UKC

Jon Griffith and Will Sim - Cerro Piergiorgio

© Jon Griffith / Alpine Exposures
Will Sim making a calf burning traverse with the Fitz Roy massif in the distance  © Jon Griffith / Alpine Exposures
Will Sim making a calf burning traverse with the Fitz Roy massif in the distance
© Jon Griffith / Alpine Exposures

Will Sim just below the summit with the clouds already covering part of Cerro Torre  © Jon Griffith / Alpine Exposures
Will Sim just below the summit with the clouds already covering part of Cerro Torre
© Jon Griffith / Alpine Exposures
British climbers Jon Griffith and Will Sim are currently in Patagonia and have climbed the East Face Route on Cerro Piergiorgio.

The route was first climbed using fixed ropes. The pair of Brits made what is thought to be the second ascent and they climbed it alpine style in a day, wading through deep powder for 6.5 hours to gain the base of the climb.

"The fresh snow fall really slowed us down and by the time we neared the start of the climb it became almost impossible to wade through it. Nevertheless, a sweaty 6 1/2 hours later and the approach was over. Above us the route revealed itself and it looked awesome." commented Jon.

The route had one pitch of aid (A1) and a crux of Scottish grade 7:

"The second pitch was the aid pitch. Two thin cracks cut through the vertical granite wall above providing good gear placements and a pretty fast aid pitch... The third pitch formed the crux at a bold Scottish 7 for a few moves at the top. Starting up some rather awkward moves and you get lead into the depths of a rotting chimney with a thin ice smear on one of the walls at the top. The crux moves are transferring onto the ice where the feet suddenly run out and you find yourself campusing up on very thin ice in a very narrow squeeze." commented Jon.

The team had previously climbed the classic route of Exocet on the same day that Colin Haley soloed it (UKC News), and hope to squeeze in one more route before heading back to Europe.

"All in all a pretty amazing day and we were glad for it. It turned out that our Plan B was quite a bit harder and longer than we had anticipated but it felt really great to head out into the unknown like that and get our second route done in Patagonia already. We are off on Sunday but it looks like there might be one more chance to climb on Friday, fingers crossed." said Jon.

Hopefully Jon will be able to avoid ripping his nose open on the next route (see photo)!

photo
'Summit'- windy and clouds rolling in from behind. Fitz Roy and Supercaneleta in the background
© Jon Griffith / Alpine Exposures

photo
Will and Jon - Jon bust his nose open with his abalakov threader!
© Jon Griffith / Alpine Exposures


Jon Griffith is part of the UKClimbing Gear Review Team - see his reviews here: Jon Griffith UKC Reviews

Will Sim is sponsored by Marmot


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I became completely obsessed with climbing when I was about 11, and it has been getting me out of bed every day since then! I’d describe myself as a rock climber who gets lured into bigger and bigger adventures...

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16 Dec, 2010
Fantastic effort, but ouch, that nose looks damn sore Jon!!
16 Dec, 2010
I've heard that now he's finally got the piercing done is thinking on growing dreadlocks for the 'full look'... Ha, ha! Good effort guys, hope you get to try the big one this Friday!
16 Dec, 2010
Fantastic, you guys are machines! Everyone should look at Jon's blog as well because the photos of Exocet are also superb. What a line!?
16 Dec, 2010
Top work as ever guys!
16 Dec, 2010
Seconded, and the photo captioned "On the approach to Cerro Standhardt (just up and right of Will)" has to be one of the finest mountain photos I've seen. Outstanding stuff!
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