SPORT CLIMBING: FIVE AREAS TO TRY
1 El Maitenal (Puerto Ibáñez): It has two areas, one with very pleasant and entertaining routes, and another that stands out for having a harder, more technical climb. The routes have names and grades at the foot of each route. Generally, this climbing sector has rock faces with “pockets” and crimps inside a wind-protected canyon. There is also an instructional area called “El Queso,” ideal for first attempts with grade 5 routes.
2 The airfield ( Cerro Castillo): An area located 10 minutes from Villa Cerro Castillo, along the path that leads to the airfield. Crimps, faces and some cracks predominate along routes with difficult grades, but there is also a sector with good routes for learning. In general, it is very technical and delicate climbing, ideal for those looking for a quality challenge. You can climb all year round, but between November and April is when the sun shines on the wall.
3 Cerro Mackay (Coyhaique): Visible from the entire city, Cerro Mackay has perfect cracks of columnar basalt, perfect for the practice of traditional climbing, with routes that reach the summit on the west face. You can also practice sports climbing of excellent quality; they have been opened and set routes on walls with more than 300 meters of development and difficulties of up to 5.11.
4 Puerto Río Tranquilo: Area where long routes abound, with lots of rock faces. The panoramic view of Lake General Carrera is also a big plus, but you have to be careful about falling rocks.
5 Altamirano (Puerto Ibánez): Easily accessible, within walking distance of the town. It has two climbing areas: a lower sector with 23 routes and the so-called second floor, with 42. The latter is the more developed of the two. It has long and very smooth routes, with some cracks, but above all it has many roofs and dihedrals. Very technical climbing, with a lot of movement and body positioning, aesthetic lines of great height, and with a view of the lake that makes it all even more special.
much more than that exceptional feat. From Alaska to Asia to South America, Donini has participated in more than 40 international expeditions, and this summer he will return to Patagonia. Next to the electric blue waters of Lake General Carrera he owns a home that he returns to every summer.
“What I like most about Aysén, from a climbing point of view, is that it is still relatively unexplored. We know it as the undiscovered Patagonia. It is virgin territory when compared to El Chaltén or Torres de Paine, and there I made some first ascents on mountains that did not even have previous attempts. To a large extent they were not extremely difficult climbs, but the exploration aspect is incredible,” says Donini.
And although Donini is familiar with the problems in
Aysen over access to some of the climbing sites in the region, he says it’s a problem that occurs worldwide, and frankly, he says, it’s often down to a generational issue. “In Aysén, problems with private property primarily involve the more accessible areas for rock climbing, and not remote mountains with difficult access. Establishing good relationships with the owners is an important skill, which is not always developed by the younger and impatient climbers,” he says.
Although the evolution of Aysen climbing is a phenomenon that prompts diverse reactions and seems to have unsuspected limits even for the most experienced, one thing is certain: the possibilities offered by this slice of Patagonia are as large and attractive as the territory itself.