Max Odell

Max Odell is an all-around Alpinist and Mountain Guide. After spending ski seasons in Bariloche, Ushuaia, and Crested Butte, Colorado he decided to settle in El Chalten in Southern Patagonia in the year 1997. El Chalten is the youngest town in Argentina and is located between spectacular mountains like the famous Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. A place is known as a hardcore climbing place but also with great possibilities for ski alpinism. Max tells us: 'the first winter I was here there was no information about skiing, where to go or anything about previous avalanche conditions. I was on my own and if I wanted to go skiing I had to go by my self'. In the years to come, Max developed his skills as a climber and was successful in some of the big routes in the area. Among them is the Ragni di Lecco (West face of Cerro Torre), the Cerro Torre Compressor route, and the Supercanaleta on Fitz Roy. His latest achievement was a mayor traverse from Mini Torre (First Ascent) along the Adela ridge finishing on Cerro Torre West's face. Doing the traverse his team also climbed Cerro Doblado, Cerro Ñato, Cerro´s Adela Sur, Central, and Norte. When Max is not guiding, climbing with friends or skiing another first descent, he will be at his house drinking Mate and checking the weather forecast from his living room, which provides a relaxed view on the Cerro Fitz Roy. A contrast to the windy and dry outdoors! In a comfortable surrounding Max and his wife Marcella own a small outdoor store, called La Brecha, where hikers and climbers can buy anything they could be short of. Even skateboards! So no wonder that Max can be found skateboarding in the halfpipe, in front of his store with his two sons on warm days.