Cerro El Brujo is a large massif near the south end of the Universidad Glacier system, in the heart of the Chilean Central Andes. This sector is home to numerous high-quality granite towers, known collectively as the Torres del Brujo. The main summit of Cerro El Brujo (4,740m) may not have been climbed until 2024 (see note below), while the south ridge of Cerro El Brujo Sur (4,360m) was one of the major unclimbed problems of the Central Andes. 

In early November, fellow Chilean climber Diego Sáez Beros and I ventured onto the south ridge. From a camp near the base of the ridge at 1,700 meters, we started the climb on November 1, climbing 500 meters up the first buttress through the best rock pitches of the climb, wearing our climbing shoes. A few mixed pitches took us to a bivouac on a flat ledge below the first true ice pitch of the route.

The second day began with several ice pitches followed by a rock band that encompassed pitches of M5. These leads had little protection, and we used many thin pitons to penetrate the sugary snow covering granite slabs.

After passing more rock bands, we completed several traversing pitches that we thought would take us to the top. When we realized the summit was actually much farther, we stopped for a second bivouac, on the ridge, and enjoyed incredible views of the Universidad Glacier and Central Andes. 

We started the third day early, climbing several airy ridge pitches until finally we reached the south summit of El Brujo at 1 p.m. From there we descended via a gully to the north, then circled back to our base camp and the valley that led us out of the mountains.

Our line, which we have named Arista Sur del Brujo (2,300m, VI 5.8 M5 WI3), offered varied and continuous climbing on excellent granite. Beyond the technical difficulty, what left the deepest impression was the sense of adventure, the commitment of the line, and the beauty of the surroundings. Cerro El Brujo offered us the kind of experience that reminds us of the immense potential that still exists in the vast ranges of the Central Andes and Patagonia.

—Raimundo De Andraca, ChileC

CERRO EL BRUJO: ASCENT TO HIGHEST POINT: In December 1949, Walter Bachmann, Luis Covarrubias, and Evelio Echevarría climbed a high summit in the El Brujo massif from the west and described it as the first ascent of the mountain. However, it is believed they actually climbed a 4,690-meter top to the southwest of the main summit. The 4,740-meter main summit was reached in November 2024 by Daniel Melo and Jan Masferrer Trius, also from the west, in a three-day ascent. Details are at AndesHandbook.org.