Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Clawing for the Stars: A Solo Climber in the Highest Andes
Clawing for the Stars: A Solo Climber in the Highest Andes
Clawing for the Stars: A Solo Climber in the Highest Andes
Ebook382 pages6 hours

Clawing for the Stars: A Solo Climber in the Highest Andes

Rating: 0 out of 5 stars

()

Read preview

About this ebook

When most altitude climbers reach their mid-forties, they slow downbut for Bob Villarreal, these years marked the beginning of his climbing career rather than the end. At forty, he took a rock-climbing class, but it wasnt what he was looking for. In a moment of pure and life-changing serendipity, an article about climbing the Andes lit a new fire within him, and an obsession was born.

At that point, Bob retired from business and took up mountain climbing. He lost his heart to the staggering, raw, and wild beauty of the High Andes, returning there time and time again to challenge himself, almost always on his own. In defiance of the basic rules of wilderness exploration, Bob traveled solo, well aware that calamity was only one loose rock away and that his survival was never guaranteed.

One might wonder why anyone especially someone in middle age -- would climb alone in the Andes even once, let alone nineteen times (out of thirty total climbs). Its a question that Villarreal himself cant adequately answer. Was he in search of adventure, danger, or deeper meaning in his lifeand did he ever find his elusive purpose on the mountain?

This memoir recalls his perilous adventures on famous Andean peaks as well as mountains in the remotest parts of the Andes along the lengthy border between Chile and Argentina.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherAbbott Press
Release dateMar 7, 2014
ISBN9781458213211
Clawing for the Stars: A Solo Climber in the Highest Andes
Author

Bob Villarreal

Bob Villarreal acquired a passion for climbing in the Andes later in life and tells of his solo climbs in “Clawing for the Stars: A Solo Climber in the Highest Andes”. In this book, the “Prelude” to “Clawing”, he tells of the guided climbs that preceded his solo adventures. His interest in South America is wider than the mountains, however. He and his wife of fifty years adopted daughters from Pasto, Colombia, and Cuzco, Peru and see them and their grandchildren often. This fascination with Andean countries also led him to write about the conquest of the Incas, as told in his books, “The Adventure Chronicles of Conquistador Pedro de Mérida, Volume I: Almagro, Volume II: Valdivia, and Volume III: Pizarro”. Visit his book site at bobvillarreal.com.

Read more from Bob Villarreal

Related to Clawing for the Stars

Related ebooks

Travel For You

View More

Related articles

Reviews for Clawing for the Stars

Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
0 ratings

0 ratings0 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

    Book preview

    Clawing for the Stars - Bob Villarreal

    5=Oabook_preview_excerpt.html}rGDl(DHL2b& 5ADdr 3ٍͻ)(lzDd8j8 +7!?~=ʪr]]??TU}ކuݐu6l>[pn|6B'O](\ggwM6ke| [P|ZdeWcQ6݆![BCW?s-_6n(CCCWkWe|aA]Wowuv\Ue]?dm=w3+Yt23_BQQ\)2PWUUG}'K .~w6Aݝߎ]`Oۆ=}ɳo?<L Yo\]YㆱK=k5~Xv~P׷e> 󫬬;y ew=1WWn~g+ 㽢~脪vPSnNܭ׋Vޚ=xٷO=~ჇG{}o=ivog|zDsSaʅ*{;"A=|#eVAX?#$>勷G& |N^6Ks)ƣ[׊xd[Q]kC/W]e/mYJ/=hr_ƲKK> |NXF.{%J>P6E;KQ_hjkO[:NMGVDx0 =NЃx)v_Xqӥ\[vډӆ@W4JzI|*e__%^ %/|/,n 짲E|^>)dg+Ewn{v g, 7Evk{{{NV^~.Ͽ^ uv)֫VωWMU+ heCA{O/3CgJ7j1עX `sбb+煺'MGJ]GLaٌ@!~ޗ2u(u?vβ{Iq-G#c gcvj/{Ri,lEeAozA*ExLK6G9O': ~$Ƈ½+xwbܪ3&q ,dX V=5*  )DQ^F:D=^ XS e2\8)yp9b[=`H?]wEȗZQ쫐T X]/X{Zf<4{׉`#v%uvRuPm+s ꒣sM̞ˆۉ/`uc 7 ՑNdfYA4y! (~JN-j=:~o,~u!<~x]z=??_?_d^<8|MX6%7U6q]% T/2|!h9ޠT v X[Ab"iq(rvhK[Px&:&Q-w0o~)/a.ӏa/?._~02; v0 [(=ߛpyt|@O"7Tηj|^:guru_I#`N=J(1J4+KȝK%P;%bנu=?4W:T%G"E.o!r6o|8zT5DA^z q!a͠jA=9tG!)Y(';"ޓv,淌K2ze8x!SяJИ*πd1aΓq-lFL\ydhgqpC' :K +Qs-=9DK1P (@qɺj睘W u6{/5Yl!0PÑ!gM QǵL+gt܋ 0z]]ٔ4)!MhqkS Rǩ.A[<U @aI|oA“JϨqt)Hɦ8#vuλQ!<&J\Ye%N eczک&'-]Uk8*. ;[c1vQp*۲cH_:w.[a{J4\y/N&7^ӌ!GP_eM aog=;B"-AwW FI'҄2]]߳_?9 @G'kC?/?/^ g^fL[p +2qC` (2X;1" .)=ʝ &dhհ=c\5>$ ZS,:2ock0" ]#+ s[OK傟sYѮ#Q AP*7@}5 '/z~&DaHŽB"*Bf *MC pΙ aja%k]BkF5ܱwa&NP)`"Կ "oLWE nȉ}zˉ.$0:PNzF-F]@ɝWʥB4C>&JN{icIzݾ醓#47 t1k\ź$]6 Pc` agOeO'2*9-m3o*M]"3@ |fO-e@(rh5Azf|ׁ~E+V`9lSq˓dktGO ŠyE'zBmB1M. :{K.d*ͲwhEzS !%(•#} m[awepFKenzn T'Bcu0ewr9QQ6UUݥ\:}'C?v i݉{=9M>8T6WZ1, 'M xs?X #Ja@\a) x"J6~{,>|T*>F@V\Sx3HjރŷZg=˪[KE!Z#;dxy {pxbgٌ8Bܙ\4\a\٪ ]qoԼ3rT9)CR ׏)==QGe0}c~\hgO-ePPX޲5Tp i8zZT'QxXsV}p]iOT6U["*؀ |}$c c1 fҊh(v"­N4]Z9?;W»:Z㙨[Y^X7 E/k^d\1L׍.$Vlx1e%+㟃GSgO.#Hy ԍ~.񊩣x#CPL7}P:b*l/E/u Ek:p3!';؃ev0dQڕzVD9=P 2APw<G"`0<@ bny՗Afۛ0EPk׽ "tLcꓝW)g+Ua2?2 Ej),&'|Ӹ"cyB!ᙊ_pO_##~BSt JOߥjSvTR\[b˘.f0C<]~%4.x닠\?f'Dk6!-lX/KIi1!q+Oc rn(=.^#= n/]S$8cp޴ܿ &w|qxV";YC1\ 1x1U@ɭK0,Yd0 Z6#obLb9ɮV#Rdؙx0\d_NceUO2M$r8*ri-~! CkEL\^#ќyD6:nEٚxC0c`Xn ~DԿۖԫ6a]xx#R1%م: #H73+)pېfSfS<檛zweqh,;-ϼA|nmS.Qo_Xx6ppX J+ccƚ5v'j1 /͝Zje@Y3+-Y,iZ? 9(Xv7- B'FU'#_f~omWH\  ѵbbyP`TJ–1P]݅譢Z\(u(oTEj\u&`:+򼅤a[rbENt}y `Z=A|lCïrg+(wIYlQbmJV;ާ9`h;4ZU7MU@ȷ{3'%RGY}5ÅC&;<[@V\&$Q&cD\i&S) 9bX&ئFqGg8 ZVԕ1?`y?tOm+sSQ-M1#ݬWV}]3|EÔLgi%_T95MSDۉ>7r8/_~]5W7Q#qg3+`bEF,S4R"6PUcn?"8}u탃oJG^-aح ԏ2~ -g*+[:@aWbwpmJx4C,_4&"_xEЙZtՐOGO#&Bn7/>A\4.ebФ]),[Ò3O/ggώ1hao)`ZܕH!Zn_[,3dxp$(7g]n?aLYgV .D"J'H m߈d߼a:,J,ⰔיO#8r4H޵h罴N 3rlK!XX/R?[93ɂ\hџ CD6";eYj\l#z1R#JU[x|a&{qö4?K7g{x:z-a SiaƲ (|FC' JwkD | 8~h#6wc1Y$|&t-u`Q7%<JQtB(|ᑘO{+DAlk`S1m7ER`؃' ;jsF@g/~Taㅉ"'oǍжM2˷v>Yb^."zT[[ n Zo*⢐ -U#IS0"yJ}}m{Q)h >nj2q@55: {!҃x[;Vz`)I\6>DZUz1fiB).g4 ນeC$c*3EEE;BA+>xzAi?j>]6!,gdkGVNhĶoʪ(Tu$'j6@7)P-5KV67ޡRF3ۅж^UwSz\"uޢ[(_h|hb)rK"4a@iCk#t֗DS-4V;j :]BE)7޵۸ϥ3(S ^VjY3J84]+ʯ5#+ 6Vgx&Sqx;`8> CXgxf=o^94kSJv)e,(^y)jS=y4yr,`z(-Asyp凎:T9"-bE":@`S,J]"!-{L}vk`z_?\!utFe׿OoM/31QSuaTǔ`Vҧ)*ܔDCx9;\z[qd\åN}/tE4_~x$~ޚpOy#(_vflzȜ(kU/#uC[JL#HsѤt uǘ:4*%F OCm n.aFMdv}-s/X;;*Sמ8Ԍ e_h!1l-΁p`~{++č9bd*q8M5ݍrc8>RmV#:i"HN^Q:17,Q[XQ6UUPWÀ,YeRUi''-(Cb) 蛅VcDOżb% $}<sD2[oK1s2unxՒ,M2&-Qŀ/<<2mnCW$z <.L3_4p#ыb_;h1?d&MN2Q۩D;А9S(ŊSǸ Q4;@B.n؂ff-l=k4ȦB:Bl,鰓'B݄?bJͺ]%rV#,yA[Tn@tլe(6;b?VPnd`gaP'sFU{4uqB\\0S`Zh'ZvB,!]We 84,ĄjA-(ũ A5o:@ ƈ`=)G8cD l@DIH0Ʈ-as=yԇYtPoAB|+=t6 Ȫ "XçYCm5]vPc /xbLn W8ckILw]\ٚW#IpC66u-kyvD"鱱*j;c[xȀwmF,_^YZWaqn}5dSLXS:tR@L[X53C t-g?ac17ne3+LRZXtt nYD ZJZT{ۧOJ!g;vР G/b={ܴkVe׫$sD`= k5' }vfQkQbAyw1AQR3|JMFq K1qn&VcYNr=ׇMºUgx#f3S9a\vHuX UaGT1jhΉqC$pL`ЦJ.cD<@A{¬TT0Ym5o,<ЄOM'n\!o^6lGe5AN*˞J nuRsLK}FI9ëa7h 5Wو1bK1Ҡ=fW).g pi6[?>Q(ӏcH8"XIN{ dsD0|O?!0,Qv,թ,Q"h'33@-81g$&X\Nݠ~"4^Ӡhڤ~Q̰ZqRƃ[E2ߢ8gݏ5Oɴ$j_,ІEdHL0'XGPu vugTTAk Ae.drU5eCqɾ|;k"_XFs/a$J_z!b&^'Oejl1CA[/(2UPX-z)(IJ3OZ!tˀዲf4<@"smpbʑڍs @4﹀cb!auVD }7L]b l:TsRk1}2qF<z j#3ǀ:ENB ;Sm7l4 =nJ4&n@Q}C9Op/ ̂JXhN fkx|>;~x`{‰7.BȪLdjf%'vs,D}U b|+u0>Z=VPsMZְ6k\?)eME[0i{2< ksxz/GiXN;*#B0!eWbփf4Ffa8gQhY1"8 #lA>H@Os߀-k-IJIi`jE"[]C}aXA %]G_~SVM0Q:l 6s&0p&}T/I9RM5ǞAW ѹ;dyVjX9o ,x }*j;~x4׿˭';W&TqcV+gH LL ^ q&crs~tbL 3E$Ί't:M@ -nsb'*~έuQeD^L"V$ $Lr)a?zL[}} btZ|gi *.ɒL/?z$*(w,C_L]!4t;HYRTlBSZ3+'pR2gjoܝ,@V_2z{W M֍٨ȧj0LG]z8QPO1F<~UTcM-1|ycʓɬ[V-*c\Z<);Vb7B,j&0xg B|&ÀYZ'ld "l>9:QX`k(,㺼t14sAB:Wܢ慵+hq:nZlJ=8P%0Pr\Йt`~1ݕv["D OcpZE|w@Xpz4$I>f6M,̝\ u7:M#8fhb+:$P{kÃNdeL5(SM& CDƢUdSnX:*6ekkkWyP"9I AO%&JZ4r U 0iN&>XTc\(I&xYL&07iT'(1TTp6 -Q3 xɾ!.qN:]jDk0`aNe&:?! WtL3|;,WP>(Xuzw6@lazz-$VuN&p V U,~euOקѨKa-gFza\ }ߧkd7=x&)_H?}S$zpN嵋]_v)ǜ9 Ɵ,,ѴK\jx8߬m{߸IwFTZAqm0hs@ L1$[dei'(_V*g0kYN.gZ)%8X c;6`68UTmkU)Du,!Ţ-wۤ%}۱`i6(jMHcu )^!3mLHC]joA\\tB!#* `lFiC=v*Ӌu*]"_R%qN;ܖI%KԤIa^; gzD-k,j}^cNFU: M&kL; 44 Grnv5kkDsL[Π#ba~ndG"5ZJq*\jUQC++'4u= B%}b>*5P3tr.M;a,+-CPdH:+l\v:K2Nv 3L NˇR{g۴/S"s$SӘ_>1y_p*l c oؓ7G&FɩPqBHhyE3Ш 7ҮT=076t)W+'RBٌ[L_Nu%3?M9M` A;WH!sD;<0~
    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1