South America, Chile—Central Andes, Punta Zanzi, North Face, 1980

Publication Year: 1984.

Punta Zanzi, North Face, 1980. On December 7, 1952 Luis Krahl, Ernesto Hoffman and Eduardo Meyer made the first ascent of Punta Zanzi, climbing the south ridge from Cerro Valdés. The second ascent did not take place until 1980 when from November 21 to 24 Germán Macció, Dagoberto Delgado, Alejandro Izquierdo and I climbed the north face. The ascent of this 1000-foot wall is probably the most difficult climb done up to 1980 in the central Chilean Andes. The rather complex approach to the base of the face took up the first day. In the face itself, we started up a sloping terrace, climbed up 100 feet and traversed right to below a roof. The next four pitches were the hardest and led us to a small ledge. Having fixed ropes, we returned to the base of the face. On the third day we crossed a gendarme and traversed to the right side of the face. The difficulties above were great, made more serious by the rotten rock and the lack of protection. The summit ridge on the fourth day was narrow and exposed.

Gino Casassa, Chilean Section of the Club Alpino Italiano