When we came to Chaltén, I had not even an inkling that I would end up 200 meters from my first Patagonian cumbre. So, fast-forward to Cerro Solo.
Our route had us gaining and losing about 1600 meters in one day. Translation- STEEP! I was feeling a bit anxious about this when we arrived at camp the night before, but convinced myself to sleep on it and re-assess in the morning. Of course, the stoke level was rising as I shook the sleep out of my head and began the hike in the dark.
The times before sunrise are magical always. The darkness can sometimes mask difficulty- I wasn’t thinking about how many more hours of up we needed to go, only one step to the next. This mindset was helpful higher up in the light. This is why I love climbing mountains. They show you exactly how much you are capable of, and often in the moment you realize you’ve surpassed your own expectations.
Solo, for me, was a beautiful reminder of my motivation as a climber. It doesn’t matter how many years I have been climbing. It doesn’t matter if I execute a move in perfect style, or if I fall at the crux and have to try again. It doesn’t matter if I have to turn around due to bad weather or conditions. As long as I am in the mountains, on the mountains, or even near to them- the inner peace comes. What can be better than that?
chilean wanderings 