Want to go climbing in Argentina without mixing with the crowds or mess of Aconcagua?

Looking for partners to join a small group heading into the Mercedario region (Valle Del Colorado) with the objectives so far being:

Tech climbing
Mercedario via South Face
Pico Polaco via North Face or South Ridge
Cerro Negro via Southern Couloir

Non Tech
Cerrro Ramada
Cerro Alma Negra - Cerro La Mesa (combination)

Dates: Entire month of November 2006
Costs ex Mendoza: Around US$1000 per person for transport, food, gas, hotels, mules (cost may vary depending on team size). Equipment can be hired in Mendoza if required.

No permits required, you choose the objectives to match your experience/comfort. The trip is non guided and is not a commercial expedition.

If you're interested, get in touch and we'll work something out

Cheers
Dan

I hope to be around at the time you mention. There's at least one, possibly two more persons who are interested in some of the targets you mention.

musashi wrote:
Tech climbing
Mercedario via South Face
Pico Polaco via North Face or South Ridge
Cerro Negro via Southern Couloir

I'm interested in these for sure.

Non Tech
Cerrro Ramada
Cerro Alma Negra - Cerro La Mesa (combination)

Not interested in Ramada, but in the other two. There are some very interesting routes on La Mesa, which I'd like to try. To climb La Mesa via a tech route and then traverse to Alma Negra looks really nice.

And if we have some time to spare, there's always the Ansilta range

hello everybody,

I saw Cerro Negro's South face page and i'm very interested climbing a great Andean colouir in this 5600mts peak.
How difficult and lon really is this amazing route?
How many days from Barreal (without aclimattization previal)?
2 ice tools or just an axe?

Maybe a warm up for Mercedario cara sur some day

Congratulations for you two great experts (Corax and Dan) in Central Andes high and remote peaks!

........by the way I'm Igor Czs from Brazil and have many projects. My last one was cerro Plomo 5430m near Santiago (see my profile).


Cheers
Igor Cazes

Igor,

The route takes only one day, it may be possible to make a camp, but the only suitable place is about 300m below the summit, which wouldnt make much sense.. It takes (approx 15- 17 hours round trip from base camp). The route is not really difficult, its just a very long day. There is rock fall and crevasse hazards though.

You would be crazy to go into the valley just to climb negro, there so many other things to do there. But if you're so inclined, itd be about a 7 day trip Barreal - Barreal.

You need to take 2 axes, rope, screws, helmet etc. There are some sections which may require protection.

dan

i agree with you Dan and thak's for your contact!

It would be much more usefull an enjoyable take more time and try one of the Cordillera de la Ramada peaks.
The area of pirca de polacos is realy beautiful.

Maybe 15 days.....

But realy the Negros south face is a Project for me (since I red your trip in the web )

Another one very respected in The Mendoza area near Las Cuevas (Chilean Frontier ) is Cerro Tolosa 5400m by Glaciar del hombre cojo route (Lame man glacier)....take a look in this route on the great Tolosa......in the CABA site (club andino buenos Aires). They use to say that its a hard peak.

Keep in contact

cheers

Igor

So anyone else interested,

Need to firm everything up in the next couple of weeks, so far a good start looks to be a good trip.

I´m planning to climb Mercedário´s south face on Jannuary 2007.
Althought, I still don´t know if the access road are fixed...
There was a flood on the 2006´s summer that destroyed the mining road... Even the south face been reached by other valley (valle del Colorado). I still don´t know if by that way the acces road is out of problems....
Do anybody know´s something about it?