Cerro Torre Update

1/24/12 - Cerro Torre in Patagonia has been the scene of several dramatic developments in recent days. (See our previous news story here.) During their descent from the first complete ascent of the granite needle’s southeast ridge without using Cesasr Maestri’s hundreds of bolts, Hayden Kennedy and Jason Kruk chopped more than 100 of those bolts, seemingly erasing the most frequently climbed route up the peak. The action reignited a heated debate over the legitimacy of the so-called Compressor Route, as well as foreign climbers’ right to eliminate bolts that have stood in place more than four decades on the route.

Click here to read Rolando Garibotti’s original post at SuperTopo detailing the Kennedy-Kruk ascent and subsequent chopping, plus hundreds of comments.

Shortly afterward, the Austrian David Lama, who has been attempting to free-climb Cerro Torre for several years—and has been the subject of his own bolting controversies—successfully freed the southeast side of the peak, with partner Peter Ortner. Lama followed parts of the Compressor Route, with variations on both sides of the line, including a possible new finish. He took several falls at one crux before redpointing the pitch, and he experienced heady runouts higher up, in part because of the now-missing Maestri bolts. The grade and other details are not yet known.

The following is Lama’s Facebook post about the ascent:

"I can't believe it… For more than three years I was driven by the idea of freeclimbing the Compressor Route on Cerro Torre and now this dream has become true!

"My partner Peter Ortner and I started on January 19 from El Chalten and hiked in to Nipo Nino, our first camp. The next morning we climbed up to the Col de la Paciencia, rested there for a few hours, and then started our attempt at around 1pm. We climbed to the start of the Bolt Traverse, but instead of turning right, we went straight up on the technically difficult arete, a few meters left of the Salvaterra crack. I took a couple of falls, until I figured out the right sequence and then was able to send the pitch on my second try from the belay. A few pitches higher we reached the Iced Towers, where we picked a small ledge into an icefield to bivy. Early the next morning we climbed to the start of the headwall. The fact that Hayden and Jason had chopped Maestri’s bolts a couple of days ago made my endeavour even more challenging, especially mentally as the protection was poor and I had to do long runouts. Climbing on hollow and loose flakes we followed the original Compressor route for three pitches. About 20 meters below the compressor we traversed to the right and then reached a system of cracks and corners that lead us to the summit. Climbing the route in alpine style took us 24 hours from the Col.

"To me this first free ascent of the south east ridge of Cerro Torre is the end to the probably greatest adventure I experienced in my life so far. I’m especially proud having it done without adding any bolts. I learned a lot during the past years and climbing in this amazing mountain range has simply been great. Realizing dreams—it couldn’t be any better!"

Further details of both climbs will be reported as soon as they are available.