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  • December 17, 2010 at 6:15 pm #573898
    snowsavage
    Participant

    The Mapuche; Legendary, Millennia Enduring, Defenders of the Forest…may their spirits guide me…


    After several days on snow I am taking the day off to explore the forest land.
    The day started out with extensive loafing about in the sun, on the soft grass shore, of an Andean lake.

    Feeling revitalized, I embarked upon an extended foot journey. This is what I found:











    High ground allows a view of split boarding possibilities.









    Here the crew kicks it high on a Volcan; looking west towards the Pacific.

    On the summit, the Volcan crater smoldered insidiously. We were enveloped by sulfuric poison gas. Struggling to breathe while gearing up to the descent left no motivation for photographs. Once out of the danger zone, however, we were rewarded with several thousand vertical feet of perfect corn and back drop of serene proportions.




    The Volcan becomes a hucknar playground.

    And lower reaches provided a scenic volcano GFC tour.





    Oh yeah, sometimes there’s nothing like riding corn snow on a volcano.

    Not much riding in this TR, but I am going to leave you with some photos of the absolutely spectacular snowboarding potential to be found in the backcountry of the southern Andes;











    Who’s down for a mission next summer?
    So that will do it for what I have from the 2010 season in the deep south. No snowboarding for me for awhile. I will be living vicariously through the TRs you all post! Happy 2010-2011. Keep it safe.

    December 17, 2010 at 6:29 pm #633202
    TEX
    Participant

    DAMN that shit is killing me. Thats Heaven right there.

    Be careful of the H2S coming out of those vents, Im sure you know but they have killed a few even in open air.

    I want to go next summer. How many weeks? Can a guy do 2 or 3 only? How much cash reserves?

    Any aflictions to touring with old farts?

    Any surf near by?

    December 17, 2010 at 6:53 pm #633203
    BGnight
    Participant

    I love me some quality GFC.

    Who’s throwing that huge air? Was that a left over kicker or just a natural feature?
    Damn, never had to deal with poison gases as a touring hazard….except when skinning behind someones stinky ass.

    December 17, 2010 at 11:25 pm #633204
    ta hui
    Participant

    Dude those crags are amazing!!! Is that the Torres Del Paine :rock:

    December 18, 2010 at 1:06 am #633205
    UTAH
    Participant

    Absolutely amazing, thanks much really enjoyed it! My imaginations going crazy.

    December 18, 2010 at 3:41 am #633206
    sneeky jesus
    Participant

    First off, awesome tr. I love how it started off seeming like it wasn’t going to be about snowboarding, which I was cool with since it looked beautiful, and then slowly the volcano starts to get bigger and bigger in the background until youre looking down from the top of it. Secondly, I am definitely down. You always bring it, and I know I need to start doing that.

    December 18, 2010 at 4:05 pm #633207
    brainsteak
    Participant

    reading your tr while listening to sepultura. i’m bouncing off the walls. i gotta go ride. thanks for the fuel!

    December 19, 2010 at 2:37 am #633208
    Kyle Miller
    Participant

    THAT is what I live for. After seeing your pics I maybe down for a trip??

    December 20, 2010 at 12:05 am #633209
    Snowolf
    Participant

    Jaw droppingly gorgeous!!!! Thanks for sharing… :thumbsup:

    December 20, 2010 at 5:25 am #633210
    D-GREEN
    Participant

    Thanks for the report(s) from Chile, they bring back some great memories! Unfortunately, I’m gonna have to commandeer it now and throw down a couple of photos from my experience there many many years ago. Please forgive me.

    The view from the top of Volcan Villarrica looking out

    looking in

    and a sequence of shots taken while I was sh**ing myself…



    yes… it is a very alive and active volcano, and no, I was not worried about the toxic gasses. I had a half lemon in a turtle neck over my nose.

    Thanks again for the TR snowsavage. Take me on your next worldly venture and I promise not to take over your report (maybe). Once again, my apologies… and PEACE!

    December 20, 2010 at 4:58 pm #633211
    Ecobrad
    Participant

    DAMN, this TR just went from insane to unreal. Thanks for sharing SS and D!!! Holy shit SB.com TRs are going off right now. Some bs in NZ, followed by SA SS and D-Green, Wyo in the Tetons and then some holy shit Kyle Miller epic. And I’m supposed to work :scratch: :scratch:

    December 20, 2010 at 8:23 pm #633212
    russman
    Participant

    Hands down, completely freaken awesome!!

    I absolutely love these inspirational TR’s…

    If you need a mission buddy for that face next year, count me IN! :thatrocks: :thatrocks: :thatrocks:

    December 21, 2010 at 11:32 pm #633217
    snowsavage
    Participant

    Thanks again to everyone for viewing the photos and for their positive comments. :thumbsup:

    I would def. like to rally back down South to do some more intensive explorations; just need others to motivate me (and time and $). I would be psyched to see some of you getting something together.

    One objective would be to tour in the area shown in the final series of images. Phenomenal zone with tons of spines, steep faces, trees, drops, etc., plus a series of Volcans. I believe that the area pictured is Parque National Lanin. (Not Parque National Torres Del Paine, Ta Hui, which is much farther south, and of course another highly worthy objective!). Russman, you must be speaking of a face in those photos? Or was it the steep face from the summit of the Volcan? (This is a def. objective; East face of Volcan Lanin)

    BG: Phat method is a random hucker I just happened to capture; not sure who it was, but various US pros were in the group who built the hip. Nice hit!….big photo sesh.. :bananas:

    Damn D-Green! You scored huge by catching the crater on Villarica in clearly visible, lava bursting form! We could not see jack shit but steam and sulphur smoke; we were totally engulfed in it upon the summit 😯 ; I tried to get a look into the crater but it was just too knar to be hanging out. Your photos show me what I was missing. What season were you there? From your pics it looks like late spring or summer? I climbed it 1st week of September (early spring). Thanks a bunch for adding those photos, stoked! (oh also thanks for the reminder, I need to mail you the beta for the next….)

    December 23, 2010 at 6:27 pm #633216
    WideRange
    Participant

    sometimes there’s nothing like riding corn snow on a volcano.

    Yes indeed. :thumpsup: Great TR… I would certainly be interested in heading down that way next spring, like Sept/Oct. Or do you think October’s too late?

    December 23, 2010 at 8:30 pm #633215
    braun
    Participant

    Hi Snowsavage, sweet photos.

    I live in Santiago so next time you come down (maybe next summer?) let me know. I know some sick trips here nearby, and also further down south. (I will post a TR when I have time…)

    Last season I drove that same road between Pucon and San Martin de and was freaking out of the great terrain and possibilities nearby Parque Nacional Lanin.

    Anyway, Im glad you could enjoy my country.

    Andres Braun.

    December 23, 2010 at 10:16 pm #633213
    shoestring
    Participant

    Amazing…I spent about a month in Pucon and Pichares in 1996..did a bit a cragging, rafting and hiked on the volcano (didn’t summit because of weather), but I would LOVE to get back and do some riding. So sweet!

    December 24, 2010 at 1:35 am #633214
    snowsavage
    Participant

    Wide Range; I suspect that October wouldbe similar to May in the Northern Hemisphere, thus epic for mountaineering and corn turns, but I dont really know. It was already getting really hot in early september, yet there was still tons of snow. Maybe Braun can give us an answer here?

    Braun; Thanks for your note. You live in amazing place. The terrain on the Lanin pass is phenomenal; very remeniscent of the Tahoe Sierra, but with its own special vibe. And I completely realize that the potential up and down the Andes is virutally limitless! I’ll def. get in touch with you if I head back down. In the meantime take a look at some of my other photos and reports from this summer;

    viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9712
    viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9782
    viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9893

    Anything familiar?

    Shoestring; thanks for the note; go back and ride something!!

    January 4, 2011 at 2:16 am #633218
    braun
    Participant

    Yes it sounds familiar…. This was from a trip back in 2006… We believe (but are not sure) that it was a first descent. We named it alaska because it was super steep.

    So stoked to see your pic of this amazing line…

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