For Paolo Marazzi, the fascination with Patagonia and its magic began at the age of 15, his brother sharing tales of his adventures of El Chaltén, a place that felt so distant it could only be experienced from photos and postcards. One Christmas, Paolo’s father gifted him a guidebook with all the climbs of Patagonia, saying to his son “Paolo, I hope it will come in handy one day”.
“Maybe that was the spark, the moment that started everything: my desire to explore new places and find the most pristine corners of the world…” explains Paolo, “this feeling has always stayed with me, I don’t think it will ever stop.”
Campo de Hielo Norte (the Northern Patagonian Ice Field) is a vestige of the Patagonian Ice Sheet, notoriously difficult and wild. Paolo and his friend Luca Scheira first learnt about it in 2018 from a local mechanic, a photo of an unfamiliar grey shadowy wall that was apparently near impossible to reach. Their research started with Google Maps and talking to many local climbers but it wasn’t until a year later in 2019 did they have the opportunity to try and climb it.
In this first attempt, they climbed a mountain face that had never been climbed before, opening a new route that they named L’Appel du Vide – a French term describing the feeling one has of the void. An adrenaline-pumping mix of fear, vertigo and the desire to jump into the void. “There is no word in Italian that translates the same way, but it’s certainly how we felt at that moment”.
“You can only be convinced of what you are doing, where you want to go and who is by your side.”
“I would never go to Campo de Hielo Norte with someone else and I think Luca feels the same way. We trust each other blindly.”
Their second attempt was in 2020, accompanied by their climber friend, Giacomo Mauri. 5km out from the wall the trio were forced to stop, the totally frozen ice sheet made it impossible to continue any further. For Paolo and Luca it was another bitterness they couldn’t accept.
A climb of this scale is a huge investment, the preparation begins months (or in this case) years in advance. There is the logistical preparation, attaining permits to enter certain areas, finding local assistance to carry essentials to the edge of the glacier, accessing photos and information about the walls they’d be climbing. There is physical training, logging many walks and climbs from a variety of altitudes. They suggest incorporating cycling to one’s training program also.
Food is another vital element. A month-long climb requires you to be totally independent, with no room for error when calculating how much food to bring. A delicate balancing act – you can’t risk the physical burden of carrying too much, but you can’t afford to not have enough sustenance to make it through the journey either. 
The mental preparation is the hardest to prepare for. For Luca and Paolo who’ve enjoyed many adventures together, the state of mind is a belief system to live by. “You can only be convinced of what you are doing, where you want to go and who is by your side. To stay on your feet for two days on end with no chance to sleep, making camp in the most extreme weather conditions. Some things you cannot prepare for, you just have to do it.”
They returned to Patagonia in 2021 with a renewed energy. On this final attempt, the two Italians approached the glacier from the north side, the few who had succeeded had used this passage. On the downside, this would vastly increase the distance to their destination. “Our idea was to use skis and sledge our way across the extra km’s, the wind on our wings taking us as far as the conditions would allow” reveals Paolo. 
They entered the glacier and climbed an unfamiliar rocky wall, somewhat blindly. Later it was revealed they’d opened a new route, the rock face they’d climbed had previously only been explored from the opposite side. They reached the top at 5:00am in terrible weather conditions, the window to return to base camp safely was closing by the minute. Beyond exhausted, they decided to abort the mission, resting only 30mins before turning back. It took another day and a half without sleep to return to base.
The highs and the lows of their adventures together demonstrate the strength that the two travel companions have as a unit. Reaffirming Paolo’s philosophy that in this sport it’s crucial to surround yourself with the right type of support. “I would never go to Campo de Hielo Norte with anyone else and I think Luca feels the same way. We trust each other blindly – there’s a synergy between us, a mutual understanding.” Each athlete brings a particular set of qualities to the table, whether its navigation, weather mapping, research or logistics. 
Maybe Luca and Poalo are the perfect duo, but in truth no one wants to go with them – their friend Giacomo who tried in 2020 refuses to go back. Nonetheless, after three years and multiple attempts the elusive Campo de Cielo Norte continues to evade them.
We know they can do it. Watch this space…
Credits by ALBA OPTICS
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