Climbing at altitude has never been my forte: headaches, digestive malfunctions, freaky dreams, the list is long… So, this fall, I surprised myself by rallying a crew of friends to make a trip to the Nevado de Chañi, a high, dry mountain in an obscure corner of northern Argentina. I’d seen a few photos and was convinced that this zone would yield some quality climbing and abundant first ascents.

Just getting to Chañi is a mission: Local shepherds provided us with crucial support by mulepacking our gear up to a basecamp at 4700m (15000 ft.). The multi-day approach gave us a chance to spend time with Balderama family, whose daily routine moves at the decidedly tranquillo pace of the Puna – a region of high alpine pastures above 3500m (11500 ft.). Puna, we came to understand, is more than just a geographic place, but also the feeling of hardship your body experiences at those taxing elevations.

It took a while to establish our equilibrium in the Puna, but after shaking off the groggyness, we saddled up to some superb, untouched stone. The granite was burnt red and buffed to a fine polish by the burly elements. Splitter cracks and face holds graced the rock which made for straightforward routefinding and flowy climbing. Exertion at altitude can make you feel like you’ve been drugged, so even on easy ground it was critical to slow down, control your breath and be mindful of making good decisions.

We managed a few new routes; buttresses, towers and a long, classic multipitch up a giant shield, that took us to the crest of the massif at 5500m (18000ft.). From our vantage we could see the great salt flats to the west and countless high volcanoes that punctuate the lonesome Atacama Desert.

Chañi will likely never become a “destination” climbing hub, but our crew felt privileged to have the chance to visit this remote area and spend time with the hard living but gracious souls that inhabit this rugged land.

Essential Gear:

Climbing – The Instinct Lace was my go to for this mission. On exploratory routes with a bit of everything, they stomp micro edges and jam cracks with gusto. It took a couple days for the swelling in my feet to go down after the approach but the Instincts nailed the balance between comfort and performance.

Approach – Despite the high altitude, there was no seasonal snow or ice (except that day it snowed!) so the Mescalito was the weapon of choice. Super dexterous on big talus approaches and stiff underfoot for long scree descents, Mescalitos slay it in this terrain.