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Is there an FKT on the SE ridge of Cerro Torre?

Original Post
Tucker M · · Washington · Joined Apr 2020 · Points: 0

Cerro Torre SE ridge... is there an FKT town to town?

Sam Bedell · · Bend, OR · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 443
Tucker M wrote:

Cerro Torre SE ridge... is there an FKT town to town?

Of course there is... it's just not on the stupid website.

Mikey Schaefer · · Reno, NV · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 233

Pre bolt removal it is maybe around 10-ish hours with some asterisks.

From Pataclimb.com

The third solo ascent was done by Dean Potter (USA) the 23/1/2002. He started from Noruegos with a group of Russian climbers, roping up with them to reach the bergschrund at the base of the climb, leading to the col of Patience. From there he continued alone, belaying himself only in the last pitch, the “Bridwell” pitch. It took him 8 hours and 30 minutes from the col of Patience to the summit (12:30 hs from Noruegos to the top), and 5 hours back down also to the col of Patience where he bivied for a a little over two hours with the same group of climbers, then continued alone down to Noruegos.

In 2005 Aaron Martin (USA) climbed the Compressor route to a reported 10 meters from the summit in 16 hours round trip from the Noruegos camp (10.5 hours up aprox). Like Pedrini and Potter he only self belayed in the Bridwell pitch, but unlike Pedrini, Potter and Whimp he did the glacial approach solo. The ice and mixed climbing were difficult because he climbed with approach shoes (no boots!), wearing crampons over them (yes, he climbed Cerro Torre in running shoes!!). Martin fixed his rope at the compressor, then climbed to the end of his rope, at which point he tied it off to his only ice-screw and continue on to the summit. Just shy of the summit he found unconsolidated snow and decided to retreat. 

With the bolts gone I'm not sure anyone has done it without a bivi?  Colin and Tyler Karrow did it roundtrip from the Col of Patience in 21 hours but not sure their camp to camp time.  I don't exactly remember how long it took myself, Wharton and Rothner but we only Bivi'd on the route once and and made it back to camp early morning on our 3rd day, so probably around 48hrs schrund to schrund.  Though I have an awful memory and don't really keep track of those sorts of details so I could be wildly off.   I think the other teams that were up there at the same time as us went faster than us since they weren't trying to free climb but they may have also bivi'd at the col.

Tucker M · · Washington · Joined Apr 2020 · Points: 0

wow the bolts really changed the nature of the climb that drastically. Yea town to town single push sounds like it would be really pushing human potential. Thanks for the replies. 

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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