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Rock climbing around Ushuaia

vwills

24-Jul-2012
10:21:00 PM

I am sure there is amazing scenery and trekking around Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego) but does anyone know if theres actually decent rock climbing/ bouldering to be had while hanging around?

sirdogalot

26-Jul-2012
7:50:57 PM

I'll bite. Why are you hanging around in Tierra del Fuego?

rodw

26-Jul-2012
9:04:54 PM

Launch pad for Antarctica

vwills

26-Jul-2012
9:44:34 PM

Going ski mountaineering on Antarctic Peninsula in Feb then back to climb around Los Glacieres NP in March. I'm sure Damo666 has checked it out but was going to Kyrgyzstan or something at the moment I recall. Was interested in investigating Los Dientes on Isla Navarino which may have OK rock before sailing but wondering if there is any crags nearer to the town.

JayTee

3-Nov-2013
10:04:02 AM

Hey I am also headed down to Ushuaia awaiting a trip to Anarticia, I will be biking down the Carretera Austral, was wondering if you found any bouldering around Ushuaia while you were down there? Apparently there is some good bouldering in El Chalten, would love to bring my gear but dont want to bike with it all, you know anyone down there willing to go for some climbs?
any info helps, thanks

vwills

3-Nov-2013
10:22:16 PM

Never quite got to Antarctica due to illness, but did get to Ushuaia to see my boat come back in (and do the Navarino circuit) before heading to El CHalten where we spent 5 weeks.

Ushuaia- there is on line guide which I found googling with photo topos of climbing and bouldering areas
http://companiadeguias.tur.ar/rock-climbing-guide-of-ushuaia/

We spent one hot day walking a long way trying to find one crag while avoiding department of defence signs and failed, and another day making a quick foray into the National Park to do 3 climbs (which probably worked out at $10 each ) by the time we had paid the taxi and entrance fees and the rock quality was reminiscent of Mt Iron in NZ (ie not great ).

El Chalten has excellent bouldering in close proximity to town (and sports climbing including 180m multipitch 5 minutes walk from town). You can hire mats etc easily in El Chalten and shouldnt have trouble finding climbing partners there if in season.

prb

4-Nov-2013
12:48:37 AM

It must be easier to get across the channel from Ushuaia (Argentina) to Isla Navarino (Chile) these days than in the 90's when I was there. I eventually got to Puerto Williams, but by flying from Punta Arenas. Anyway, were you inspired (climbing-wise) by the Dientes? There seemed to be a lot of rubble but probably no worse than small peaks in NZ or Europe. I intended a little soloing but a big dump of snow on the first night put paid to that idea. Great place though, wild, felt a bit out there and alone.

vwills

4-Nov-2013
10:58:10 AM

I had read AAJ reports and got in contact with a British naval guy who had done some scrambling around the Dientes with the thought of taking some climbing gear over. In the end we didnt as I was still trying to get fitness back and was glad we didnt cart ropes and harness etc around the circuit. Some Ok small sections especially around the lakes but heaps of scree. Some of the rock on the ground looked amazing with big pockets but we couldnt see a wall of it. Looking at the peaks through binoculars didnt look that inspiring. Certainly climbable in a chossy scrambly way to get to the top, but with LGNP and Torres del Paine granite in Patagonia its hard to compete. Very easy now to cross the Beagle channel from Ushuaia in a Zodiac (though like travelling to Sth Australia- dont try and smuggle in fresh fruit or veg), and the boat connects with a minibus that takes you to Puerto Williams.
The Dientes circuit is more popular these days and pretty clearly marked. Looking at the log in the carbineros where you have to register, it looks like 6 people a day on average are doing the walk.

prb

5-Nov-2013
1:44:56 PM

On 4/11/2013 vwills wrote:

>though like travelling to Sth Australia- dont try and smuggle in fresh fruit or veg

Quite reasonably, we like to keep your infested produce out of our pristine environment!

That's handy being able to zodiac across the channel. I was there not long after the dispute about the islands east of Navarino and the amount of red tape required to get across made it impossible. When I did get to Navarino, on a second trip, I checked out the Dientes and also tried to get to the south of the island via a 'track' I was told the locals use. I got a lift east from Puerto Williams and then headed south up a river valley. There was no visble track just tape every few hundred metres. There was a lot of negotiating fallen trees and beaver dams. It was like heading cross-country in the Darrans only colder. Made it up to a beautiful camping spot in the alpine region with only a beaver (and I mean Castor canadensis) for company. I'd underestimated how tough the going would be so didn't make it to the south coast, but I have fond memories of Isla Navarino.

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