BURSTAt the start of this year, Mirco Grasso and Jernej Kruder turned their attention to the granite walls of the Cochamó Valley without a fixed objective in mind.
Joined by Czech photographer and filmmaker Vladek Zumr, the pair spent three weeks in the valley waiting for favourable weather windows before completing the first ascent of a 750-metre line. They named it Tarock and graded it 5.12d. For reference, the northwest face of Half Dome is around 670 metres in height.
“I don’t even remember where I was when Jernej called me,” Grasso said. “I just know that I said yes almost immediately. We didn’t have a specific objective, just a vast valley in front of us and a desire to let events unfold naturally.”
Climbing in Cochamó began in the late 1990s, when Crispin Waddy cut a trail to the base of one of the walls. He returned the following year with a team and, in 1998, established three new routes on Trinidad: Ides of March, Sundance, and Welcome to the Jungle. Today, the valley is home to more than 200 routes, ranging from easy traditional climbs to long multi-pitch adventures and 5.13 sport lines.
In 2025, the Cochamó Valley gained permanent protection thanks to Conserva Puchegüín, a locally led conservation initiative formed by a coalition of organisations. After raising more than $78 million, the group purchased Fundo Puchegüín, a vast, 328,351-acre expanse of undeveloped land in northern Patagonia, securing the long-term preservation of one of the region’s most pristine landscapes.
Mirco Grasso and Jernej Kruder established their base at La Junta, a popular campsite at the heart of the valley. The site is reached after a two-hour drive from Puerto Montt followed by a three-hour hike along the access trail. As Grasso noted, the weather, as always in Patagonia, dictated the rhythm of the climb: you go up when a good weather window opens and come down when the rain and humidity return.
They warmed up on a route called Entre Cristales y Cóndores, initially believing it to be a first ascent until they discovered bolts along the line. They then spent three days completing the first ascent of Tarock. Grasso described the route as divided into two distinct sections. The first half, up to a large central ledge, follows smooth, technical slabs with spaced protection and delicate, balance-intensive climbing. The upper section tackles what he called “extraordinary cracks and dihedrals, continuous, aesthetic and sustained, on compact granite of exceptional quality.”
In total, the team used 29 bolts (18 placed with a drill and 11 by hand), including anchors; 15 pitons; several additional bolts placed on rappel; and extensive traditional protection.
“The upper part is pure joy: incredible cracks, always climbable, never trivial,” said Grasso. “Every pitch had character. It was one of those moments when you realize you’re on a special line. We didn’t know whether the upper section would go free or whether someone had already climbed it. Every pitch was a discovery. When we reached the summit ridge and hugged each other, with Vladek’s drone watching us from the ledge, it felt almost unreal.”
After days of rain, snow at altitude, and soaking wet walls, they returned to the route to complete the full free ascent. The crux pitch was the last one.
“We knew it would be the final real test,” said Grasso. “It was dirty and wet near the top. Kruder set off determined, and when he clipped the anchor clean, we knew it was done.”
Cochamó Valley is far from climbed out, and thanks to the hard work of Conserva Puchegüín, climbers will be exploring new terrain here for generations to come.
“Maybe the best part wasn’t the summit. It was the moment afterward, lying on the floor in the garage at the end of the trip, telling each other how well this team had worked. With our hearts in our hands. That’s why it’s worth setting off.”
“The upper part is pure joy: incredible cracks, always climbable, never trivial,” said Mirco Grasso. “Every pitch had character. It was one of those moments when you realise you’re on a special line. We didn’t know whether the upper section would go free or whether someone had already climbed it. Every pitch was a discovery. When we reached the summit ridge and hugged each other, with Vladek Zumr’s drone hovering above us from the ledge, it felt almost unreal.”
After days of rain, snowfall at higher elevations and walls left dripping wet, the team returned to the route to complete the full free ascent. The crux came on the final pitch.
“We knew it would be the last true test,” Grasso said. “It was dirty and wet near the top. Jernej Kruder set off with determination, and when he clipped the anchor cleanly, we knew it was done.”
The Cochamó Valley is far from being fully explored, and thanks to the efforts of Conserva Puchegüín, climbers will be able to discover new lines here for generations to come.
“Maybe the best part wasn’t the summit,” Grasso said. “It was the moment afterward, lying on the garage floor at the end of the trip, telling each other how well this team had worked. With our hearts in our hands. That’s why it’s worth setting off.”
Gallery of Tarock
The following photos were taken by Grasso and Kruder during their time on Tarock.
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