Five women, one dream
Driven by their spirit of exploration and passion for the mountains, five female climbers have established a new climbing route to the unclimbed "El Cohete" in Patagonia. Supported by Bosch power tools, they mastered the challenges of the rugged nature and created a safe connection to the breathtaking peaks with the via ferrata "Apollo 13." An inspiring journey that demonstrates how teamwork and innovative technology can overcome boundaries.
Far in the south of South America, Patagonia is known for its beautiful mountains and lakes, and also for its harsh climate. In the shadow of iconic mountains such as Cerro Torre and El Chaltén lie other remote valleys with hidden treasures. This is where a team of five female mountaineers of different origins and nationalities, driven by a deep passion for climbing and exploring – Belén Prados (Argentina), Caro North (Switzerland), Fay Manners (England), Julia Cassou (France) and Rocío Rodríguez Guiñazu (Argentina) – set out to achieve a very special dream: to open a new route to “El Cohete”, a mountain that has never before been climbed.
The crossing
The five professional mountaineers set off on their expedition at the end of January. After two days trekking on foot and on horseback, which included some dangerous river crossings, the five women arrived at the place where the Turbio II, III and IV rivers meet, known as “la horqueta”, the pitchfork. From there they had to carry the load themselves over another full day’s walk to reach the Don Chule mountain refuge. Following small trails through dense forests and crossing two zip lines, the all-women team arrived at this picturesque and cozy refuge that became their base camp for the next month. The first days they explored the valley, observed different mountain walls, and visited and repeated some existing routes to begin to get the feel of the granite. Finally, they decided to set up their bivouac at Laguna Mariposa.
“Apollo 13”: a new climbing route
On the wall, the goal was to open a route that would be enjoyable for other climbers to repeat the climb. This involved a lot of cleaning: the crevices were full of plants and deep roots, while the rock plates were covered with lichens. After over a month of hard work, their logistics and tactical decisions paid off and they were finally able to baptize the new climbing route they had created: “Apollo 13”. The route is equipped with 10 mm stainless steel anchors, two on each anchor and equipped for rappelling. They added belay plates on some sections to make the climb enjoyable and safe.
Bosch tools, partners in adventure
The five women were supported on their expedition by Bosch and used Bosch power tools to set up the via ferrata. The GBH 185-LI Professional cordless rotary hammer proved indispensable in meeting the challenge of opening up this new climbing route. The most powerful tool in its class for percussion drilling and rock drilling, this tool is equipped with power and features to take the drilling experience to another level, with greater efficiency, safety, and control. Its power ensures that every drill using SDS Plus 5X bits penetrates the rock efficiently, allowing climbers to create secure anchor points. The tool's ergonomic design enhances safety and control, allowing users to maintain accuracy even in the most demanding conditions.
Durable batteries for long term use
In a wild and rugged environment, and with no way to recharge, Bosch batteries stand out as a reliable companion. Engineered for durability and performance, these batteries are designed to withstand the harshest conditions, ensuring that tools stay charged when you need them most. The ProCORE18V+ 8.0Ah Professional battery offers more power, longer runtime, and longer product life in heavy-duty applications.
Summary
When a vision becomes reality: Five professional climbers have established a new climbing route to the unscaled "El Cohete" in Patagonia. Always by their side was the GBH 185-LI Professional cordless hammer drill, which proved indispensable for creating the climbing route.
