First ski descents on Monte San Valentin in Patagonia and Altos de los Arrieros in Chile

Last November an expedition comprised of Raimundo De Andraca, Antonio Eguiguren, Sebastian Rojas, Nicolas Valderrama and Galo Viguera set out to make the first ski descent of the South Face of Monte San Valentin, the at 4058m the highest mountain in Patagonia. Located on the Northern Patagonia Ice fields, the mountain was reached and skied during a perfect 6-day weather window. The mountaineers ascended the Normal route and then skied a 1300m line down the south face, making just one 30m abseil on an icy section towards the end.

De Andraca and Rojas also teamed up with Cristonal Diaz and Diego Saez to make the first winter ascent and first ski descent of Cerro Alto de los Arrieros in Chile. This mountain is the southernmost 5000er in South America and was climbed a skied during a month-long trip to the Universidad glacier, during which they climbed and skied various other lines in the area. After a small snowstorm they set up a high camp at 4.200 meters and after an extremely windy night they climbed to the summit and skied the beautiful vertical ramp down the East Face of the mountain. 

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