Cochamó, Pared de Profetas, Las Venas Cerradas de America Latina

South America, Argentina and Chile, Northern Patagonia
Author: Alejandro Bonilla Rau, Spain. Climb Year: 2010. Publication Year: 2011.

Escaping from Torres del Paine’s awful weather, German Kevin Bartke and I landed in Valle Cochamó in late February, seeking some dry, sunny granite walls. After repeating some routes in the Anfiteatro, La Zebra, and Valle de Paloma, we teamed up with North American Erik Kinsley to open a new route that Kevin and Erik had seen on the Profetas Wall, up the Valle de Paloma. On our first push we climbed the first three pitches of Otro Dia Otro Largo (AAJ 2009, pp. 197-199), and then turned left to the crack system in the center of the wall, just above the characteristic roof. After two high-quality pitches (the second being the hardest), the wall steepened and the cracks flared, making free climbing almost impossible. We traversed back right and shared some meters with Otro Dia Otro Largo, until the wall allowed us to return to our original crack system. In the end, we spent about five full days working on the route (Las Venas Cerradas de America Latina, 330m, 5.11+), cleaning, freeing, and bolting some of the pitches and the belays. The first two pitches, which we added after our initial push, were rap-bolted, and we believe they bring an easier and nicer alternative to the C1 roof of Otro Dia Otro Largo. We would like to thank Daniel Seeliger for his support and his unending kindness.



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