Torre Egger, new line 18 January 2002

Torre Egger - expe.com

Report: by Peter Janschek

Material provided by Arkadi Seregin (Cerro Torre expedition, 2002)

On the 31st of December Michael Mayr ("Much") and I did our first trip up to the Norwegian Camp. Our sacks were heavy but it pleased me that we could carry all our gear up to Norwegian in one go. I had already feared it might take two trips. Having stashed our gear under an overhanging rock we headed back to Bridwell. At 11pm we were back in Camp. We waited the extra hour to celebrate the new year. We cracked open a Tetra-pack of Vino Toro (happy box). There were no spectacular fireworks, Bridwell Camp was deserted. The festivities were happening in Chalten.

Sixteen days of bad weather followed. Sounds like a long time to wait but the time seemed to fly by. Toni Gutsch and Alex Huber shared the hut with us in the camp. We got pretty hooked on pancakes, which then became our staple diet. I always have to think of the previous generation of mountaineers that sat in the base camp getting fat. We spent our time bouldering. The boulders spread about in the proximity of the camp are really good so there is no need to get unfit.

When the Torre chain finally became visible they were looking very wintry. The top halves still thick with rime. On our first trip we ferried our gear up the Torre Glacier. Our initial plan of trying Badlands on Torre Egger immediately vaporised. There is a very big difference between considering climbing a route from reading the topo and then seeing the line firsthand. Reality speaks for itself in Patagonia. Luckily I have learned this from previous trips to this area. The route was totally wet and more importantly it did not seem possible for us to do it in an alpine style. Good weather is very rare and if a route looks overly time consuming it immediately tends towards the use of fixed lines. Climbing siege style just did not appeal too Much and I. To stay loyal to our ideals we had two choices. Abandon the idea of doing Torre Egger or look for the alpine style solution. Titanic seemed a more logical line. Once again, this one was "nice from far but far from nice". On closer inspection we saw that the entire section below the snowfield was wet and would only get worse with a bit more sun. The first ascent of this route was done over two seasons, the bottom section in winter, as an ice climb, and the rest in the summer. By climbing the route over two seasons they made use of the best conditions for each section. It may be possible to do the route in one push but only if the conditions stay below the freezing point to keep the wall dry. I would go so far as to say that most of the routes that have been done in siege style could go in one push, but only with exceptional luck or in capsule style. That's what makes it special to achieve anything in this part of Patagonia. The weather seems to rule everything. Further right is the Italian route of 1980 that looked good for the first half and not so good for the rest. The route takes a fairly direct line up to the Col between the summits of Punta Heron and Torre Egger. The top half looked wet and dangerous. For Much and I it seemed best to try and find a way to link the 1980 Italian route with Titanic at the snowfield. We left or gear just past the berschrund and returned to the Norwegian camp for one more good nights rest.

The next morning we got an early but apprehensive start. It was the first really good day and it may still have been dangerous due to ice and rock fall. The morning was not without misfortune. Much stepped on a booby-trapped section of the bergshrund and disappeared a few meters below. When he appeared again he said it was dark and scary down there. He also got a heavy load of snow on his back that hurt a bit.

Then finally we were climbing. Initially we were very slow. The Haul bag turned out to be a pig as they always do. The weather was turning bad again. Although we had looked for the driest option on this face of Torre Egger we still ended up getting really wet. Water was running down parts of the dihedral that ended up running unavoidably down my sleeve. Bad weather was marching in very rapidly, sending us back to Norwegian Camp. In this short attempt, we managed to climb about 200m. It was clear to us that it was going to take a lot more scouting to find the line we were after. The next day we returned to Bridwell Camp to replenish our food supplies. The supplies were running low and luckily Timmy and Nathan helped us out with more food. The following day the weather was good again. We returned to our highpoint and where hoping for a break. Leaving the bivi gear behind we continued one more pitch up the Italian route. From here Much lead two new pitches to the top of the buttress. One more pitch and we were 10m adjacent to Titanic. Titanic follows a right facing dihedral that was streaming with water. We found ourselves in a left facing dihedral with considerably better conditions. This continued up another three pitches where Titanic tends to the left and we continued up the final pitch of this dihedral system. At this point I was difficult to say which way to go. First Much tried climbing right that ended in a cul-de-sac and then the left became the solution. The next pitch a perfect open book crack terminating after about 25m and then exiting round a sharp arete. From here it was a short easy section to the snowfield. The weather looked nasty again. While eating a pack of biscuits it started to snow. It was time to descend again.

We had completed the variation. We wanted to meet with Titanic at the snowfield and that was done. On the 5th November 1987 Elio Orlandi and Mauricio Giarolli completed Titanic from the snowfield. Now we also knew that our idea of climbing Torre Egger alpine style was infact possible. The rest of Titanic looked like it wouldn't present too much of a problem. It had taken us much effort in studying this mountain and route finding to get to this point. For us it was a good feeling to know that we had found a solution to climb this mountain in one push. Now all that we needed was some more good weather that would allow another attempt. Back in Norwegian Camp Timmy O'Neil and Nathan Martin had returned from their project on the west face of Bifida. They were a bit disillusioned about returning to the west side so we told them they should have a go at our line. We gave them a "super topo" of our variation and the rest of the topos that we had of Titanic. We could have called this route our project and kept it to ourselves, but we did not. Both Much and I are of the opinion that it is pointless to hang onto a route like a possession. The mountain does not belong anybody, so what is the point. We will be returning to free-climb this route.

At this point I very much doubted that we would get another go at the mountain before the end of our trip, but as it turned out, two days later the clouds broke again. Much and I were still really tired so we spent one more day resting and then we were at the base of Torre Egger again. In 12 hours we climbed to just above the snowfield to the Bivi del Canto. And once again the clouds came rolling in.

Earlier on we had seen Timmy and Nathan above us on the last diagonal ramp of the headwall. They were in the right position and started a day earlier. For them it looked pretty certain that they would make the summit. It looked pretty inhospitable up there so it was still going to be hard. Much and I decided it would be tactically better to bivi, although we had not intended to bivi. It looked pointless to continue unless we knew that it would clear enough for us to reach the summit. Here we had the advantage of a little ledge to sit on and observe what would happen. It was a bitterly cold night without bivi-gear the next morning the weather became worse, snow, spindrift and wind all at the same time. We started to descend and at the snowfield we saw Timmy and Nathan three pitches above us. Good to see that they were OK because that night on the mountain was really tough.

Timmy and Nathan had reached the summit. For us we decided that we would have to return next year to try and reach the summit.

We had free climbed every pitch and our intention is to free climb the entire route. As both Much and I believe that the style in which a mountain is climbed is most important thing Torre Egger has six ascents and to have a progression in climbing it is only possible in the style the mountain is climbed. We want to climb Torre Egger free and alpine style. In January 2003 we will be back in Patagonia to complete our goal that is if the weather is kind to us. Now that we have done all the homework we are certain of its possibility. Any other style does not interest us.

YES!!!! 31.01.02 at 22.15 A. Seregin, T. Akhmedkhanov and A.Lastotchkin were on the summit of Cerro Torre via "Compressor" route! Our congratulations!

Story from the guy with the experience of the bad Patagonian weather.

Arkady Seregin, El Chalten, Patagonia
05.02.02

28.01.02. We are still at the Bridwell camp. The weather is ugly, so we: Tim, Alexander and me (V.Skripko has problems with his knee and lives in El Chalten) are bouldering and making sports (there are facilities for the normal stable Patagonian bad weather not to hard drink but make sports...). At 16.00 weather changes to be a bit better.

We make decision to start to Norwegian bivy. Start at 17.00. At 21.00 arrive to Norwegian bivy (just at the moraine of the Torre glacier). There we meet Den Potter and Tim O'Neil. They are going to climb Fitz Roy via "Supercouluar" just to look for the body of the Spanish solo-climber Frank, who climbed the "Californian route" and did not returned back a week ago...

29.01.02. It rains. Nobody go. Together with American climbers reconstruct and improve our cave under the big rock. From time to time organize "coffe-pauza". Tim O'Neil is funny guy, every time he smiles and sing songs. In the evening Den and Tim start back to the Bridwell: the weather still is bad. In the late evening 3 Korean climbers came from Bridwell camp.

30.01.02. The weather is good. WE start at 7.00 to the Col of Patience. Cross the glacier, spent 30 min. to dig in and find our gear on the glacier (it was hard job after long bad weather!). Then climb 9 pitches to the Col. There is "bergshrund" there we left a lot of gear, food-stuff, gas, worm clothing. It was another great job to remove the snow and find all this stuff. This day additionally to 150 m of rope we fix additionally 50 meters. Late evening Koreans came. They are noisy and do not let us to sleep.

31.01.02. We wake up at 2.30. There are some clouds on the sky (bad sign!), but we decide to climb as long as the wind blows us down. As soon as we climb the weather became better!

There is no too much space to write step by step about our climb... The 90 m. monument bolt leader traverse is really impressive...We had heavy backpacks so we decide for acceleration to leave them at the pitch No 15 on the ledge (worm jackets, Gore bivy bags, stove, food). We continued more fast. Climbing we could see 2 parties were following us (Spanish and Korean guys). The really impressive the ice towers: they are Patagonian mushrums. A lot of mixed...Sometimes ice came to be 80-85 grad.

At 19.30 we approached the headwall. You see, just later on we had the "opportunity" to feel by our ass the way the Patagonian mushrooms are growing up... The south-east overhanging 200 meters part of headwall is fully plastered by mushrooms. Impressive! From the point of the pitch No 20, 21 you can see the massive of the glacier Hielo Sur : huge glacier that makes the weather...
We climbed east face of headwall, normally the bad weather comes from the west, from the Pacific. So we could see nothing. Later on Leo Houlding told us, the same time he climbed A. Exupery and he has seen a huge clouds just coming from the west. He was terrified... We not, we did not see them!

At 20.00 the weather changed to bad: strong wind and snowing. We did not want to give up to be just in 200 m. from summit (remember, the Sweden party was stopped by such weather just on "Compressor" in 40 meters from summit ridge!).

The compressor, fixing by metal cable to 5 bolts, benzene "Compressor" is really huge and looks incredibly on the wall just in few meters from the summit. The upper bolts were broken by Maestri himself.

Now the name of the upper pitch is Bridwell pitch: he has climbed it in Yosemite Big Wall style.

At about 22.00-22.15 we were on the summit. This season is good for Cerro Torre mushroom.

It's possible just to hike up there from the left side (south-west side). Storm started and we started our long way down. The snow heated your face with the pain, it was impossible to look down, there were the rivers of snow, flowing down... At 4 a.m., 01.02.02 we reached our rucksacks. We had idea to make bivy (to put on warm jackets and dive in to bivy-bags. But in short time we canceled this idea: all your bivy bags would be full of snow before you dive in!!!). We spent 2 hours cooking tea and awaiting the daylight. In a daylight the snowing started more and more heavy. We were not in panic...Midday the God waked up and decided not to let us go from the Cerro Torre...

The worm strong wind... In short time all our stuff, gear , clothing and rocks were covered by thick ice. Carabiners hardly worked...The rope became thicker and thicker...OÂ?K, we continued moving. Then another type of wind started: it was storm (later on I was told by chief of National park, there was the wind about 150 km per hour...)

I was like a shit of paper on the rope...The aerodynamic - pipe test lasted at least 2 hours.

All ice has gone from us and rocks, but we could not make just single move! Just after all these tests the God decided: "It's Enough". Blue sky and silence have came. We have got the chance to return back. At 8 p.m, 01.02.02 we were at the bergshrund.
You see, to climb 28 pitches up took us 18 hours, to return back-22 hours. All is in non-stop regime.

The same time the Spanish team stopped at the pitch No 21, Koreans retreated from the pitch No 18.

02.02.02 we started at 12.00 from the Col to the Norwegian bivy. All time and everywhere there was rain... (It's Patagonia!)
We rappeled down additional 9 pitches, then we had to cross huge 2 waterfalls (in normal condition they are just spring).

OK, we returned back to Bridwell at 1 am 03.02.02. We were met by Tim O'Neil by pancakes and hot tea.

Next day we were heroes at the camp: everybody shacked our hands, all impressed they luckiness to see us alive.

We were proud for Russia! You see, this season we became the 3-d party to climb Cerro Torre (last season nobody climbed!): Alex Huber, Den Potter and we are!

As soon as it was possible I was making move. I has broken the display of my camera, when we returned back to Bridwell camp, the water was leaking from it. But you see, it still works!!!!

Next day we got town to El Chalten for the party. As soon as barman got to know we climbed Cerro Torre we got beer for free. It's no usual situation for this place people often climb Cerro Torre.

Ok, my 25 years dream has came to be true!

It's a dream of many climbers. Many of them spent years to catch the good weather window to climb it. To climb Cerro Torre has something to do to luck! Luck to get enough breath to return back...

Thanks to Moscow climbing federation, BASK, KLM Dutch aircompany, Shturm, Alpex, dealers of Marmot ...they helped us to realize this climb!

Spanish solo climber is dead. Nobody has seen his body. We proposed our help, but they still do not need it. The climbers from Spain arrived (there were 5 brothers. 2 of them has died in car accident, another one has died climbing is Spain, Frank has died here...)

Now we need a time to recover...

And you see , now we are a highly experienced specialists in Patagonian weather. The main rule is: the Patagonian weather is UNPREDICTABLE!!!!

Arkady Seregin,
El Chalten, Patagonia
05.02.02

27.01.02
"Harry Potter" story from Arkadi Seregin from Patagonia for "RISK Online"

Hi, best regards from Patagonia. It looks nice place for the climbers from all world.

Some evening a tall man came to our tents in Bridwell camp and informing me he was solo climber asked if it was possible to join us to cross the glacier to get the bottom of Cerro Torre (it's danger to "solo-cross the glacier). This chap was Dean Potter, the well-known Californian climber (a lot of fast climbs in Yosemite). He works for "Patagonia". OK, we agreed to take him with us. On 21.01 we started from Norwegian bivy at 4.00. We reached the bottom of the Cerro Torre at 5.30 and "Harry Potter" started his run. It took him 11 hours to reach the summit of the Cerro Torre. Normally, he climbed without protection, he belayed himself just on "Bridwell pitch", then he roped down to the bergshrund on the shoulder of Cerro Torre. On his way down the strong wind started, but everything was OK.

He was terribly tired and he was looking like "parrot Kesha" which fly away from Vovka (the popular cartoon in Russia - com. RISK): big eyes, and big, big nose: he was tired... This very moment we made bivy in the bergshrund (this place locates in 9 mixed ice-rock pitches from the bottom, we fixed additional 4 pitches up, but do not moved: this bergshrund is only one place to sleep on the Maestri route.). Potter decided to stay overnight with us. I was impressed got to know he had nothing to sleep in (just the emergency bivy bag, which is not Gore-Tex). I gave him my jacket. He asked me "Are you sure you don't need it?"

At 12 in the night he stared down. Den Potter became the second soloist to climb Cerro Torre.

So the first day we reached the Col of Patient (9 pitches from the bottom), and fixed 4 ropes above. There were signs of bad weather coming (strong western wind from Pacific, which brings the worm wet air, passing the Hielo glacier it cools down and you get a lot of clouds and snow + you can see the special Patagonian clouds like the plates for drinking hot tea). We had the time to move, but we decided to sleep on the Col (if the weather is bad, the more you climb, the more you make you troubles to retreat).
There were 3 Sweden (last time they were stopped by wind in 50 meters from the top).

Arkadi Seregin for RISk Online from Patagonia, January 27, 2002

25.01.02
Arkadi Seregin for "RISK online": Nobody here wants to talk

photo: tvmountain.com

It took us 4 days to arrive to El Chalten from Moscow, the small vilage near Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. Our basecamp is on the Lago de Torre (10 km from Chalten). Then we transported all our gear to Norvegian Bivy just near the Cerro Torre. It's impossible to build up there the tents because of wind, so everybody lives in the small caves under the big stones (like near Petit Dru).

Lastotchkin's slogan: O, dear son, now you understand the name of Patagonia: it's potogonia (pot in Rusian means sweat - comm. RISK) And I invented another one, you know the English proverb "don't trouble trouble untill trouble troulbes you", so for Patagonia it is: "don't trouble the weather untill weather troubles you...".

Nobody here wants to talk about the weather...It's unpredictable. The bigest problem is wind, wind, wind, wind, and strong wind and mostly incredibly strong winds.

We met Alex Huber with the partner. They climbed "compressor" route from Norv. bivy to bivy in 48 hours. They had to sleep on the summit in the natural icy cave in summit mushrum.

The Sveden team of 4 was stopped by storm in 50 meters from summit (150 km per hour).

Two Japanise did 10 attempts during 2 months to reach the summit via "compressor". The result is "0".

So we are brave and await our chance of good weather.

But you see, 50% of our success is "OK": we have seen the Cerro Torre and did a lot of pictures and I did film (too many peoples spend a lot of time and do not have the opportunity to make a picture!)

Best regards from our team.

Arkadi Seregin