South America, Chile, Central Andes, Catedral del Barroso

Publication Year: 1982.

Catedral del Barroso. With a height of only 4510 meters (14,797 feet) Cerro Catedral del Barroso (“Cathedral of the Muddy River”) was among the finest peaks still unclimbed in central Chile. In an expedition lasting ten days, three climbers from Rancagua, F. Ibáñez, A. Oporto and J. Vergara, approached the mountain from the west, by way of the Pangal valley and established a high camp at 4000 meters (13,124 feet). The climb itself was painstakingly slow on account of the bad quality of the rock and the frozen conglomerate. Shortly below the top, two of the climbers decided to abandon the ascent, but J. Vergara risked it to continue alone and reached the summit, a first ascent (December 7, 1978).

Humberto Barrera, Club Andino de Chile, Santiago