Introduction

Cerro Bismarck, quite forgotten by climbers nowadays, wasn´t so in times past. As a matter of fact, it was climbed before than its neighbor and today much more popular Cerro Plomo.

Cerro Bismarck provides an excellent ascent for any summer weekend. It has an easy access, although its final part requires some orientation and rock climbing skills. The views it has of the Olivares River Valley as well of the Molina River Valley are exceptional.

It is also a very recommended mountain for winter ascents, with skis, specially during the warmer days of September - October.

From the col next to this mountain, and descending down the Paramillos Creek and towards the East, one may reach the Olivares Valley, which may also be crossed and, then, through the "Paso de las Pircas", complete an interesting crossing of the Andes.


Toponomy

During the dawn of chilean mountaineering, a group of audacious expeditionaries was born, the "Club Gimnástico Alemán, which explored many zones of the Cordillera in times when everything was an adventure (not only the last meters of an ascent; expeditions started from Plaza Italia in Santiago, back then, and so it was for a long time). Thanks to the help of an arriero from Las Condes, José Alvarado, they were able to travel over the Mapocho Valley and later the Molina River Valley, where they found Cerro Bismarck. The name of the peak, which keeps no relation with the area nor with the local tradition, was given in tribute to the prince Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898), more known for his trajectory as Prime Chancellor of the German Empire an for being an experienced politician, and he enjoyed recognition in all Europe. It just happened that it was the old chancellor´s 78^th birthday the day in which his fellow countrymen (or descendants of German families) climbed for ths first time (according to modern records) a peak of considerable height in the middle of Chile´s Central Andes. In tribute to von Bismarck, who had been recently named prince by the emperor William, Brandt and Luck christened the mountain with his name. Some time later, these same "snow expeditionaries", engaged in a series of atempts for the summit of Cerro Plomo, being rejected by the mountain from 1893 to 1895 year in which the summit finally bowed before modern climbers.

Centuries before it had been climbed who knows hoy many times by our pre-colombian ancestors... and without Gore-Tex.