After a decade of exploration and solving puzzles on numerous peaks in the Quimsa Cruz, expeditions have become a way of life. The dream of publishing the third edition of my guide, Travesía Quimsa Cruz (Crossing Quimsa Cruz), gives me the opportunity to present a report on the recently explored Achuma Group, where we put up new rock routes.

The climbers comprised Giorgio Casaloti (Italy), Paolo Cogliati (Italy), Patricio Payrola (Argentina), Grover Teran (Bolivia), and me. We began by making a three-day, 60km trek from Mina Argentina (4,117m) to the Viloco mine (4,325m). This crossed part of the range from south to north, and involved two passes of 5,000m. Noticeable were the snowless 5,000m peaks passed en route, an example of the crude process of global warming that is visible throughout the Quimsa Cruz.

With this acclimatization we then drove to the village of Asiento de Araca, where, as normal in Bolivia, it is appropriate to obtain the consent of locals before venturing up their mining roads into inhospitable locations. We drove to El Rosario mine (4,000m) and then started walking, following an abandoned mining trail to a lake we named Laguna Castaya, where we set up base camp at 4,550m. It would have been a short walk if we had not been carrying food and gear for eight days.

Needles, towers, pyramids, and large granite slabs dominate the amphitheater, mostly facing south. Potential routes are a maximum of 300m. Patricio and I first chose a northeast-facing wall of a summit we named El Guardian, and climbed it by a nice 200m route we called Pinche Compinche (6b). The route first climbs a roof then follows steep slabs and curving cracks to the summit. We were able to walk down and leave no trace of our passage.

Patricio and I left camp early next day to try a route on a formation we named Medio Dome (Half Dome), but just as we reached its base bad weather moved in. It snowed relentlessly for two days.

When the weather cleared we initially found it too cold to climb, but eventually managed to climb a slab near camp. We followed the right edge, with protection in cracks; the first three or four pitches were on the slabs, the last two on the right edge. We called the 230m route Cuatro Sandalias (Four Sandals, 6a+) and the slab itself Khunu (Aymara for snowfall). The weather was now good and we attempted to clean a fine crack by rappelling from the top. However, our time ran out and we had to leave. Several projects remain. Many cracks here can be vegetated and have to be cleaned well to offer protection. Or you can just run it out.

Denys Sanjines, Andean Secrets, Bolivia, translated by Christian Romero