Aguja Guillaumet, Aguja Mermoz, Aguja Val Biois and Cerro Fitz Roy


Care Bear Traverse

1950m 6c

Dana Drummond and Freddie Wilkinson (USA) in 2008.

Description. Climb Guillaumet via the Brenner-Moschioni route (350m 6b), continue along the south ridge (see Guillaumet’s South Ridge traverse) to below the South summit (100m 4+) and descend to the Argentine route on Mermoz along which you continue to the summit (300m 6a). To this point it is called the Motocross traverse and was first climbed by Slovenes Klemen Mali and Rok Sisernik in 2006 in 11.5 hours. From here continue along the ridge climbing a number of small towers –many rappels and much alpine trickery- to reach Aguja Val Biois which is passed on the west side without tagging the summit (300m aprox, 6a). From the Bloque Empotrado col the first ascentionists climbed the Casarotto/Kearney-Knight/Casarotto combo to the summit of Fitz Roy (900m 6c). This has to be the longest and funnest rock route anywhere south of the Equator! It has it all, great views, great rock, a lot of fun climbing and a lot of trickery. It does not get any better.

History. The first ascent was completed in three days with one bivy on the top of Mermoz and a second bivy on the south ridge of Val Biois, right above the Bloque Empotrado col, followed by a night descent from the summit of Fitz back down the Goretta pillar to recover a gear stash at the col.

This traverse has been repeated three times since then, with the repeats taking roughly the same amount of time to complete. One repeat included a first bivy on top of Guillaumet, a second bivy in the Bloque Empotrado col and a third on top of the Goretta pillar; another one was done with a first bivy in the Bloque Empotrado col and a second on top of the Goretta pillar; and the last repeat involved a bivy on top of Mermoz and a second ¾ of the way up the Goretta pillar. All repeats climbed the Goretta pillar via the Casarotto/Kearney-Knight/Young Jerkers/Mate-Porro/Casarotto combo, which might or might not be faster than the Casarotto or the Casarotto/Kearney-Knight/Casarotto combo.
After Gian Carlo Grassi’s Bizcochuelo on El Mocho, the Care Bear sets a new low for lame route names. Unfortunate considering how very very good the climbing is.

Approach. Same as for Brenner-Moschioni.

Pro. Two each to camalot #4, many nuts, a lot –like 20 meters- of rap cord.

Descent. The first ascentionists descended back down the Goretta pillar to recover a gear drop at the col, but the Franco-Argentine descent taken by subsequent repeats is preferable.

Photos (click to enlarge)

Care Bear Traverse

Guillaumet, Brenner-Moschioni

Aguja Mermoz, Argentine Route and

Val Biois

Fitz Roy, Casarotto/Kearney-Knight/

Young Jerkers/Mate-Porro/Casarotto

combo

Fitz Roy, Franco-Argentine descent