Legs burning from 2 more volcanoes

Another solo day out climbing and skiing off Volcanoes. I used to say that you were not crazy until you had full on conversations with yourself, out loud.  Today I realized that I question in my head and answer out loud.  I think I better find some partners soon. Loco gringo.

I am really enjoying the different style mountains here. Usually a north facing skier, I must now become a south facing skier, since it is all reversed.  My go to aspect back home is NE, usually protected from most wind events it is the one where you find the best snow. Here it seems to be SE where I have found the best turns.

Also the heat vents from the volcanoes are posing a new threat to touring and a new challenge to setting the perfect skin track.  If you are not careful its easy to be touring along and fall through the snow, so far the falls have been small. If I am not careful I could easily fall into a larger hole.  They are neat though, they keep catching me off guard, ” hey look smoke, maybe there is a cabin there with a fire and people” nope just another heat vent.

The summit today had a ice axe marker with the best rhyme I have ever seen. The crazy moisture the other day couple with high winds created the largest rhyme I have ever seen. So big in fact that I had to climb on top to ensure that I was on the “true” summit.

Another 10000 foot day to work my way back up.  Half way through the year on July 2. I won’t be at a million but I won’t be out of the game either. Working hard to ensure that, probable be back on par mid july. I would hope.

yes, yes, yes and yes

Yes to summitting my first Volcanoe Chillan Nuevo.

Yes to summitting my second Volcanoe Viejo.

Yes to finally climbing over 900 000 ft

and Yes to realizing a dream of ski touring to a hot spring and relaxing in the hot water and then touring back up and skiing some more.

Great day out, and some fun skiing, not epic yet but who cares when you are sitting in a hot spring after 8600 ft of touring.

Finally getting back after it.

I live my life pretty capriciously, letting strange suggestions lead me wherever they do. Such is the case with Las Trancas, a friend mentioned it in passing as he listed off all sorts of areas. I was interested solely because he mentioned that Craig Kelly had been here, and returned a few years in a row. In terms of SA all we generally hear about is Portillo, las Lenas and Bariloche, but these places are touristy and busy. Which is typically not my style. Although I will visit and probable enjoy.

Craig Kelly had been a claim to fame of mine as we had double dated many years back. At the end of this double date, while I drove my Volkswagon through Vancouver, unbeknownst to us, he and his girlfriend thoroughly “enjoyed” themselves on the bed in the back. This was a surprise to me when I found out years later and a bit of a funny story about this huge celebrity/ hero of the backcountry. Sadly enough, as we all know, he died in the mountains.

Anyhow, if he had been here and returned than it must be Good. And so far I am impressed with its ability to precipitate here. It rained so hard for 20 hours the other day and had it been 6 degrees colder it would have amounted to a huge snowfall. And today I headed up and experienced some serious wind. 60-80km an hour. Super windy and then raining like mad at lower elevations. Finally it turned to snow and was falling at 5cm an hour. Dumping.

It was a burly day, the worst of the year so far. But I persevered and toured 7500ft, which felt great to actually gain on my goal and not loose more vertical. I should have a vehicle figured out by tomorrow which will make things much easier.

Ciao

P.s. So far I cannot understand a word of Spanish, I can accomplish what I want but when people talk to me I have no idea what they are saying. Grunts and pointing seem easier.