South America, Peru, Cordillera Huayhuash, Trapecia, Los Viejos Roqueros Nunca Mueren, and Tragedy

Publication Year: 2008.

Trapecio, Los Viejos Roqueros Nunca Mueren, and tragedy. On August 2, 2006, Jose Manuel Fernández and Miguel Ángel Pita climbed the southeast face of Trapecio (5,653m) via the couloir systems to the right of the July 2005 route by Slovenians Pavle Kozjek, Miha Lampreht, and Branko Ivanek and Basque Aritza Monasterio (AAJ 2006, pp. 244-246). The Spanish pair climbed nine initial pitches, with 60m ropes, including a middle section of moving together for 150m and some 70m pitches. They overcame a frozen waterfall (70°, then 80°-85°) on the ninth pitch and then descended [highpoint unclear] after naming their climb Los Viejos Roqueros Nunca Mueren (Old Rockclimbers Never Die, ca 750m V/4+). See Desnivel, no. 51,2007, p. 104. They rappelled twice from rock pitons and once from a single camming device. On their fourth rappel, their snow stake pulled from the sugary snow and Fernández died in the fall. Pita bivouacked for 12 hours, sitting on a small ice ledge, before climbing unroped to the summit and descending via the northwest face.

Antonio Gómez Bohórquez (Sevi Bohórquez), Andesinfo, Spain, AAC