South America, Chile, Cochamo, Various Ascents

Publication Year: 1999.

Cochamo, Various Ascents. It was reported that British and American climbers have begun developing an area of granite big walls in the Patagonian Andes east of Puerto Montt in a valley 15 miles from the town of Cochamo. Briton Crispin Waddy discovered the area in 1997, cutting a machete swath throught the dense jungle to the 2,000-foot west face of Mt. Trinidad, where he, his girlfriend Nell, and Noel Craine attempted a route only to have the attempt cutshort by forest fire. Accompanying them was Simon Nadin, who, with a partner, made the first ascent of the mountain via the north ridge. In 1998, Waddy, Craine and Nadin returned with a number of climbers. Steve Quinlan and Nathan Martin (U.S.) put up Welcome to the Jungle (5.11 A3), a comer system on the left side of the wall. Waddy, Craine and Dave Kendall climbed the wall’s central prow to create The Ides of March (5.11 A3+), while Nadin and Grant Farquhar put up a 21-pitch 5.12 A2+ route on an overhanging crack system to the right. (Climber, June 1998)