Jean-Claude Latombe's Mountaineering, Climbing, and Trekking Page

This webpage shows pictures of some of the climbs and trips I made in South America (Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile), Central Asia (Nepal, Tibet, Xinjiang, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan), Africa (Morocco, Ethiopia), New Guinea (Irian Jaya), North America (California’s Sierra Nevada, McKinley), etc. Climbing robot

”Mountaineering draws on many aspects of our character, including sound judgment, boldness, intelligence, great effort, and faith in ourselves. This total engagement is the source of our greatest reward, and it is where both the joy and the challenge of alpinism lie. We want to feel that we have earned our success and survival, that we didn’t jut roll the dice and let outer circumstances determine our fate.”

Mark Houston and Kathy Cosley (Alpine Climbing, The Mountaineers Books, 2004)

High and moderate altitude, technical and non-technical climbs

• Washington: Rainier (4300m), Baker.
• California: Shasta (4200m; 8 times, including 2 solos of Casaval Ridge), Whitney (4418m; 4 times), Russell (4294m), Dana (3990m; twice), Lamark (4090m), Morgan-South (3987m), Lone Pine, Clyde Minaret, Sill (4314m), Bear Creek Spire (4045m), Agassiz (4235m), Julius Caesar (4023m), Gardiner (3934m), Cotter (3875m), North Peak (3600m), Conness (3600m), Matterhorn (3600m, 7 times).
• New Mexico: Wheeler (4050m).
• Alaska: McKinley (6100m, up to 5000m)
• Ecuador: Cotopaxi (5900m), Cayambe (5800m), Tungurahua (5100m), Rucu Pichincha.
• Bolivia: Pequeno Alpamayo (5600m), Eslovenia (5300m), Pyramida Bianca (5400m), Huayna Potosi (6088m), Illimani (6460m).
• Peru: Cordillera Blanca: Alpamayo (5947m), Huascaran (6768m). Cordillera Huayhuash. Cordillera Vilcabamba.
• Argentina: Aconcagua (6959m).
• Morocco: Toubkal (4167m, 4 times), Mgoun (4068m).
• Nepal: Kala Pattar (5600m), Lobuche East (6000m), Ama Dablam (up to 200m from the 6850m summit), over 6,000m in Kanchenjunga area, Makalu (8485m, up to 7000m), Gokyo Ri (5360m), Kyajo Ri (6186m).
• Kyrgyzstan: Khan Tengri (7000m, up to 5900m).
• Xinjiang (China): Muztagh Ata (7546m).
• Tibet: Cho Oyu (8200m, up to 7100m).
• Japan: Fuji.

Rock climbing

• Sport climbing:
• California: Owens Gorge, Bishop area, Rock Creek, Yosemite Valley, Pinnacles, and Joshua Tree.
• Nevada: Red Rocks.
• Washington: Leavenworth area.
• New Hampshire: Rumney.
• Thailand: Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Le.
• France: Calanque d'En-Vau and Dentelles de Montmirail.
• Alpine rock climbing routes:
• California:
• Cathedral Peak (Southeast Buttress, 5.7)
• Lone Pine Peak (North Ridge, 5.4)
• Mt. Whitney (East Buttress, 5.8),
• Mt. Russell (Fishhook Arete, 5.9)
• Mt. Sill (Swiss Arete, 5.6)
• Temple Crag (Sun Ribbon Arete, 5.9, Venitian Blind, 5.7)
• Bear Creek Spire (North Arete, 5.8)
• Clyde Minaret (South-East Face Direct, 5.9+)
• Mt. Dana (Third Pillar, 5.10)
• Mt. Conness (North Ridge, 5.6)
• Nepal:
• Ama Dablam (South-West Route, 5.8).

Ice climbing

• California: Lee Vining Canyon, North Peak (North-East Couloir).
• Washington: Mt. Baker (Mustache route).
• Canadian Rockies: Banff and Lake Louise area.
• Peru: Alpamayo (Ferrari route).
• Nepal: Ama Dablam (South-West Route)

Randonnee ski and ski mountaineering

• Matterhorn, California (7 times).
• Mount Shasta, California. (4 times)
• Tour of Mt. Lamark (Sierra Nevada), 1998.
• Sierra Nevada Haute Route, 1998.
• Monarch and Cirque Divides (Sierra Nevada), 1999.
• Great Western Divide (Sierra Nevada), 2000.
• Clarence King and Gardiner Basin, 2004.
• Muztagh Ata (Xinjiang, China), 2000.

Treks

• Indonesia: Central Sulawesi (twice), Central Irian Jaya (exploration of valleys east of Baliem valley)
• Nepal: Everest base camp, Kanchenjunga area, Annapurna area
• Morocco’ High Atlas: Djebel Toubkal, Djebel Mgoun, Djebel Waougoulzat, Taghia-Koucer-Assif-Melloul, High Atlas of Marrakech, Tabant-Mgoun-Imejdag-Taghia-Oussikis
• Ethiopia: Danakil desert, highlands of Tigray, Siemen mountains
• Kyrgyzstan: Ala Archa, Terskey Alatau
• Central Asia 2004: Aksu and Kichi-Alai (Kyrgyzstan) and Fann mountains (Tajikistan)
• Central Asia 2005: Matcha (Kyrgyzstan)
• Central Asia 2006: Fann mountains (Tajikistan)
• Kyrgyzstan 2008: Visokiy Alay and Western Kokshaak-Too
• Peru: Cordilleras Huayhuash, Vicabamba, and Vilcanota
• Argentina: Fitzroy
• Chile: Torres del Paine
• China: Yunnan (Tiger Leaping Gorge)
  
  

Other trips

• Summer 1967, a tour of the Middle-East: Turkey, Iran, Koweit, Irak, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.
• Summer 1969, from the mouth of the Nile to its source and slightly beyond: Egypt, Soudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania.
• Summer 1970, by car from France to Pakistan and back: Italy, Yougoslavia, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
• Spring and Winter 1983, Algeria (Moab, Tassili).
• January 2008, Saudi Arabia (Medain Saleh).

Mountaineering Links.