After six intense days and five bivouacs, Lucia Guichot and Nieves Gil of Spain successfully climbed Fitz Roy’s 1,600m-long Supercanaleta.
Creeping up Fitz Roy’s west face, Supercanaleta’s length is what makes it so difficult. The route includes a 1,000m snow and ice gully, followed by 15 pitches of rock and mixed climbing.
The last 200m are the hardest because they require climbing over several gendarmes along the west-southwest ridge. Falling debris from adjacent walls adds to the exposure.
On Supercanaleta. Photo: Lucia Guichot/Nieves Gil
“We took advantage of a weather window,” said Guichot on social media. “Six days in which we didn’t see anyone.”
Guichot and Gil spent two days trekking to the base of the line. They carefully inspected it, found it in good condition, and away they went. On the descent, the duo rappelled down the Franco-Argentine route, then continued through the feared Brecha de los Italianos.
Gil described the climb as a “whirlwind of feelings,” while Guichot said those six days gave her a “joy for living.”
Fitz Roy’s Supercanaleta. Photo: Lucia Guichot/Nieves Gil
