Fitz Roy - South face
24. Canadian route
650m (400 new) 6b A1
Paul McSorley and Jon Walsh (Canada), January 2005.
Description. This routes climbs a line of right facing corners left of the Boris Simoncic route. Walsh strongly recomends this route, arguing that it is very high quality and much cleaner than the Franco-Argentine, with none of the fixed ropes and manky, old, poorly equalized fixed anchors that caracterize that route. He also estimates that the route could be climbed free at around 7b. The route's best pitch is a superbe 60 meter enduro corner that goes free at about 6c.
History. McSorley and Walsh started climbing at 1 PM and because of afternoon shade and icy cracks from a recent storm, were forced to climb in mountain boots rather than rock shoes, resorting often to direct aid. They made one bivy half way up the route, and after reaching the summit rapped the Franco-Argentine route. This route was repeated a few weeks later by Aaron Martin and Jacob Schmitz in 36 hours round trip from base-camp (7hs from bergschrund to summit), free climbing 85% of it at less than 6b.
Approach. Río Blanco to Paso Superior to Brecha de los Italianos to La Silla. Getting to la Brecha involves a fair amount of climbing and can be done a number of ways: via the classic couloir leading to it (6 pitches mixed), via a line to the far left, either right or left of the obvious serac or via the rock spur just left of the couloir (Roberta Nuñez –Brazil- and Jose Pereyra –Venezuela- 10 pitches to 6a). It is also possible to approach la Silla from the Torre valley via the Poincenot couloir, but this is a fairly dangerous (serac) and time-consuming alternative.
Pro. Walsh writes »a standard double rack is all that's needed, as a perfect nut or cam is never more than a body length away«.
Descent. The faster and more direct Franco-Argentine descent is recommended. |
