Hielo Patagónico Norte (HPN)
The Northern Patagonian Ice Field is located in the Región de Aisén in central Patagonia, around the 46th degree of southern latitude. Have a look at a geographical and historical overview of this region. (ONLY Spanish version available).
In January 1995 a group of Chilean climbers made an East-West crossing
between Lago Leones and Laguna San Rafael, staying 22 days on the ice
field. During their journey they also made some ascents of peaks located
south of Cerro San Valentín (on the picture below) : Cº
Cristal, Cº Mocho, Cº Tronco and Cº Pico Norte.
Also, one member of the expedition videotaped the trip and a documentary
program was shown in television program called Al Sur del Mundo:
"La temible ruta de los hielos"". Five of the mountaineers that
participated in this expedition were students of the Universidad
Católica de Chile :
- Sven Bruchfeld
- Michael Cantzler
- Christian Oberli
- Ian Philippi
- Claudio Seebach
- Norbert Seebach, a well known Chilean landscape photographer, and
-
Christian Buracchio, who acted as the videocamera man.
The route
Skiing south of Cerro San Valentín (3950 m.a.s.l.), highest peak
of Patagonia
1995 Chilean East-West crossing of HPN.
From left to right : Ian Philippi, Sven Bruchfeld, Christian Buracchio,
Michael Cantzler, Claudio Seebach, Christian Oberli.
Foto : Norbert Seebach
Cerro Cristal (2600 m.a.s.l.)
Camp IV. The expedition was forced to a rest at this place for five days,
and summited afterwards this mountain along the N-W face and some other
sorrounding peaks.
Foto : Claudio Seebach
Base Camp, Lago Leones, East entrance to the HPN.
Foto : Norbert Seebach
Ian Philippi, under the summit mushroom of Cerro Cristal.
Foto : Claudio Seebach
San Rafael Glacier, west exit of the HPN.
Foto : Norbert Seebach
Route
Lago Leones Inset
| GPS Waypoints | Altitude | |||||||||||||||||
| MELIQUINA: | 46 | º | 43 | ' | 29 | " | S | 72 | º | 56 | ' | 01 | " | W | 230 | m | ||
| SILVA: | 46 | º | 43 | ' | 34 | " | S | 73 | º | 02 | ' | 19 | " | W | 242 | m | ||
| CB: | 46 | º | 45 | ' | 01 | " | S | 73 | º | 11 | ' | 51 | " | W | 428 | m | ||
| C1: | 46 | º | 44 | ' | 47 | " | S | 73 | º | 13 | ' | 40 | " | W | 1119 | m | ||
| C2: | 46 | º | 45 | ' | 51 | " | S | 73 | º | 16 | ' | 46 | " | W | 1690 | m | ||
| C3: | 46 | º | 46 | ' | 04 | " | S | 73 | º | 17 | ' | 40 | " | W | 2140 | m | ||
| PORTEZUELO: | 46 | º | 45 | ' | 33 | " | S | 73 | º | 18 | ' | 52 | " | W | 2191 | m | ||
| C4: | 46 | º | 45 | ' | 23 | " | S | 73 | º | 19 | ' | 01 | " | W | 2080 | m | ||
| TRONCO-FILO: | 46 | º | 46 | ' | 31 | " | S | 73 | º | 18 | ' | 01 | " | W | 2180 | m | ||
| TRONCO-CUMBRE: | 46 | º | 46 | ' | 31 | " | S | 73 | º | 17 | ' | 52 | " | W | 2230 | m | ||
| ENTRADA: | 46 | º | 45 | ' | 29 | " | S | 73 | º | 20 | ' | 20 | " | W | 1950 | m | ||
| CODO: | 46 | º | 43 | ' | 10 | " | S | 73 | º | 24 | ' | 47 | " | W | 1350 | m | ||
| C5: | 46 | º | 42 | ' | 52 | " | S | 73 | º | 26 | ' | 12 | " | W | 1300 | m | ||
| GRIETA: | 46 | º | 42 | ' | 13 | " | S | 73 | º | 30 | ' | 45 | " | W | 1182 | m | ||
| PASO: | 46 | º | 40 | ' | 57 | " | S | 73 | º | 33 | ' | 38 | " | W | 1244 | m | ||
| C6: | 46 | º | 40 | ' | 40 | " | S | 73 | º | 37 | ' | 34 | " | W | 979 | m | ||
| C7 (NUNATAK): | 46 | º | 40 | ' | 28 | " | S | 73 | º | 42 | ' | 29 | " | W | 827 | m | ||
| PICO NORTE: | 46 | º | 37 | ' | 49 | " | S | 73 | º | 42 | ' | 30 | " | W | 1681 | m | ||
| CAB52: | 46 | º | 39 | ' | 37 | " | S | 73 | º | 42 | ' | 09 | " | W | 950 | m | ||
| C8: | 46 | º | 41 | ' | 13 | " | S | 73 | º | 48 | ' | 48 | " | W | 415 | m | ||
| C9: | 46 | º | 39 | ' | 06 | " | S | 73 | º | 51 | ' | 22 | " | W | 0 | m |