Serious New Alpine and Mixed Routes Climbed in Alps and Patagonia
Technical and steep routes have been added to some of the world's most famous mountain ranges
With mid-winter weather providing excellent conditions for big objectives, climbers in the Alps are putting down new difficult lines. And in Patagonia, where the recent death of Korra Pesce sent shockwaves through the global climbing community, a new alpine route was climbed in Torres del Paine National Park.
In the Alps, Christophe Dumarest and Tom Livingstone made the first ascent of the 250-metre Changing Corners M7 on Pointe Adolphe Rey in the Mont Blanc massif. The crux pitch climbs overhanging terrain and involves tricky mixed climbing.
Also of note in the Alps, French climbers Leo Billon, Sébastien Ratel and Benjamin Védrines repeated Directe de l’Amitié on the north face of the Grandes Jorasses. It came after they made the first alpinie-style winter ascent of the John Harlin route on the north face of the Eiger.
In the Dolomites, Italians Simon Kehrer and Lukas Troi have climbed the new Corona Clean M9 WI6 in Val Travenanzes. The climbed it without any bolts or fixed gear. And in Switzerland, Jonas Schild and Stephan Siegrist established OeschiMixTrix, a new three-pitch 100-metre M6/7 at Kandersteg in Switzerland.
In the Torre del Paine region of Patagonia, Sebastian Pelletti and Pepo Jurado made a first ascent up the east face of La Hoja. They spent one night on the route and completed Quartz Menguante, a 14-pitch 5.11+ A2 the following day. This mega new route comes shortly after Jorado, Peletti and Romano Marcotti made the first ascent of the peak Cuerno Este, the last major peak to be climbed in Torre del Paine, read more about it here.
And Chilean brothers and mountain guides Cristobal Señoret and Juan Señoret made the first ascent of a new alpine rock route in Patagonia they’re calling Dos Hermanos. The 800-metre 5.11+ A0 climbs a meandering line up the northeast face of Cerro Catedral in the Paine Massif of Patagonia.
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