MOUNTAIN LOG COCHAMÓ EXPEDITION 59 a corner system near the edge of Trinidad Sur’s buttress that leads to splitter cracks, approximately 450m in height. Topos are checked and rechecked … this line looks unclimbed, from what we can gather, swiping through Trinidad’s 82 topos on our phones (a guidebook for Cochamó is coming soon). That night, below the Bivy Boulder, the team is excited at the prospect of attempting this new line. We rise early before the rain the next morning, return to the base of Alandalaca for the third time and stash our kit for the return. The following day, back at La Junta campsite, the rain pours, as predicted. While we cook and pack for the oncoming 10-day weather window, our new route plans change abruptly as we learn that this line has been climbed and is called Vida De Ogro 6a A2+. This was achieved by Brazilian climbers Rian Mueller and Daniel Fernandes in 2005 and it is currently on the wish list of local climbers and campsite staff to try to free climb. So, wanting to respect their wishes, we change our plans and seek out one of the crack options on Trinidad Norte, close to the British route Sundance. Twid has his eyes set on an aesthetic crack, left of the crux pitches of Sundance. It looks difficult to get established in, but once there, may deliver anything from a hand jamming crack to an aid seam. It’s impossible to tell from below, even through the binoculars, so up we go. To give the team a headstart on the potential new route, Tim fires up the first five pitches of Sundance, which has become a popular short route in its own right – named Gendarme E3, 250m – summiting on an obvious pinnacle where Sundance continues to the right. I try hard to keep up with Tim as he races gracefully through the steep cracks of all sizes. Twid follows, jumaring behind us on static lines with 20kg of additional climbing equipment until all three of us are on top of the pinnacle. Pictured this page: Trinidad Norte. The blue line shows the Gendarme route to the top of the pinnacle. The white line shows the crux pitches of Sundance. The green line is the alternative gardening aid pitch climbed by Kevin. The yellow line shows Kirsten and Tim’s efforts to regain the belay on Sundance. The red line is where Twid aided and hand drilled into the crack that turned out to be a dead end. Photo: Kevin Kilroy
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