This is NOT a beginner area. Extensive experience on multi-pitch trad climbing walls is required. If you are a beginner or have little multi-pitch experience, consider less remote multi-pitch destinations with easier logistics and routes, such as Frey, located near Bariloche, Argentina.
Grades and lengths: Most multi-pitch routes start at grades 5.10c / 6b+ and increase in difficulty from there; they range in length from 8 to 30 pitches.
There is no rescue nor medical services. In addition, being a remote and difficult to access area makes any evacuation difficult and increases the risk of death.
Hundreds of meters of granite walls line the valley along the Cochamó River in the La Junta sector. The amount of rock provides route potential beyond imagination. Due to their relatively short history, these walls have recently been recognized as an international multi-pitch climbing destination. If you are a multi-pitch or big wall climber, and like to establish new lines surrounded by beautiful scenery, Valle Cochamó is one of the best destinations in South America.
Many climbers familiar with Yosemite Valley have found Valle Cochamó to have many common features, as well as differences. Comparing the two may be sinful, but as you enter between the glacially-formed granite walls it's difficult not to. Long bold lines make their way to the top. Cochamó, however, lacks some of Yosemite's obvious aspects. Traffic, motors and generator noise don't exist since there are no roads. Camping and the refugio often fill up in January and February so make a reservation at cochamo.com/reservations/. If you will be sleeping in the upper valley's, please read the page Upper Valleys.
Bring:
✓ Double rack of cams from the smallest to a 4.
✓ One 5.
✓ Some offset cams from the smallest up to fat-finger size.
✓ A set of stoppers that include some micro stoppers.
✓ 2 60-meter ropes.
With this rack, you should be able to do most routes.
200 big-wall routes. Some of the most classic are:
To vew the topos and descriptions of routes, go to cochamo.com/topos/. Physical copies of the topos are NOT kept in the camping nor the refugio. Some copies of topos are kept in tubes near the bivy areas such as Trinidad and Anfiteatro.
More than 100 cragging routes from 5.6 and up. This includes sport routes, mixed (bolts and gear) and all gear cracks. Many groups opt for the less demaninding day by climbing single pitch routes, which are popping up around the valley. These routes range from 5.6 to 5.13, with a majority in the 5.10 and 5.11 range. One paticular wall, Pared Seca, remains dry and climbable when it rains. If you come just to crag, bring a small rack. Just a few cams and nuts will enable you to select from many more routes.
New routes are everywhere. Even many walls have not yet been touched. So many lines to open, life's too short. The area has minimal development compared to its potential but when including its shorter routes too, more than 400 routes already exist. The rock quality is excellent. Nevertheless, unclimbed cracks tend to be dirty and vegetated in places.
Bouldering: Bouldering: Minimal bouldering exists. Opening new problems requires extensive cleaning.