Top Climber and Mountain Guide Korra Pesce Dies in Patagonia
He was struck by falling rock and ice while descending after climbing a new route on Cerro Torre
Italian climber and mountain guide Corrado “Korra” Pesce has died following an accident in Patagonia. His body remains, for the time being, on Cerro Torre. He was 41 years old.
Pesce and his partner Tomás Aguiló were one of two teams that had opened new climbs up the east face of Cerro Torre. The other included Matteo Della Bordella, David Bacci and Matteo De Zaicomo. The five climbers shared the upper pitches of their new routes and reached the summit together.
At the summit, they both stuck to their own descent plans: Pesce and Aguiló wanted to descend the north face at night to avoid daytime hazards, and Della Bordella’s team hoped to descend the southeast ridge via the old Compressor Route. At some point during their descent, a rime ice mushroom collapsed and struck Pesce and Aguiló with tons of rock, ice and snow.
By the time Della Bordella’s team had descended, a team was on their way up to recover Aguiló who had managed to call a rescue. Della Bordella wrote a detailed report of the accident here, saying that: “I lead the rescue team. I’m followed by Swiss alpinist Roger Schäli, then Germany’s Thomas Huber, and finally Roberto Treu from Argentine. We climb the 7 pitches of our route up to the triangular snowfield in about 3 hours, then we traverse about 60 meters to reach Tomy.”
Aguiló was brought to safety, treated at the nearby hospital for his injuries and released. Pesce’s body was found using a drone and any rescue attempts were called off. Carolina Codo, head of Argentina’s El Chaltén Alpine Rescue Centre, said, “Corrado Pesce can no longer be alive. Today, we were able to zoom in on the images of a drone flown near the accident. Pesce’s body can be seen. It slid 50 metres below the platform where he spent the night with an Argentine companion. Without adequate protection, death from hypothermia occurs within two hours.”
In 2016, Pesce made the much sought-after second ascent of Psycho Vertical, a 950-metre 6b A3 M8 on the south east face of Torre Egger in Patagonia with Aguilo, Roland Striemitzer, Iñaki Coussirat and Carlitos Molina. In 2013, Pesce and Jeff Mercier made the first ascent of Ghost Dogs on the west face of Sass Pordoi in the Dolomites at WI6X/R M5 5+/6a – it was one of his proudest first ascents and the last memory he posted on social media.
Less than a month ago, Bavarian alpinist Robert Grasegger died when an avalanche occurred on Aguja Guillaumet in Patagonia. Read more about that fatality here.
Pesce was a highly accomplished alpinist and mountain guide who’s bold vision led him and his partners to the tops of many exceptionally difficult climbs in remote mountain ranges. Our deepest condolences to his family and friends. A fundraiser has been organized to assist Pesce’s daughter here.
Check out the latest buyer's guide:
