El Tolima. Colombia. 5,300m (2018)
It is still hard to descript how it feels to fly down big mountains. How the simplicity of a paraglider opens a new way of seeing mountains and explores them. It Feels just great.!!
Sending el Frisol. El Peñol. Colombia.
I started my exploration career nearly 20 years ago; i remember how the fire of adventures gave so much meaning to me. I was going to the the mountains full of big alpine climbing illusions and simultaneously looking for a perfect challenge , places like El peñol and El Parque de los Nevados (Central Andes Range) near my home town made the best playing ground in those early exploratory years.
Exploring New ground. Torres del Paine.
Playing with the wind. Termales de Cañon. El Tolima. 4000m
In 2010, when i visited Chilean Patagonia for the very first time something inside me changed, i knew that that drive for adventure had evolved taking my constant search of exploration to a new level. i was fascinated by big walls and vertical terrain, they seem to be just so intimidating and a good way how to express my curiosity. That mixture in between sport climbing, mountaineering and good tactics seemed to be just the perfect combo.
Ready for new Adventures at Cerro Torre Base Camp. Argentina.
Torres del paine. Chile.
I kept visiting this place many times, alternating adventure between Cerro Torre Massiff and Torres del Paine , finding joy time to time. Climbing, hiking, exploring.
Almost Magic.!
Above my home town. Medellin.
Feeling the air at El Tolima 5300m.
The Magic of a Glider. The First Trip. January 2018
The early exploratory trips to this big Volcanoes of my home country as well as the years spent in the beauty of Patagonia, without any doubt evolved in something new and exciting, a fascinating perspective of mountaineering and climbing was around the corner. Discovering The magic of a Paraglider was fascinating.
Taking off from el Tolima 2018
-Como se ve ? (How does it look?)
I asked my friend Orlando, Looking my Paraglider and making sure that all was all right.
_ It looks OK, There is no wind !
I thought that it was the best chance to speed up and take off with my glider from the hills of el Nevado del Tolima (5300m). In seconds i was flying in direction of El Valle del placer at an altitude of 3800m. My friend and me had been waiting in a small tent for several days waiting for best time to fly down the mountain!
On the valley, i sit and laught !.Not bad to be the first person ever to fly from El Tolima. Good biggining.!
Playing in Garmish. Germany.
I remember how happiness full filled my spirit when i was giving a quick look to the mountain i summited many times in the past, just a blast to see it from a completely different perspective!…Magic!!!. I whispered to myself .
Summit of Mt Blanc Solo. France.September 2018.
An step higher.
In early 2019 my friends (and supporters) and i were trying to Hike, Climb and fly a big seccion of the Colombian Andes Range. Just like in the early years but with a paraglider. We completed a traverse of the central Range from west to east in 8 days, from a city called Pereira to Ibague (cca 200Km), summiting two big mountains. Paramillo del Quindio (4800m) and Nevado del Tolima (5250m), my original plan was to fly from the summit of El Quindio to a¨Valley called el Placer(3800m) and then from the summit of El Tolima all the way to Juntas(1700m), just a few kilometers west of Ibague. Both of the flights never done before. A very good personal challenge.! In short a cool adventure!.
From the summit of Mt. Blanc. September 2018.
Hammered by heavy wind On the hills of Paramillo del Quindio. January 2019.
This time I had no nails. I thought to myself ! once more whispering an old salsa song at The hot springs “ Cañon”- El Tolima ; “if you were born to be a hammer, from the sky will rain nails” . This year I have No nails after days of Hiking /No flying at los Nevados. 😉 summiting in poor visibility and strong winds made the flying part a bit too adventurous and risky.
Approaching el Tolima summit. January 2019.
I still belive that I was born to be a hammer ! If there are not nails this year perhaps next one there will be some. Lets see!.
Idro Lake. Italy
From a different perspective. flying off from the summit of mount Blanc towards Chamonix. France