Huayna Potosi, West Spur and South Ridge

Bolivia, Cordillera Real
Author: Gregg Beisly. Climb Year: 2015. Publication Year: 2017.

From July 21–23, 2015, Gabor Fuchs and Dominik Osswald (Switzerland) made a possible new line on Huayna Potosi (6,088m) when they climbed the obvious ridge to the right of the Argentinian-Spanish Route (Godö-Godö-Enriquez-Pagani, 1990, D+ 80°). The Swiss pair began on the right flank at ca 5,200m and climbed scree and mixed ground (M2), followed by a short, steep gully (M4 or F4a) to the crest. The crux lay just above: a badly protected steep slab of mostly good granite (5b). The following pitch proved easier but with very poor rock. They continued up the ridge, turning obstacles generally on the left, until near the top it became steep and nasty. The pair made a slightly downward traverse to the right for about 20m before climbing direct (65° M3) to the south ridge. They followed the ridge easily to the top (south summit) and then went down the normal route on the eastern side.The Swiss were in La Paz when protesting miners (mineros) from Potosi threw dynamite in the streets, hence the name of the route: Minero Dynamite (900m, D+ 5b M3/4 65°).

Information supplied by Gregg Beisly, New Zealand



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