News of South America

Heading out from July 25-Aug 4.
Alpamayo, Huayana Pototosi, Ilamani.
I have a 0F and a 20F bag, looking to figure out if the 20F bag is enough. I have a silk/cotton liner, that is probably worth 5F which I can use with the 20F bag.

Also, should I bring a real parka or can I get by with a puffy and down jacket?

Hello, did anyone active here climbed the usual easier peaks in Cordilerra Blanca in the last days and can tell something about the current glacier situation (steepness, large crevasses, bridges etc.) on Ishinca, Pisco, Yannapaccha, Chopiqalqui?

Thanks a lot!

Every time I try to post a new topic in the South America thread, it sends me to my member page?? So, sorry this is on the general forum.

I am headed to Peru (Cordillera Blanca) in June. Just wanted to reach out and see if I could get any updated info, since I haven't seen very many recent posts on this area. Most likely going to just find my guides, etc. in Huaraz after ...

Hello all!

This is my first post here. I am a relatively novice mountaineer (my relatively short climbing resume includes Mt. Shasta (Hotlum-Bolun Route), Pyramid Peak, Rubicon Peak & most of the Becker, Talking Mountain, Ralston Peak traverse (all in winter), and I have had some lessons in crampon and ice axe usage along with avalanche safety courses). I'm going to Ecuador this October with a buddy of mine who is a pretty skilled rock ...

Planning to climb Huayna Potosi, Illimani, Pequeno Alpamayo and Illampu in July/Aug 2018 using a local guide that had been recommended to me. Aside from the altitude, I do not interpret the first three climbs are particularly difficult (a little harder than DC route on Rainier, but steeper, more altitude), but was curious what peaks others would see they compare to in the US? I understand Illampu is a bit more serious, looks like a ...

Hello there,
I am planning a climbing trip in Cordillera Real, this coming summer.
I am looking for opinions and suggestions regarding lodging in La Paz and transportation from/to BC's and the city. I got some info from the topics regarding the area, but I would like to have some feedback from mountaineers who been there already.
Thank you in advance.

In the second half of December 2017, my wife and I went to Patagonia for a backpacking and hiking trip in Torres del Paine National Park and Los Glaciares National Park. We backpacked the Circuit trek in Torres Del Paine and we did day hikes to Laguna de los Tres (at the base of Mount Fitz Roy), Laguna Torre (at the base of Cerro Torre), and the Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park. ...

Hey, just wondering if anyone has ever been over both of these passes? I know Trapecio makes things quicker and is fairly straightforward, but are the views better than San Antonio? We could take Trapecio and then the next day just hike up to San Antonio to check out the view and come back down, but if the view is clearly better from San Antonio we might just not both with Trapecio at all, especially ...

What are the rules for having a guide in Ecuador these days? It seems like they instituted mandatory guiding in 2012 for some peaks, or maybe for entering national parks, but I can't find the precise rules online. Anyone know the rules, or have a link? Thanks!

Hi all,

I'm planning to climb Aconcagua without guide and friend starting from next weekend. (2017 Christmas holiday season)
By checking the weather forecast every so often, I realized the wind speed is between 45-100 km/hr (28-62 mil/hr) during the day time at the peak.
I also heard a weak "La Nina" occurs.

I have two questions:
1. What is the ideal wind speed range to attack the peak?
2. Is it hard to attack ...