in the 'standard' itineraries of all our competitors!
1994 - Our 'Monster Descent' bike trip, a pioneering descent form over 5800m to sea level by bike, way ahead of any other business!
1993 - First British Ascent of Llullaillaco 6739m, the seventh highest peak in the Andes
1993 - Expedition to Tupungato, a rarely climbed peak on the Chilean border.
