Camilo Lopez in Patagonia

Hi All, this from Camilo yesterday.... -Thomas.

Namaste,

After a very long travel from the us out to Patagonia
I stopped by the city of Bariloche in Argentina to do
some sport climbing at the Valle Encantado crag,
located just a few miles outside of the city.

I met with my climbing partner, Roberto Alejandro
Treu, and we spent New Years climbing in this
incredible place. After a couple of days all my
training paid off, when I red pointed one of the
hardest routes of the place called Hercules,
rated 8b-5.13c.

After that accomplishment, I took a flight to El
Calafate, the sister city of El Chalten, were the Fitz
Roy and Cerro Torre are located. After an uneventful 4
hour drive I finally got to my destination, El Chalten,
where I was welcome by the always-constant
storm that never seems to go away here in this area of
the Patagonia. Immediately after my arrival I headed
to the Madsen camp ground were I was a going to meet
with my other climbing mate, Santiago Scavolini. I
organized my equipment and the voice came around of a
coming weather window in the next couple of days... if
this forecast is accurate, Santi and I will head up
the north east face of Aguja la S where we are going
to attempt a new line. In the mean time we are
organizing our gear and getting fed steak to maintain
our energy for our first climb of this season.

Wish us luck.

Cheers!

Camilo Lopez