UKC

On the 21st of January 2008 Colin Haley and Rolando Garibotti became the first people to climb the infamous Torre Traverse, linking the mountains of Aguja Standhart, Punta Heron, Torre Egger and finally Cerro Torre.

A combination of fair weather, in depth route knowledge and a mulish determination saw Haley and Garibotti summiting Cerro Torre after four days of climbing, which culminated in hours of unprotected tunneling through vertical rime.

We interviewed Rolando for the full details of one of the most impressive ascents in recent mountaineering history.

Read More: http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=819

In reply to Jack Geldard - Assistant Editor:
Great article! Good to hear some more details about this truly remarkable route, straight from the horse's mouth as it were.

In reply to Jack Geldard - Assistant Editor:

Very interesting interview.

In your 'Some British Ascents' section, Brian 'Blob' Wyvill and (I think) Ben Campbell-Kelly were English in 1978.

http://www.rockfax.com/databases/r.php?i=17930
http://www.rockfax.com/databases/r.php?i=13068

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In reply to Jack Geldard - Assistant Editor:

Nice one Jack, interesting stuff.
Proctor and Burke don't get enough credit for their attempt on Cerro Torre - stopped by rime one pitch off the summit, way back in 1981.

In reply to duncan:

>Brian 'Blob' Wyvill and (I think) Ben Campbell-Kelly were English

Sure were. Wonder if Ben ever finished his Phd or is still the eternal student.

In reply to sutty: Changed,

Thanks

Jack

In reply to Jack Geldard - Assistant Editor:

Another minor point, the top half of the Burke-Proctor line was well to the left of what became Arca, it didn't even go to the col and stayed on the east face until well above the col.

In reply to sutty:

According to something in the new Lofoten guide Ben Campbell-Kelly was killed in a road accident on the way to instruct at the Nord Norske Klattreskole. Not sure of the date, late 70s/early 80s at a guess.


Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Well just mailed Jack with possible contact of someone who knows him

I got an email in the last couple of years with his address so his demise may be inaccurate, I hope.

In reply to sutty:
I think Proctor and Burke's effort is one of the finest ever in patagonia, even if it was an "attempt". the dihedral look horrendous. hard pitch after hard pitch, all of the committing because of the wide nature of the climbing. amazing what these guys could climb back then. hats off.
The upper portion is equally impressive. a three pitch horizontal traverse above the dihedral, then a wild groove with very hard mixed climbing. Burke described some of that climbing as his hardest ever. Their high point is 40 meters left of El Arca line, just 30 meters below the west ridge where they would have joined the 1974 route.
when you consider an effort like this you realized that in the 27 years that have passed we havent improved very much, in fact I think we have regressed. I have climbed below their dihedral 3 times now, and every time I want to reach over for a dipper. May be we should learn something from the commitment these guys had.
rolando garibotti