is located at the southern end of the Continental Icecap, some 40
So u th
of
P a in e
Cerro Balmaceda, first winter ascent. Cerro Balmaceda (2,260m) is located at the southern end of the C ontinental Icecap, some 40km south of the Paine Massif. Being surrounded by lakes and m ajor rivers, it is difficult to reach. Since its first ascent in 1957, it has had only three other ascents. On July 11 Ismael M ena, Francisco U rzú a, Nicolás von Graevenitz, and I, all Chilean, traveled by Zodiac boat for three hours from Puerto Natales and were dropped off at the Laguna Azul beach, south of the m ountain. We spent the following two weeks contouring the m ountain and Lago Balmaceda (frozen in winter) to the west, finally reaching Gallina Pass, located high on the m ountain along the first ascent route, on the 24th. The next day, after six hours of nontechnical but somewhat treacherous glacier travel, we reached the m ain summit. It took us only three days to return to Puerto Natales. Faster and shorter access to the m ountain would be from the east, via Puerto Toro, but we strongly recom m end the western approach. Due to its remoteness, it is one of the m ost pristine areas in Patagonia. D r . P a b l o B e s s e r J i r k a l , Club Aleman Andino, Santiago, Chile
of
P a in e
Cerro Balmaceda, first winter ascent. Cerro Balmaceda (2,260m) is located at the southern end of the C ontinental Icecap, some 40km south of the Paine Massif. Being surrounded by lakes and m ajor rivers, it is difficult to reach. Since its first ascent in 1957, it has had only three other ascents. On July 11 Ismael M ena, Francisco U rzú a, Nicolás von Graevenitz, and I, all Chilean, traveled by Zodiac boat for three hours from Puerto Natales and were dropped off at the Laguna Azul beach, south of the m ountain. We spent the following two weeks contouring the m ountain and Lago Balmaceda (frozen in winter) to the west, finally reaching Gallina Pass, located high on the m ountain along the first ascent route, on the 24th. The next day, after six hours of nontechnical but somewhat treacherous glacier travel, we reached the m ain summit. It took us only three days to return to Puerto Natales. Faster and shorter access to the m ountain would be from the east, via Puerto Toro, but we strongly recom m end the western approach. Due to its remoteness, it is one of the m ost pristine areas in Patagonia. D r . P a b l o B e s s e r J i r k a l , Club Aleman Andino, Santiago, Chile
