Andres grew up in Ibague, Colombia. His passion for guiding has allowed him to guide in all types of terrains, such as rock, alpine, skiing and high altitude. In 2011 he and his partner received the Mugs Stump Exploratory Grant to go and climb new peaks in the Southern part of Kyrgyzstan on the Kyrgy Chinese border. They were the first American expedition on the range and established two alpine-style first ascents. During the 2011/2012 ice and mixed climbing competition season, Andres stood on the podium in every competition ranking him as a world class mixed and ice climbing competitor. Andres is an AMGA certified Rock Guide as well as an AMGA certified Alpine Guide – meaning you are in good hands.
“I like to apply to my life something that a great person toll me long time ago: BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, TRY HARD AND BE KIND.” – Andres Marin-
1. How many years have you been guiding Alpamayo?
a. 2 years leading the Alpamayo Expedition with San Juan Mountain Guides but 4th year doing the Alpamayo Expedition.
2. Why Alpamayo? Why do you go?
a. It is the beautiful mountain and considered one of the 7 wonders. Also the experience of the burros and porters is exceptional. The climb itself is 19,500+ feet and offers a section of pure ice-climbing, swinging two tools all the way to the summit – for me, it’s the whole package as an expedition.
3. What are three reasons words to describe the Alpamayo expedition?
a. Challenge, technical, fun.
4. What skill-set/experience would a client need for the Alpamayo Trip?
a. General fitness, some ice climbing experience up to WI3 would be good but isn’t required. The technical experience is further in the trip which allows us to have a couple of days to review the climb and our systems and fully prepare for the summit.
5. What pre-expedition training should clients be doing?
Artesonraju is a beautiful pyramid mountain which you may recognize from the Paramount Pictures movie logo.
a. We understand that people have their normal jobs and life so if they are able to, some good cardio-vascular training with some weights up to 50 lbs is helpful. Calves are a huge part of it, I personally train calves because even though I do this a lot, calves always seem to a major muscle used for this expedition in regards to the trek to base-camp, etc. Above all, being positive and enjoying the learning experience is the best training you can do. Remembering it is the journey not the summit is essential for a great trip.
6. Why is Alpamayo expedition a premiere choice when considering all the different expeditions options of South America and across the globe?
a. It will expose you to altitude of course and expose you to technical terrain besides walking. The beauty of the mountain itself and seeing it in person is different than any other expedition. From Alpamayo you can see Artesonejeau, the peak used in the Paramount Picture logo!
7. What is one of your best memories of your past the Alpamayo expedition?
a. Last year, I climbed the mountain with a client and we ended up having to summit the mountain before sunrise. We took a nap at the summit and seeing the sunrise from there was amazing. I have seen many sunrises in many parts in the world and this sunrise was the best. Seeing the Andes range in first light it was pretty unique. Another best memory is seeing people succeed in their own personal objectives – a huge reason I love guiding! Seeing people be psyched about their own personal goals whether or not the mountain summit is reached, this is very special.
A Bit About The Alpamayo Expedition: Long considered one of the world’s most beautiful mountains, Alpamayo remains one of mountaineering’s most coveted summits. Situated in the “Himalayas of South America,” the Cordillera Blanca is much more accessible than its Asian counterpart, yet there are scores of peaks over 19,000 feet and 6000 meters. This expedition takes advantage of the rich Peruvian culture and the magnificent alpine terrain to climb the French Direct on the Southwest Face of Alpamayo.
Learn more about the Alpamayo Expedition
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