0530, Advanced Base Camp, Torres del Paine. Day 20. Today is a very important day. Today, we are faced with the challenging task to climb a compact and slabby pitch to a well visible stance. A belay, we are sure of this time, that is equipped by the Germans who opened this very route. The thing is, that a couple of days ago, we thought that we had done it. We thought that we were finally on course, in the original route and in control, simply because everything looked so good. But soon after Ronald had led a straightforward pitch up, things turned out differently. First Gerke, and then Martin faced one and a half nerve wrecking pitch, forcing them to climb more and more leftwards. Being psychologically crushed by this effort, they let me to finish their adventurous new line by free climbing to the very belay we arrived yesterday. Another ´wild belay´ as we encountered so many until now.

So today Gerke has to make up for the mess that we have worked ourselves into. He has to free climb straight to the right, where high above we have identified a belay that must be an original one. To climb this pitch, climbing conditions must be excellent, for I estimated the section being grade XIII- or so. Today, we need warm and sunny weather, and absence of wind. Laying inside my sleeping bag, waiting for the alarm to go off, this is what's going over and over through my mind. Imagine: without, our expedition might get stuck after only eight pitches up…

0915, Advanced Base Camp, Torres del Paine. Awesome! Some guardian angel wants us to top out on the Central Tower soon, because Gerke has just left the belay and seems to be free climbing on a calm, dry and sunny rock face! Ronald hands me over the binoculars, and starts staring through our big Zeiss lens. While I poor him another coffee on our lazy thursday morning, Ronald is too excited to take a sip from his holy drink. Have we just re opened the gate to the crack system that leads to our port-a-ledge camp?

1200, glacier, Torres del Paine. Radio contact with Martin in the face. Yess, we did! A joint sigh of relief is noticeable, even on the other side of the radio. The feeling is hard to express.. , so much joy we get out of our team´s efforts. We encourage the boyz to continue, and just after we see Martin starting up pitch 10. Meanwhile, Ronald and I don´t complain hauling and carrying heavy haulbags across the glacier, and over the Rognon to the base of the wall. It is all part of the teamwork the four of us seem to be good at.

1630, belay 4, Torres del Paine. In a joint effort we have hauled and secured 2 big haulbags to the fourth belay. Gerke and Martin achieved to climb until the 11th belay today, and while abseiling down to Ronald and me, they rearrange some of the fixed ropes. It makes part of the daily routine, and is very effective where as climbing itself mostly becomes very inconvenient in the afternoon.

It is way past seven as we all stroll back into ABC. Dehydrated, hungry, but overall very satisfied.

back to expeditions

welcome to thursday 27th of january