A Spanish quartet, driven off Cerro Torre by falling ice, switched gears and quickly climbed a 1,000-meter new route on a neighboring peak. Dani Ascaso, Álvaro Novellón, Santi Padrós, and Óscar Pérez made the first ascent of a steep couloir on the East Face of Cerro Adela in late-winter conditions.

The four men had hoped to repeat the ice link-up on Cerro Torre established by Americans Kelly Cordes and Colin Haley last season, starting up the Marsigny-Parkin route on the south side of the granite spire. But partway up the Marsigny-Parkin, the Spanish narrowly escaped being clobbered by two avalanches from a serac high above them and decided to retreat.

Read the full report by Dougald MacDonald at Climbing.com