Argentines Emilio Arciènaga and Ulises Kusnezov and Venezuelan Bernardo Baena opened a new ice route in early June on Nevado de Chañi (Chañi Grande, 5,896m), in far northern Argentina, calling it El Vuelo del Pichón (WI4 70°). The south face previously had three routes, all opened in the 1980s.

The trio first acclimatized for several days at a climbing area known as Tuzgle (4,200m), then headed to Chañi, where an Inca mummy was discovered in the early 1900s. They rode in a 4x4 vehicle to the Flor de Papusa refuge (4,000m), northwest of the mountain, then made two camps, at 5,000 and 5,400 meters. To reach the isolated south face, they traversed a 5,500-meter col between the main and south summits, then descended to the foot of the wall and bivouacked at 5,100 meters.

The climb began with a 100-meter snow ramp, followed by a short mixed zone leading to the main ice section, with five pitches of ice (250m, maximum of WI4). Soon after this, they stopped to melt snow for water and rest, then continued up snow ramps (65°–70°) and some mixed. The last meters to the summit were on easy rock (IV/V). They finished their route in nine hours and needed only one hour to descend to their 5,400-meter camp on the west face. 

—Marcelo Scanu, Argentina