Three Colombian alpinists have made an outstanding addition to the climbing history of 6,241m Chimborazo, the highest peak in Ecuador. They have just opened a new direct line up its demanding South Face in pure alpine style.
Chimborazo lies in the Western Range of the Ecuadorian Andes, in the heart of the country. Because the Earth bulges at the equator, its summit is actually the point on our planet closest to the stars.
Chimborazo. Photo: David Torres Costales/Wikimedia
According to Desnivel, the small team consisted of Nestor Contreras, Alexander Chaves, and Felipe Galvis. Contreras wrote on social media that he and his partners traced a new, highly committing direct line to the main summit. The route demanded perfect terrain reading and combined unstable rock, hard ice, and steep mixed terrain.
Critical sections included areas under decomposing walls, wind-loaded snow slabs with high avalanche risk, and sustained pitches with slopes between 65° and 85°.
The new route on the South Face of Chimborazo. Photo: Nestor Contreras/Facebook
Purity and speed
The ascent stood out for its purity and speed. Opening a route of this caliber on a mountain over 6,000m demonstrated not just strength and commitment but technical mastery.
They named the route Marco Cruz 2026 (1,200m, 85°), and they climbed it in very light alpine style. The trio completed the round trip from base camp in approximately 14 hours. During most of the ascent, they were unroped for speed. However, they descended, carefully roped, down the same line. They carried everything, including 20 liters of water, and left no fixed gear.
The new route on Chimborazo’s South Face. Photo: Alexander Chaves/Desnivel
The veteran Ecuadorian guide, Marco Cruz, whom they named the route after, knows the South Face well. He confirmed that the direct line was previously unclimbed.
Contreras, Galvis, and Chaves. Photo: Alexander Chaves/Desnivel
