Lord of the Tabanos

"Ahhhh get away from me! get away from me!" Brandon viking calls as he runs past Jake in a futile effort to get away from the "demon flies" as they have become known. These demon flies, or tabanos as they are known locally, and their constant buzzing have characterized life in the Frey for the last week. Unlike mosquitoes, their bites are immediately painful and require "the double tap" to kill. The days are spent trying to raise the "kill count" and developing the zen-like calmness needed to let one land on you for the smacking.

New Years eve dawned foggy for Team America (Brandon, Gil and Jake), but creepy in a beautiful way as fog hung throughout the valleys and cirques of the Frey area. A few hours of hiking through mist and five pitches of rockaneering bring these three man-boys to the summit of Campanile Esloveno... "you guys hear that buzzing?!" a wide eyed Gil whispers. More tabanos!? up here!?, 500 feet above the ground, how did they follow them! As they waited a minute for the demon fly to land it slowly occured to each member.. Wait no, thats not the tabanos...as a tingling sensation was beginning in their hair under their helmets and on their arms. Whats on the highest point in the area and covered in metal? they think as a dull roar is heard and the rain begins to come down a little harder. Following these thoughts were what is likely the fastest descent of Campanile Esloveno (or any tower for that fact). A shaken Team America is back on the ground, away from the electrified summit and pretty happy to begin the slow descent back to the refugio to enjoy some drinks, lamb, homemade goodness and some late night dancing...

Crazy sunset after rainstorm

"Look mom, no hands!" Brandon practicing his belaying on pitch 2 of the Normal Route up Torre Principal

Yay! Jake Gettin his bronze on near the summit of Torre Principal

Looking down on Gill and Jerome coming up pitch 2 of the Normal Route

Brandon rides the summit of Torre Principal in true gaucho form

Mmmmmm...zapatillas

Gill "The Goucho" multitasking

Jake in zombie mode after a big day of climbing

Waking up after heavy rains the night before New Years Eve

Campanile Esloveno

Brandon leading pitch 3

The Goucho leading the crux pitch


Brandon the toprope hero

Jake scoping the ultra-runout-uber-beastwarrior-last pitch of Imaginate

Serious Climbers doing serious things (note Jakes no handed belay technique). On the summit of Campanille Esloveno after completing Imaginate

crazy summit views!

you can drink out of all the streams here!

The last week has been spent up at the Frey doing more of the usual: climbing, eating, and sleeping. Its finally come into the high season and each afternoon brings in a new procession of tourists, trekkers, and climbers all coming to enjoy the Frey. Each day we all wake up to choose our own adventure and try to make it back by nightfall to share stories. Somewhere along the way we met a local Argentine climber named Sylvanna and have been climbing with her a lot ever since. Her inexaustable excitement to climb seems to overshadow any of the bad weather, hangovers, scorching heat, and anything else that gets thrown at us. The Refugio threw a huge asado (bbq type thing) for the New Years celebrations, grilling five lambs and cooking many other dishes for the 40 odd people which set the stage for a memorable night. The 2nd brought us back to Bariloche to resupply, recharge, and figure out our next move. Our frenchman wants us to head to Valle de Cochamo (a place notorious for its heavy rains and swarms of tabanos flies!...oh yea theres good climbing too) in two weeks then to El Chalten for some sightseeing. Who knows what will happen at this point though. Happy New Year everybody!

Feliz Anos! Sylvanna, Jerome, Jake and Gil... drunk! Also the last sighting of our pitcher of Fernet.

wasnt the first bottle and definately not the last!

Dance party in the refugio!

Brandon gettin his dance on, but where is the pitcher of Fernet!?