Fitz Roy - North face


11. Polish route

1200m (900 new) 6b A2 60°

Wieslaw Burzynski, Miroslaw Falco Dasal, Michal Kochanczyk, Jacek Kozaczkiewicz and Piotr Lutynski (Poland), 24/12/1984.

Description. This route takes an obvious line up the dihedral just right of the Goretta pillar. The climbing involves a series of mixed gullies in the lower part, that lead to snow ramps, slabs and mixed climbing to reach the dihedral proper, which it climbs until it meets the Casarotto at the col below the upper headwall. Generally the rock is good, but in the evenings there is some rock fall danger from the summit snowfields. The central ramps offer several ledges for bivouacking. The climbing involves several pendulums and treacherous aid climbing.

History. The first ascent party was part of a seven-man expedition from Krakow, Poland. They reached the summit after spending a total of 12 days on the route, 8 on the final push and 2 more on the descent. They used a total of 800 meters of fixed ropes, which turned out not to be enough, so they took out some of the fixed lines from the easier middle section to be able to fix the upper part of the route (180 meters fixed over the col). This route is still unrepeated. At the col behind the Goretta pillar they met Alan Kearney and Robert Knight who were in the process of making the second ascent of the Casarotto route, with a variation. This kind of “possy” gathering happened again in late 2008 just a few meters away, on top of the Goretta pillar, when 8 climbers bivied together there.

In 1975 Australians Robert Staszewski and Rick White made an alpine style attempt to establish a route starting just left of the one later completed by the Polish team, climbing seven pitches before being forced to retreat due to bad weather and lack of equipment. They tried several more times, but could not climb any higher. In the 1975/76 season a South African team also attempted a line in this area of the wall. The team included Eckhard Druschke, Jerry Linke, Romy Stapley, Herman Vogl and Clive Ward.

Approach. Eléctrico Valley to Paso Cuadrado to North Fitz Roy glacier. Once below Fitz Roy’s north face climb easy snow (45°) to the base of the route (500 meters vertical gain). Boots, steel crampons and a light axe are recommended. It is also possible to approach this route via Torre Valley to Boquete del Piergiorgio or Hombre Sentado.

Pro. ?

Descent. The route?

Bibliography.
Polish: Taternik 1985/1 p. 29-31; AAJ 1985 p.240; GHM 1985 p.16; Peñarala 439 p.43.
Australians: AAJ 1976, p.504-505.

Photos (click to enlarge)

Fitz Roy north face

Fitz Roy north and west face

Fitz Roy north pillar

Polish route topo