Aguja Desmochada, Aguja de la Silla and Cerro Fitz Roy

The Wave Effect

1900m (800 new?) 7b+ 40º

Whit Magro, Nate Opp and Josh Wharton (USA), 2/2011.

Description. The Wave effect is a link up of Aguja Desmochada, Aguja de la Silla and Cerro Fitz Roy. Desmochada was done via the Brass Parrot link-up, a 7b+ free-combo of El Condor, Golden Eagle and The Sound and the Fury (climb Golden Eagle to the first ledge -6 pitches-, to join El Condor for five pitches, then traverse to Golden Eagle and follow it for four pitches to then climb The Sound and the Fury to the top -8 pitches-), followed by a new route on la Silla which the first ascensionists christened The Vertical Current (6b, 6 new pitches to join the East Ridge) connecting to the Californian route on Fitz Roy. This link up is likely one of the very best rock climbs in the entire massif. The technical crux is along El Condor and involves a V6 boulder problem section.

History. The first ascent was done alpine style and as a team free ascent (leader climbs free with seconds jumaring or following) over four days. The first day involved the approach to Desmochada and climbing via Golden Eagle to the obvious ledge 1/3 of the way up, followed by a day for the upper 2/3s of Desmochada, one for La Silla and last, on day four, a 5 hour ascent of Californian route.

The first ascensionist dedicate the climb to Bean Bowers, a long time “patagonico” who soloed the hardest pitches of his life during a six months battle with cancer ultimately taking the fall, leaving many friends broken hearted. The idea of this link up was his.

Approach. See Golden Eagle.

Pro. Doubles to #4, stoppers.

Descent. Via the Franco-Argentine.

Photos (click to enlarge)

Aguja Desmochada, Aguja de la Silla

and Cerro Fitz Roy from the west