There are photos (http://andy2005.blox.pl) from my kayaking trip on Parana river from Iguazu to Buenos Aires.
It was 2000 km which i did solo. It took me 42 days with stops to visit friends in Misjones, Corrientes and Santa Fe.

http://andy2005.blox.pl

In few days i will go back to Europe.

Contact with me by email: antekwielki///ANTYSPAM///@gazeta.pl

With my friend Jake we tried to climb on Cerro Solo (2100) in October 2005. We stopped 100 meters below of the top. A lot of snow and viento blanco decided that we came back.
It was great climbing. Not technically difficult but great pleasure and nice views.

Me, Jake from Colorado and David from Mayorka in Base de Agostini

Our route on Cerro Solo (2100)

Lago Torre and Glacier Grande

Crossing Rio Fitz Roy

Smoking Fitz Roy

Jake in culuar and Glacier Grande below

Glacier Solo

Craverses and protection with tape

A lot of snow and big craverses

Glacier Solo

In September 2005 I decided to visit Torres del Paine and to do Circuit and ¨W¨ route. My plan except of trekking was climbing and traverse pass situated between Fortaleza (2681) and Torre de Agostini (2850).
Unfortunately because of bad weather condition (a lot of wet snow, strong winds and avalanches) I didn’t do neither climbing nor traverse.

I spent in this beautiful National Park two weeks. I did Circuit and ¨W¨ route.
Circuit route was closed because of difficult weather conditions (a lot of snow and water, closed refugios and damaged bridges) but I decided to go.
The worst part of my route was from Campo Dickson to Campo Paso.
After three days of waiting for better weather in Campo Paso (was snowing and raining 24 hours per day) with another crazy trekker (Frank from Germany) all route was covered by melted snow.
Frank was luckier because he crossed Paso John Gardner before three days of storm and walked in another direction.

From Campo Dickson to Campo Perro I walked four hours. The path was completely covered by snow and was raining last two hours of my walking.
But the worst came in another day when I start to walk to Campo Paso.
Nine hours in deep snow, covered fallen lenga trees and rocks (two meters of melted snow), no path, no good visibility, no clear direction, no people.

My rucksack weighted 40kg (climbing and camping equipment, food for 3 weeks). My weight was 70kg. After trekking 65kg.

Trekking in Torres del Paine was very nice adventure especially because of low season: difficult conditions and without people (in ¨W¨ I met first tourist but not many).

One thing I didn’t like there: commercial. Very expensive place and prepared for rich tourists.

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Torres del Paine

Crossing the river in Valle Encantado

Cerro Ohnet (1929)

Lago Dickson and Cerro Ohnet

View from Campo Dickson on Cabeza del Indio (2230)

Another day in Campo Dickson

Lago and Glaciar Perros

Glaciar Grey

View from Campo Pehoe on Cuernos del Paine

Cuerno Norte (2400) and Cuerno Principal (2600)

Paine Grande and Cumbre Principal (3050)

Valle del Frances and Cerro Castillo (1421), Cota (2000), Catedral (2168)

Mirador de Las Torres (Torres in the clouds)

With my two friends Marcelo Donozo i Alejandro Fosatti we tried to open new route on Western Face of Monte Olivia with last days of winter 2005.

There are 2 routes - one goes on the top from the left flank (Normal Route) another from right side. Our idea was to climb straight.
Unfortunatly becouse of bad weather conditions, wet snow and loosen ice and rock we had problems with asekuration.
In the middle of the route we decide to come back.
Total route took us 12 hours. Especialy descent was very difficult.

I am hitch-hiking along route 40 from El Calafate.

I am in Los Antiguos now where i am going to visit Cochrane from.
This Chilean town will be my base camp to climb on San Lorenzo (3707m).

Patagonia is incredible beautifull and hitch-hiking along route 40 is a very good adventure trip.
I love it!

Unfortunetly I have a problem with photos edition to put them on this website.

I hope that I can show them here soon.

I have come back from Torres del Paine where I spend 2 weeks.
I did Circular Route and W Route. Circular is still closed becouse of many snow - up to waist.

I will write more information about this wonderfull trek and try to put some photos.

See you soon!

There are some photos from climbing on the Cerro Bonete. This mountain with piramide shape is in Tierra Mayor Valley. If you are going to do trekking to Laguna Esmeralda you pass it on your left side.
I was climbing Normal Route which is not too difficult. I would prefer to climb on the eastern ridge but I didnt have too much time and weather wasnt too good - strong wind and clouds.
So I decided to climb from less demanding side. If you climb in the winter time you need crampons and ice axes - there is a steep ditch.
The ascent took me 2,5 hours from Solar del Bosque.

Cerro Bonete during Cerro Alvear climbing day.

Cerro Bonete from entrance to valley.

Southeastern face of Cerro Bonete.

View on Tierra Mayor from plateau.

Steep ditch on Normal Route.

On the top of Cerro Bonete.

Laguna Esmeralda from the top.

My route is marked with red line

          The first ascent was fininshed on the first plateau. With my friends Andrzej and Daniel we decided to come back because of viento blanco. Cerro Alvear disapeared in a white blizzard.
We had rockets but snow conditions werent good and ít was tiring and a long way.
Andrzej who climbed on Alvear before told me there is a magnificient view from the top. The cumbre is flat but before you reach it you have to climbed through the glacier.

There are three known ascent routes: Normal route which follows the rocky ledge, Southeastern glacier route and Eastern glacier route.
We wanted to climbed 2nd one.

One month later I came to Tierra Mayor Valley again. It was a very beautifull day without any clouds one the blue sky.
I had problems with transport and arrived to Tierra Mayor quite late. My plan was to climb on Cerro Alvear the first day and Domo Blanco the next and camping in the middle of the valley.
I left road number 3 at 10:45 am and started to walk with a rucksack to reach the correct valley. I passed peat bogs, then forest, group of turists with rackets and Martin Bianchi with his friend who were skiing around Tierra Mayor.

When I reached the entrance of the valley it had started to be harder walking. Because of the beautiful sunny day the snow was very wet and I was sinking deep in the snow. Every step was a chalange. When I reached the second forest after I crossed the stream I was tired. I decided to leave my big rucksack with camping equipment in the forest and climb on Alvear only with small rucksack where I had crampons, two ice axes, chocolate and water.

I wanted to climbed through the Southeastern glacier but when I started to climb to reach the first plateau I wanted to come back because of snow conditions. I was sinking every second step up to my waist. I was swearing, shouting and I was sure I couldnt reach the top this day.
Fortunatly I reached plateau where the snow conditions were a little bit better. I followed to the beginning of the glacier. That route through the glacier was impresive, 75 degrees steep and with big exposition. It was great ice climbing and at 3:15 pm I reached the top.

I was surprised I climbed so fast because in the guide book it is written about 13 hours ascent. When I met some people who climb in this area they couldnt believe it but they know me. I am Polaco loco so everything is possible.

I didnt climb on Domo Blanco because of mentioned snow. It was too dangerous to climb on the very technical Domo Blanco without protection so I decide to come back home without camping in the valley. Descent to route 3 took me 2,5 hours.

There are some photos from this climbing below.

First ascent on Cerro Alvear. View from Tierra Mayor.

Andrzej was screaming - It is not possible to climb!!!

My second acsent on Cerro Alvear. Tierra Mayor and Cerro Bonete with piramide shape.

Domo Blanco. View from first plateau.

Cerro Alvear. There is a rocky ledge on the right side where follow Normal Route.

The Southeastern Glacier. More demanding route.

On the small plateau in the middle of the glacier.

Excuse me! Is someone here?! Where I am?!

Lago Fagnano from the top of Cerro Alvear.

My route is marked with orange line.

The new photos soon!!!

But first photos from another mountains!

New photos from East Face of Monte Olivia which makes me crazy. It is not such popular route as from another side becouse of his difficult accessible.
You have to walk about 3 hours through the wild and mad forest to reach bottom of your route. But from this point you can climb on Cinco Hermanos too.
I climbed almost on the top. Almost becouse I did small mistake. I climbed on the left side of the tower instead of right and opened a new route by mistake.
Anyway, it was very good climbing and very exposed route. Some parts, especialy one traverse, were very difficult but with crampons and two ice axes I could walked through them.
My argentinan friends - Andrzej, Daniel and Ricardo - who wanted to climbed on Olivia too slept too long in their tent after very hard way through the forest and lost their chance for climbing. What a pitty! :)
Anyway, I would like to thank them for very good time spent together in Ushuaia and a lot of fun!

It is not finnish Monte Olivia story becouse I am still trying to reach the top but now with two partners and climbing equipment.
One of them is very good and experienced argentinan climber - Marcelo - who climbed on Aconcagua fifteen times, include South Face, and Fitzroy in winter time.
We want to open a new route on the top of Olivia on her Western Face.
More information soon!

Everyone can leave his commentary. Below every text is botton ¨skomentuj¨ - press it!
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Tower of Monte Olivia. My route was going on the left side.


Me and Andrzej.


Me and Daniel.


View from Cinco Hermanos on East Face of Monte Olivia.


My route is marked by yellow line.


Tres Amigos and all climbing staff.


Towers of Olivia - view from the valley.


View on the western side of Olivia - Tierra Mayor Valley - from the ridge.


Me next to Southern Tower of Monte Olivia.

There are photos from trekking around Cerro Cortez. This trekking route is not official and doesn´t exist in the maps nor books. We did this route with Magda first time when we were going for ice climbing. Some part of this route is going trough wild forest (lenga and guindo) without obvious path but in my opinion it is the best one and the most spectacular - view on Monte Olivia, Cerro Portillo, Cerro Mano and Cerro El Sfinghe. Whole trekking route takes 3-4 hours.

 
there wasn´t too much snow in the valley.

 
crossing river? why not!

 
horseriding? why not!

Magda and El Sfinghe in the backround.

from the right: Cerro Mano, Cerro Portillo and ... nobody knows!

Cerro Portillo on the right side.

the queen of tierra del fuego - Monte Olivia - western face.

typical forrest ¨path¨ trough fallen lenga.

try to find correct way!

lenga, guindo and caballos.

natural bridge is nothing special on this route.

white forest is muy bonito!


rock formation of northern side of Monte Olivia.

There are some photos from my climbing on Monte Olivia in July this year. It was climbing on western face of this beautifull mountain. Please forgive me for not too good quality of shown photos but please understand that those photos i took staying on stipy icy wall without crampons and with one f...king ice axe. And my hands were frozen as well.
Climbing from eastern side i will put later in second part - be patient por favor!

view on Monte Olivia and Cinco Hermanos from ugly city of Ushuaia during sunset

the same mountains and the same ugly city but in the morning

 
last part of Normal Route on Olivia goes along those rocks


it looks easy but trust me it isn't especialy without proper equipment


i don't know why i looked down. It was stiupid!


from the route you can see beagle channel and sampaio mountains

 
and Tierra Mayor on another side


western face of Monte Olivia


western face and towers of Olivia
 

my climbing way is marked with yellow line

There are photos from National Park of Lapataia - the place at the end of the national road no. 3 and next to the border with Chile.

 
Cerro Segui                                                          Cordon Guanaco

 
Cerro Guanaco                                                      Lapataia Bay

 
Camping in Lapataia Bay                                       Cerro Condor

  
The end of the road no. 3                                          Beaver´s area

  
Cerro Condor                                                              Dinner time

  
Yendegaia Bay                                                           Beagle Channel

  
Cordillera Darwin                                                        Ensenada Bay

  
Debora, me and Pablo                                                  Sampaio Mountains

 
Sampaio Mountains                                                      Lago Roca