“Aguja de la S” guided ascent in 3 days

Climb Aguja de la S in 3 days in the company of local IFMGA certified mountain guide Manuel. A perfect introductory ascent for intermediate mountaineers in El Chaltén!

Andes

3 Days

Jan - Mar, Dec

Intermediate

Beginner

Description

I would like to invite you to ascend the famous “Aguja de la S”, an alpine needle near El Chaltén.

The idea is to climb Aguja de la S along the Austrian Route. The name of this route is because Austrians Hans Bannthaler, Cristine Olbertech and Ewald Lidl were the first climbers to access the needle by the ice slope on the right of the east wall.

The Austrian Route continues by a marked slope where we’ll climb the north spur to the summit. Aguja de la S can be also climbed by its west face, after overcoming a large gutter, at the foot of the the Saint Exupery needle’s west wall.

This climb works perfectly as an introductory ascent in the area since it has an intermediate technical difficulty. Therefore, all participants should feel comfortable using crampons. Some ice and snow skills can help you cope with moderate slopes up to 60 degrees.

Of course that a good physical level is mandatory. Keep in mind that you must load your own backpack with personal equipment (clothes, sleeping bag, insulation mat, etc.) and camping equipment (tent, pots, heaters, etc.). It is also possible to hire personal porters if necessary.

So if you want to join me on this fantastic 3-day mountain adventure fill out the form and get in touch with me now. I have no doubt Aguja de la S will surprise you!!!

Price includes

Accommodation included
Guiding fee
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner

Itinerary

Day 1: El Chalten - Sucio Glacier

We’ll meet at 9:00 a.m. to check the equipment. We will then start our approach for about 3 hours towards the Poincenot Camp. We will continue our walk towards the Blanco River and once we cross it we will follow it to its source: Laguna Sucia. From the lagoon we will follow the trail until we reach the famous “cave” of the Sucio Glacier where we will spend the night. During this last part we will listen to the constant ice falls from the Sucio Glacier to its homonymous Lagoon.

Day 2: Summit day

Early in the morning we will wake up and after a quick breakfast we will start our journey. First, we will face a short section of rock until we reach the foot of the Glacier where we will use ropes. Gaining height quickly we will find ourselves in the feeding area of the glacier. Hopefully, the sunrise and its reddish colors on the mountains, will dazzle us once more time. Once we reach the plateau of the Sucio Glacier we will begin the ascent by a slope until arriving at the foot of the dihedral.

The climb is quite enjoyable! When we reach the col and the Saint Exupery Needle we can see the valley of Cerro Torre. After a while we will get to the summit. We will begin our descent abseiling along the same road to return to our “cave”. Deserved dinner!

Day 3: Back to El Chaltén

We will get up when we want, disarm the camp, pack our backpacks and begin our descent to the Poincenot camp. After a short rest we’ll continue our trail towards El Chaltén. After a hot shower we will meet to celebrate with another delicious dinner.

About the guide

Manuel

5.0

(2)

Mountain Guide

UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain Guide from Argentina

Based in El Chaltén, south Patagonia, since 2000. I was the first guide to complete the AAGM (Argentine Mountain Guides Association) complete training platform.

I did the first Argentinean guided ascent of Mt. Fitz Roy via Supercolouir route (la Supercanaleta). I have guided Aguja Guillaumet more than 25 times. I also guided Aconcagua, Alpamayo (Peru), Matterhorn (Switzerland), Mont Blanc, Dent du Geant (France), The Rockies & The Bugaboos (Canada), Torres del Paine (Chile), among others.

I am also member of El Chaltén Search and Rescue team. I have several WFR certificates with different schools such as NOLS & Fundacion Ecomed.

I speak Spanish, English and French fluently

My biggest passion is Alpine Rock climbing & Ski Mountaineering. Get in touch with me if you are interested in discovering the unique spots in the Fitz Roy massif, and other gems around El Chaltén! I work together with a group of guides, so if I'm not available when requested, one of my colleagues will guide you.

Languages

French | English

Certificates

AAGM | UIAGM | IFMGA

Request more information

What people are saying about Manuel

Erik

Our Guide Juan did an excellent job . He was courteous, informative and a pleasure to spend the day with . He’s an experienced climber and knows his way around the mountains . I would definitely contact Juan again for any future adventures . Well worth every penny !

Preetha

Manuel was very knowledgeable and worked with me with what I wanted to climb and learn. With his help, I climbed my first multi-pitch route! Would definitely recommend!