Raimundo De Andraca and Fernanda Carabias of Chile have established a new multi-pitch route on the granite wall known as La Zaranda. It lies about 30km north of Villa Manihuales in Chilean Patagonia.
The route, named Sin obstaculos no hay camino (“No obstacles, no path”), spans 600m across 17 pitches. It features a varied range of crack climbing, including fissures of various sizes, chimneys, off-width sections, and technical face climbing that links different crack systems. The difficulties range from 5+ upward, with several pitches in the 5.11 and 5.12 range. Two pitches go as high as 5.13, though these can be aided at A1.
The new big-wall route on La Zaranda. Photo: Raimundo De Andraca
The two climbers dedicated several days to cleaning the line and equipping it for safety. The wall stands close to the Carretera Austral (Route 7). The base is just 250m from the road — 15 minutes on foot.
La Zaranda remains a relatively undeveloped big-wall venue in the region. The new route of De Andraca and Carabias is only the third recorded route on the formation, according to PlanetMountain. Its roadside location and quality of climbing should draw future interest from the climbing community.
