Vertical ice on day 2
After 20 hours and a miserable bivouac, we tackled the steepest ice of the route on day two.
Siulá Grande West Face
The complex and spectacular West Face of Siulá Grande.
Advanced camp
Near the base of the West Face of Siulá Grande, a glacial plateau slightly above it offers a comfortable advanced camp location.
Beginning the descent
Mark Price carefully begins the descent along the exposed North Ridge of Siulá Grande. Yerupaja's huge Southeast Face lies in front of us.
The Face begins
Mark Price is quite at home, perched on his front points, during the first 9 pitches of steep but beautiful ice climbing.
Pitch after pitch...
Mark Price ascends one of the many ice pitches of ice on the lower half of the face.
Yerupaja at Sunrise from the West Face
The sunrise visible on the Southeast Face of Yerupaja from our biviouac on the West Face of Siulá Grande
Mark at the Belay
Mark gives me a curious look of surprise from the belay as he organizes the gear.
Mark Leading Steep Ice
Mark leads consecutive pitches of steep ice on the first day of climbing.
Bivouac
I try and make due in the awkward bivouac of a crappy ledge we chop out of the ice next to the wall.
Mark ascends to my belay
Mark uses ascenders to rapidly ascend our fixed line above our first bivouac.
Entering the upper couloir
Mark ascends my fixed line after a scary avalanche scours the route and causes rushing snow to sweep across my body for a minute as I hang on for dear life. I am terrified.
The Upper Couloir
Mark leads into the Upper Couloir on the second half of the face.
The Perfect Bivi
Mark is happily surprised when we discover the perfectly protected bivouac in a natual cave. it is underneath an enormous serac on the upper West Face which we pray will remain in place.
Ascending the Final Couloir
Mark ascends the rope as we tackle the last few hundred meters of steep, hard ice at the top of the Upper Couloir.
Leaving the Upper Couloir
Just below the crest, I lead and Mark follows on last meters of the West Face leading directly to the summit of Siulá Grande.
Nearing the Summit
From where we exit onto the Summit Ridge, the highest point is either where we are or at the end of the long ridge. Our altimeter shows no difference in altitude on either point.
Beginning the rappels of the descent
After down climbing a ways along the North Ridge, we begin to set rappel anchors with snow filled stuff-sacks buried in the soft snow.