South America, Chilean and Argentine Patagonia, Peaks above the Southern Patagonia Icecap

Publication Year: 1969.

Peaks above the Southern Patagonian Icecap. Since I have not reported for the past several years, I am sending the information now. On January 20, 1967 I made the first ascent of Cerro Cono (c. 8200 feet), a lovely climb, which was mostly Grade IV with some Grade V pitches, rock and ice mixed. Luciano Pera accompanied me on most of the climb but did not get to the top because of fatigue. When my brother Peter arrived, together we made the second attempt on Cerro Norte, the first by the west face, but bad weather prevented our getting very far. In 1968 Peter Skvarca and H. Barria climbed Cerro Pintado (7766 feet) on February 14, M. Serrano and I climbed Cerro Cristal (7218 feet) on February 17 and Cerro Campana (8399 feet) on the 18th. The most important climb was that of Cerro Campana, the last 350 feet of which was direct-aid ice climbing. The third attempt on Cerro Norte by my brother Peter and me failed 1000 feet from the summit in bad weather. (This was briefly noted in A.A.J., 1968.—Editor.) In 1969 M. Serrano and I made the first ascent of Cerro Boy (7875 feet) on January 9. We two also made the first ascent of Cerro Vivod, the highest in the Roma Chain (10,728 feet) and the highest in this part of the Icecap. We started by moonlight, climbed all of March 2 and got to the summit at noon of the 3rd. There were great objective dangers; large crevasses and windslabs. The last part was an ice mushroom. This peak lies west of Cerro Bertrand. Antonio Andrejak also took part on the expedition.

Jure J. Skvarca, Club Andino Bariloche