Haley: First Solo of Cerro Standhardt

12/1/10 - News link: Last week, Colin Haley made the first solo ascent of Cerro Standhardt via the Exocet route during a two-day good-weather window in Argentinean Patagonia.

Early Saturday morning, the American climber climbed to the Standhardt-Bifida col to the start of Exocet (5.9 WI5). He rope-soloed the first pitch's mixed terrain, then soloed the ramp system that crosses the peak's east face, arriving at a four-pitch chimney through the granite headwall. He free-soloed the first, second, and most of the fourth pitches (WI4, WI5, and WI4), and self-belayed on the third (WI5) when he began to feel tired.

He rope-soloed the next pitch, a slabby, mixed section that leads to the summit mushroom, reaching the top at 4 p.m. after 12 hours of climbing. A straightforward descent took him back to his tent at Niponino camp before the weather broke.

For more details and photos, visit colinhaley.blogspot.com.

Date of ascent: November 27, 2010

Source: colinhaley.blogspot.com