Video: Trail Running In Patagonia

Ever wonder what it is like to go trail running in Patagonia? Than have a look at this video from ultra-runner Philippe Gatta that was shot while he was running 300 km (186 miles) in and around Torres del Paine and Ftiz Roy. What a spectacular place to go for a run!

Chad Kellogg Dies While Climbing In Patagonia

There was sad news out of Agentina this past weekend as the news broke that American climber Chad Kellogg has died while climbing in Patagonia. Kellogg was climbing Fitz Roy with and Jens Holsten. The two apparently successfully topped out and were beginning their descent when a rope dislodged a rock that struck Chad in the head. He reportedly died instantly.

The accident occurred late last Friday, but it took Holsten some time to descend safely and walk to the nearest village. The news has slowly filtered out since then and the climbing community is still reeling. Due to the remoteness of the accident, his body will not be recovered.

Kellogg was well known for his speed climbing on Rainier and Denali. Over the past couple of years, he even made a couple of attempt to break the speed record on Everest.  Chad enjoyed climbing remote peaks and opening new routes with a variety of close climbing partners. His legacy will include new routes in the Himalaya, the Andes, and China.

My condolences go out Chad's friends and family.

Book Review: Climbing Fitz Roy, 1968: Reflections on the Third Ascent

Are you still looking for a last minute Christmas gift for the climber or outdoor adventurer on your list? Than let me recommend a fantastic book that I reviewed over at the Wenger Blog today. It is entitled Climbing Fitz Roy, 1968: Reflections on the Third Ascent. This high quality, fantastically bound tome includes more than 90 photos from a historic climb in Patagonia that took place 45 years ago, along with some insightful and thoughtful essays about the men who undertook that expedition. Men who would later go on to have a profound impact on the environmental and outdoor adventure community.

The team consisted of five guys who called themselves the "Funhogs." Those men were skier Dick Dorworth, filmmaker Lito Tejada-Flores, and climbers Yvon Chouinard, Doug Tompkins and Chris Jones. If some of those names sound vaguely familiar, it isn't just because they are legendary climbers who put up the now classic California Route out Fitz Roy, perhaps the most famous mountain in all of Patagonia. Tompkins would also go on to found a little company called The North Face, while Chouinard would start Patagonia, whose logo is modeled after Fitz Roy. These same men would also help found an environmental movement amongst outdoor enthusiasts and the industry, which persists even to this day.

Back in '68, the men drove from Ventura, California all the way to Patagonia, a distance of 8000 miles. They were also forced to wait out the bad weather in an ice cave for 31 days, before they actually got a crack at the highly technical Fitz Roy, which is far more difficult than its 3359 meters (11, 020 ft) would typically imply. When they were done, they had completed an impressive new route but more importantly they came away from their adventure with a different outlook on the world.

The book shares their story through their own words, but it is the photos – once thought lost in a house fire – that really sell the story. The images are very impressive and do an excellent job of not only supporting the story but standing on their own to tell the tale as well.

Climbing historians will love this book, not just for the content, but for how high of a quality it is in general. It just feels great in your hands, although it doesn't hurt that the amazing images jump off the page. With the holidays quickly approaching, I can promise you that Climbing Fitz Roy is sure to delight the outdoor adventurer in your life. Truly a wonderful gift.

EpicTV Posts Patagonia 2012 Climbing Season Update

EpicTV has posted an excellent update on the 2012 Patagonia climbing season, which is underway in Chile as we speak. The article shares some good information on the current conditions across the region and some of the more impressive climbs that have already taken place.

The article quotes Colin Haley, who has become a staple in Patagonia over the past few years, as saying that conditions are actually not as icy or snowy this season thanks to a very warm and dry summer last year. That hasn't stopped Haley from joining foraces with Italian climber Andrea Di Donato to take on the West Face Ragni Route on Cerro Torre. The duo managed to knock off that route in a mere 17 hours. Colin shares his thoughts on that climb and some of the challenges that he and Andrea faced on their way to the top.

EpicTV goes on to share some interesting news on other ascents as well, specifically expeditions on Cerro Standhart, Aguja Mermoz and of course Fitz Roy. Climbers Korra Pesce and Manu Cordova were also able to link-up of Punta Herron and Torre Egger in what sounds like a very impressive climb.

Climbing in Patagonia doesn't receive nearly the amount of coverage as the Himalaya of course, but the region at the End of the World really does serve up some great routes that are extremely technical over mixed ice and rock. EpicTV includes some truly excellent photos from these climbs as well, which helps to give us a sense of what the teams were up against there. If you're into climbing porn, you'll definitely want to check out these images as well.

Click here to read the report in its entirety.

Video: Climbing Patagonia In Winter

Patagonia is one of the most beautiful places on Earth, bar none. Climbers Michi Lerjen and Jorge Ackermann traveled there recently to climb a new route on Fitz Roy, perhaps the most famous peak in an already famous region. Michi and Jorge share their adventure with us in this 20 minute short film that gives you a sense of that spectacular wilderness and the efforts they went through to climb there.

This is a fantastic little film about a big adventure. Enjoy.

Patagonia Winter from Royal Family Productions on Vimeo.