Despite Patagonia’s ever-changing and ever-challenging weather, more teams have made successful ascents of Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre, and Cerro Trinidad.
![Climbing on the Californiana route.](https://s3.amazonaws.com/www.explorersweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/03142915/IMG_1137-1.jpg)
On the Californiana route. Photo: Thomas Huber
Thomas Huber, Jon Griffin, and Tad McCrea finally succeeded on Fitz Roy by the Californiana route. A few days ago, the trio abandoned their attempted Moonwalk Traverse because of the weather. So instead, they summited via Californiana a few days later. Conditions forced them to give it their all.
![On the summit of Fitz Roy.](https://s3.amazonaws.com/www.explorersweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/03143021/IMG_1138.jpg)
On the summit of Fitz Roy. Photo: Tad McCrea
”Freedom is the reason why we move in these extreme environments,” recalled Huber on his social media. The Californiana route (400m 6a+) goes up the south face of Fitz Roy. Yvon Chouinard, Lito Tejada-Flores, Richard Dorworth, Doug Tompkins, and Chris Jones did its first ascent in December 1968.
Success after a six-week wait
Fanny Schmutz, Lise Billon, and Maud Vanpoulle did a three-day ascent of the southeast ridge of Cerro Torre. The three mountain guides had to wait six weeks for a suitable weather window, hardly unheard of in Patagonia.
![Vanpoulle on the southeast ridge of Cerro Torre.](https://s3.amazonaws.com/www.explorersweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/03143435/IMG_1141-1.jpg)
Vanpoulle on the southeast ridge of Cerro Torre. Photo: Fanny Schmutz
![Fanny Schmutz, Lise Billon and Maud Vanpoulle on the summit of Cerro Torre.](https://s3.amazonaws.com/www.explorersweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/03143547/IMG_1090.jpg)
Fanny Schmutz, Lise Billon, and Maud Vanpoulle on the summit of Cerro Torre. Photo: Maud Vanpoulle
Scott Bennett and Tyler Allen did the same route on Cerro Torre at the same time as the women. During a dream bivy in the heart of the climb, they recorded an incredibly beautiful video that they posted on Instagram.
![Frame of a video posted on Instagram by Tyler Allen. Their tiny tent is marked in red on the photo.](https://s3.amazonaws.com/www.explorersweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/03144105/IMG_1152-1.jpg)
Frame of a video posted on Instagram by Tyler Allen. A red arrow marks their tiny tent.
Ignacio Mulero, Leon Teizan Riveros Molina, and Nico Lewin established a new line on El Mocho. Arigato Chalten goes up the north face of El Mocho, and it includes six new pitches that Mulero was able to free climb.
!['Arigato Chalten' on El Mocho.](https://s3.amazonaws.com/www.explorersweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/03144524/IMG_1134-1.jpg)
‘Arigato Chalten’ on El Mocho. Photo: Ignacio Mulero
Leo Gheza, Angelo Contessi, and Diego Diaz Aguilera opened a new big-wall route on Cerro Trinidad Central in the Cochamo Valley, according to Planet Mountain. They named the 1,000m line (5.12+/A1) Nunca say Nunca. Gheza paraglided down.
!['Nunca say NUnca' on Cerro Trinidad Central.](https://s3.amazonaws.com/www.explorersweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/03144750/IMG_1136.jpg)
‘Nunca say Nunca’ on Cerro Trinidad Central. Photo: Leo Gheza