Engaged at 14,000 ft!

Location: Cerro El Pintor, Andes Mountains

Rundown:  Got engaged breathlessly at 14,000 feet.


Up before the sun, as all good adventures, hopped into the car and drove up on a mystery excursion into the mountains loaded with backpacks and gear.



Donned skis and took the lifts up to the top of Valle Nevado.  Off went the skis, on went snowshoes, and up we went for another hour to Falsa La Parva.

At the top of Falsa La Parva the snow had all been blown out, so we dropped snowshoes and continued for two more hours in boots.

The La Parva ridge.  Fairly flat after the uphill to Falsa.  You can see the tiny dot on the left.

Underneath the great glaciated face of Cerro Plomo, the 18,000 foot peak that Miranda and I summited two years ago is Cerro El Pintor, a 14,000 foot peak banded with yellow and green rock stratification. 

Took some pictures had a little lunch...

... and BOOM!

Breathless, thanks to the altitude.  She couldn't say no because she couldn't breathe to speak!  I had strategically located the proposal so as few people as possible could see me weep if I was rejected.  BUT, she said YES!

And it was all DOWNHILL after that!  Get it?  Downhill?  Because we were on a mountain top?  Come on guys, that's funny.  I don't care who you are!

Had a quick bite on Falsa La Parva.  Here we are showing off our respective hardware!

Reached our skis just as the sun began to set.  The mountains turned pink.  Without a soul around we skied half an hour down to the lodge.

Arrived just as darkness spread through the valleys.

Went home and passed out for an hour, then put our rally caps on and made it to our favorite Nido jam band's gig.  Rocking out to A Lo Gringo the news spread fast and furious.  Everyone was pretty stoked.  It was the end of the year party and all our friends were there.  What better way to end an incredible, life changing day!

Climbing Placa Verde

Rundown:  Climbed a long multi-pitch route in Cajon del Maipo on a week day off.

Location:  Cajon del Maipo, Chile

Climbed 8 pitches of a ten-pitch climb in Cajon del Maipo called Placa Verde.  The green hue of the stone gives the climb its name.

Here's a little video clip of the climb:

 

Spent the night in a lodge in the valley before attacking the base of the climb before sunrise the next morning.

 

Scrambled up to the first pitch in the twilight.

Checked our gear one last time and left the ground, trying not to look too far down at the receding ground.

Climbed fast and efficiently.  Place Verde isn't very aggressive.  Easy climbing and big exposure makes it a lot of fun.

Miranda provided journalistic coverage from WAY below.  You can see her on the rock a couple hundred feet below.

The day was gorgeous, with a little cloud cover, not too hot.  Climbing double ropes and three people went surprisingly fast.

Condors circled waiting for us to succumb to the elements, but Gwen and Sergio and I pressed the climb.  You can see our size in relation to the pterodactyls.  We're center towards the bottom of the shot.

And up, and up, and up.  Took turns leading the fairly easy (5.7 - 5.9) pitches.  Bolts made for secures anchors, and good friends made for  easy belay stations.

You can just make out our climbing party center mid-frame here.

Skies turned cloudy and we got some wind.  Also didn't have enough sunlight for the last couple of picthes.

Bailed off the climb after the 8th pitch because of inclement weather and sunlight.  Great weekend excursion!

Climbing Arrayan and El Manzano

Location:  Quebrada Arrayan and El Manzano, Chile

Rundown:  Climbing season in Chile! 

This has been the climbing year.  Really have been consistently climbing twice a week or so since February with our friends.  Here, Sergio and Kara introduced their son to the sport.

Maybe the lip-bite will help on overhang with poor feet and tiny crimpers.  Most likely not though.

Belaying Sergio on more overhang.  Dang.  He's so tall he can stand at the bottom and clip the anchors!  Makes us feel like climbing punks!  But so fun to climb with people that push you!

Fabulous scenery with snow-capped peaks laughing at our tiny rock assaults.  Keeps you humble.

Miranda killing it on the overhung 5.10 with a lot of right arm pump.

Althought El Manzano is a great place, most of our climbing is in La Quebrada in Arrayan, just 10 minutes from home.  We're really spoiled to be able to climb so close.  Here Ben leads the 5.11 flake route we worked on most of the autumn called 'Jesu Paz Amigo' and Elizabeth cleans it.

Sergio and Ben monkeying around.  Fun to get into better climbing shape and technique!

Until next time, shake it out, keep it loose.