American climbers Alex Honnold & Tommy Caldwell got together for an overly ambitious first ascent climb in Argentine Patagonia last week.  Their plan:  perform a complete traverse of the Cerro Fitzroy Massif or Fitz Traverse.  This traverse involves climbing 7 peaks in a single push along the Cerro Fitz Roy ridge-line.  This traverse has been referred to as “the mother of all traverses.”
“This ridge-line involves climbing Aguja Guillaumet, Aguja Mermoz, Cerro Fitz Roy, Aguja Poincenot, Aguja Rafael Juárez, Aguja Saint-Exúpery and Aguja de l’S.” –  Rolando Garibotti, professional climber told Rock & Ice
The numbers on this climb are daunting:
The Fitz Traverse =Â
– 3 miles of climbing
– 13,000 vertical feetÂ
– Free climbing up to 5.11dÂ
– Some aid climbing (C1)
– Long 65-degree slopes
– Lots of ice and wet rock
The two Americans reportedly climbed much of the terrain simultaneously which means that they climbed it unroped. Â They had to move fast to stay safe and take advantage of their weather window. Â The weather in Patagonia is notoriously bad.
Honnold and Caldwell completed the climb in just 4 days. Â They started at 9:45am on February 12th and finished at 10am on Feburary 16th.
They reportedly used rock shoes only for Pilar Goretta. Â The rest of the climb was done in their approach shoes. Â Those are good approach shoes…
Tommy Caldwell has spent a lot of time in Patagonia and has completed many impressive first ascents there. Â This was Alex Honnold’s first ever trip to Patagonia.
Wild.
Their massive balls could have only made it that much more challenging.
Small correction, it is being reported they “simul-climbed” (ie a running belay) which is an advanced and risky technique that does use a rope but with each climber climbing on one end of it instead of one anchored and belaying.