Mercedario, South Face, and Other Peaks. The Austrian Natur- freunde Andean Expedition, led by Othmar Kucera, climbed the 8000- foot north face of Mercedario (21,884 feet) in two days. They made a solo ascent of the south face of Cerro Negro (19,029 feet). They climbed the very difficult east side of Cerro La Mesa (20,177 feet) and traversed Alma Negra (20,637 feet) from east to northwest. They also climbed the southeast rib of Pico Polaco (19,423 feet).