Grant Winner - Felipe Proaño

Felipe Proaño is one of Ecuador’s most recognized climbers. He began climbing the mountains of Ecuador in 2003 and has climbed more than 20 big walls, hundreds of rock climbs, and many alpine climbs.

In Ecuador, he has been a contributor to the development of new climbing locations such as the Columns of Tangán and the Towers of Simiatug in a sustainable and equitable way. Felipe is a The North Face Athlete.

Through his project, Peru: Canals of Rurec, Felipe plans to combine his passion for archaeology and mountain sports to identify, count, map, and understand the purpose of the ruins located in the Valley of Rurec. The valley has hundreds of old prehispanic structures that were recently spotted by his rock-climbing team which has not yet been subject to archaeological study.

Using tools such as aerial technology, satellite imagery, and modern climbing techniques to count, measure, and map every structure, Felipe aims to investigate these structures and attempt to cross the Huantsan pass, this mountain is the most important deity in the area. This project will produce short films including content from 2018 to 2022, and his findings will be published and shared with the academic community after the expedition.