Gigante Grande, Cordillera Quimsa Cruz. On August 9 and 10, Kevin Starr and I climbed the western face of Gigante Grande (5749 meters, 18,862 feet), bivouacking near the summit and finishing the climb in a total whiteout at midday during an unseasonal snowstorm. The climb involved some 600 meters of mixed, ice, rock and snow up the center of the face. Because of the whiteout, we were unable to find our descent route and ended up crossing the Cordillera, coming out at Mina Pacuni on August 11.

Dakin Cook