FAQ's

Since I returned from Cochamó, I have received a wide range of questions that have both confused and delighted me. Many of them I have been able to ponder at length and in depth thanks to their popularity, while others have caught my attention by the unique thoughtfulness that must have birthed them and thus have made it to this list of intrigues with answers. I suppose this should be titled FAQ’s and inFAQ’s...
If you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to ask!

What did you eat for four months in the wilderness?
This is probably the most commonly asked question, and rightfully so. If I was in the wilderness for four months, how did I survive? To be honest, this question perplexed me and woke me up at 3am with cold sweats before I took the trip. Planning for a weekend camping trip is simple. Pack the car, make sure you have your wallet and phone in case you forgot something, gas up and go. We did bring the tent, right? I hope we remembered the stove, but if not, it’s OK: we can just make sandwiches.
This is not at all the case for Cochamó. I would have my wallet, but I gave away my cell phone from my time in Argentina before I left. Moreover, the location is so remote that re-supplying is not as easy as pressing on a pedal. It requires hours of strenuous trekking and you need to plan for that, too. My main concerns with respect to meals were having a good variety and strong sources of protein. I emailed Daniel Seeliger before my big trip and asked him for advice, telling him my thoughts on the issue thus far. He told me that I would be very hungry and crave meat. Definitely bring meat, he told me. A large sadness swept through my veins and tidally crashed into my heart. Argentina, my home for the past year, was also home to world-class beef. And yet it could not provide me with meat for Cochamó, Chile: it is illegal to cross the border with meat, honey, or legumbres. I had dreamt of bringing vacuum-packed colita de cuadril and bife de chorizo to make an asado (read: BBQ done correctly) in Cochamó. But, I would need to purchase all of my meat in Chile, instead. Otherwise I would need to get more creative regarding proteins. Did someone say soy and lentils?

So, with variety and protein in mind, I started jotting down meal ideas. Breakfast options were cereal, granola, powdered milk, sugar, and oatmeal. I would always drink mate at breakfast. Lunch, if not leftovers, could be salami, bread with jam, crackers, or cookies. I also brought secret weapons of lunch with me. Namely, lots of Clif Bars. These were huge power-givers and very handy, although I reserved them for climbs because of their unrivaled energy-to-weight ratio. Mostly, though, I survived on a hearty breakfast and a hefty dinner. In between these too meals I was normally too active to eat anything substantial, and this worked out quite well for me, actually. Dinners were usually pasta with sauce packets (weight is a huge issue when you have to carry your food for hours), curry of lentils and rice, or polenta with spaghetti sauce. To compliment these standardized dinners I would add whatever vegetables and meats I could, as well as cheeses, such as mozzarella and Parmesan, if available. On occasion I would eat with others on the trail, in camping, and at the refugio, where such luxuries as pizzas existed. Wine was occasionally had. Tang was a frequent beverage, ousted by a better brand later on that we just called Sugar Water. The raspberry flavor was to drink for! They tasted better than in the states because of the freshness and purity of the water supply. Who knew? Four months requires a lot of food and gear. Luckily, my friends offer pack horse services for a very reasonable price to help haul it in and out on the front and back ends of the journey!

What made you do this?
This question is tough to answer only because there are many factors that led up to this trip. I think the major reason for any great action is inspiration, and I have had plenty of that. But with mere inspiration, I would not have struck out from my other comfortable options to sweat and bleed in a virgin valley. So, I usually explain myself by saying that I have known for a long time that I love to expend massive quantities of energy at an incredible rate. I love pushing my body. And I love exploring, being creative, and adventuring. It’s been 5 years now that I’ve been obsessed with climbing and its intricacies and simplicities. This trip combined all of that as well as my blossoming love for the Spanish language, the cultures I’ve found in Argentina and Chile, and meeting other love-thirsty travelers, eager to share (tales of) expeditions. I just can’t get enough. Ever since I first visited Cochamó I’ve been dreaming of getting back. I did get back. And now that I’m gone again, I cannot help but look up prices of plane tickets, job-search and think of any way that I can to fund my return trip for a few months. I should note here that I do not wish to accept donations, but I am more than happy to make exchanges, such as tutoring in mathematics, Chinese, Spanish, or video/filmmaking/editing in exchange for money or gear. As you can see, I’m looking for all the help I can get to return. It’s on my mind and in my heart, this place and who it allows me to be. I knew it would from the start, and that’s what made me do this: knowing the possibilities, but not knowing the outcome: my ever-increasing sense of adventure, I guess you could call it!

Is there any dangerous wildlife out there like snakes?
My Brazilian friends have warned me of their rainforests and climbing areas, where a misstep might be more costly. In Cochamó there are no poisonous snakes or spiders that I am aware of. There are “pocket” monkeys. There are tabanos (read: large, annoying horseflies) and lizards that eat them. And there are pumas, mountain lionesque animals that I still haven’t seen. They’re more afraid of us than we are of them. Yes, they cry and whimper when I thunder closeby. They even twiddle their thumbclaws. I would love to see a Pudu (like a small deer) but still have not. Condors are huge, pterodactyl like birds that are super-present. Luckily for us, they mostly eat dead animals and are only curious about shiny objects and climbers! The most dangerous thing, aside from the bamboo, is the weather. Things get wet. Food, bags, equipment, clothes, etc. get wet. You need to protect against the weather. Which brings me to a surprising question of my own: When I mention I’ve spent four months in the rainforest of northern Patagonia, why hasn’t anyone asked how much it rains and how the rain affects your actions, planning, and so on? I’m puzzled. I had about 8 dry bags of varying sizes that I purchased from my excellent friend, Marcus Loane. These bags kept things dry and helped me to stay organized. I also had a practically waterproof duffle bag (waterproof except for the zipper).

How did you go to the bathroom? It helps having strong legs from hiking so much! Having lots of rocks of all sizes around helps, too. And, thanks to the precipitation and lushness of the place, moss is pretty readily available, too. Bringing toilet paper in a bag is advised. BIC lighters are handy, too, for tasks from starting stove fires to burning used toilet paper. Urine is easy: it’s sanitary so you can go wherever you like. I was definitely spoiled by this fact, pulling over wherever – and whenever – I pleased. I wish it were this easy all the time! For more information on bathroom and sanitation issues, please read future posts on the valley, which include more coverage and discussion on problem solving said issues.

Did you feel the earthquake?
Yes. The terremoto woke my two buddies and me up independently at some godly hour when night and morning were battling for whose turn it was to be. I remember dreaming and then thinking the earth was shaking. I never convinced myself that was actually the case, however, because of all the muscle changes I was going through on a regular basis in the valley. That is, thanks in part to working so much and I assume in part to a strange diet, I would often have sensations of swollen hands, thicker, fuller arms, and leg spasms and such. So, when I was awoken on that fateful day/night, I couldn’t discern whether what awoke me was internal or external. Tuning my senses, I did hear rocks falling between two of the big granite walls by which we were camping. I figured that boulders were shifting and causing others to fall in a natural process that I had simply not born witness to as of yet. So, being tired, I plopped my head back down on the pillow made of jackets and shirts and returned to sleep.

It wasn't wasn’t until we had finished the week out and hiked down to the refugio that we were greeted with our first questions about the earthquake. I read the article in the Chilean newspaper about the terremoto that had dealt so much damage that friends of mine were forced to delay their flight by five days. Many emails were issued to the refugio from climbers’ families and loved ones, seeking confirmation that we were in fact OK.

So you did a lot of climbing?
I tried! With all of the rain, there was a lot of time for opening trails, which was an awesome experience as well. Plus, climbing first ascents – that is, routes that have never been climbed before – goes a lot more slowly than climbing existing routes due to the extra tasks of cleaning and bolting. But all the same, it was a very prolific and successful season! Read on for more route information and updates! Did you wear a cup to climb?

No. Only on my head (Read: helmet)! I have been lucky enough thus far to not warrant wearing a cup to climb. I do utilize many pieces of equipment to remain safe while climbing, but a cup is not one of them. Rarely is it the case that you need protection there. Plus, I do believe it would limit your mobility a bit, which, as a climber is vital. While we’re on the topic of comparing padding and protection amongst different athletes, I think the differences can be summarized in that climbers’ protection is mostly gear and equipment in the case that something occurs

Do you plan on returning?

Yes. If all goes well, I plan on returning at least by December of 2011. There are friends to see, bamboo to part, and walls to scale!