Aguja Mermoz NW ridge - Cerro Fitz Roy Goretta pillar
The North Pillar Sit Start
NW ridge of Mermoz to Goretta Pillar link-up
1900m 6c A1
Scott Bennett and Cheyne Lempe (USA), 01/2012.
Description. Climbs the NW ridge of Mermoz to then traverse south along the ridge, along the Care Bear traverse, past two small summits and passing Aguja Val Biois by its west side to reach the col del Bloque Empotrado at the base of the Goretta pillar, which was climbed via the Casarotto with the Kearney-Knight variation to the summit. The first ascensionists climbed a significant variation at the start of Mermoz's NW ridge, climbing over 500 meters of new terrain.
History. This linkup was completed alpine style with three bivies, one half way up Mermoz's NW ridge, another at the base of Aguja Val Biois and one more at the col between the Goretta pillar and upper Fitz Roy headwall.
This was the first continuous ascent of Mermoz's NW ridge, which had been climbed in two sections by Slovenes Zlatko Koren and Vasja Kosuta ten years earlier.
This is one of the longest link-ups in the massif, covering similar vertical gain to climbs like the Care Bear traverse, the Torres Traverse and the Wave Effect.
Approach. Piedra del Fraile to Piedra Negra to Paso Cuadrado to North Fitz Roy glacier.
Pro. Big cams helpful for Mermoz's NW ridge and for the Goretta pillar.
Descent. Via the Franco-Argentine.
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