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Fitz Roy

Monte Fitz Roy, known locally as Cerro Chaltén, is a granite monolith rising to 3,405 meters (11,171 feet) in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, straddling the Argentina-Chile border near the village of El Chaltén in Los Glaciares National Park.^[1]^[2] The peak's sheer granite faces and frequent cloud shrouds, which inspired its Tehuelche name meaning "the mountain that smokes," make it a visually striking landmark amid Patagonia's glacial terrain.^[3]^[2] Named in 1877 by Argentine explorer Francisco Pascasio Moreno after Robert FitzRoy, captain of HMS Beagle during Charles Darwin's voyages, the mountain gained European recognition through early surveys that confirmed its granite composition, dispelling earlier misconceptions of sedimentary rock.^[3]^[2] Its first ascent occurred in 1952 via the southeast ridge by French alpinists Lionel Terray and Guido Magnone, marking a milestone in big-wall climbing due to the route's technical demands and unpredictable Patagonian weather.^[2] Since then, Fitz Roy has become an iconic objective for elite mountaineers, with dozens of routes established on its precipitous walls, though its remoteness, high winds, and avalanche risks continue to claim lives and deter casual attempts.^[1]^[4] Beyond climbing, Fitz Roy draws trekkers to viewpoints like Laguna de los Tres, offering accessible panoramas that highlight its role in promoting ecotourism in Patagonia while underscoring the environmental pressures from climate-driven glacial retreat in the region.^[5] The peak's enduring allure stems from its combination of aesthetic grandeur and formidable inaccessibility, embodying the raw, untamed essence of Andean Patagonia.^[1]^[2]

Etymology and Cultural Significance

Indigenous Associations

The Tehuelche people, also known as Aónikenk, referred to the mountain as Chaltén, a term derived from their language denoting "smoking mountain," attributed to the frequent lenticular clouds and vapor formations that cap the peak and resemble smoke signals rising from a fire.^[2] This nomenclature reflects empirical observation of the mountain's meteorological behavior rather than abstract symbolism, as documented in consistent linguistic accounts from early ethnographic interactions.^[6] In Tehuelche oral traditions, Chaltén holds a place in cosmology linked to Elal, the culture hero and creator figure who arrived from a distant island on the back of a swan and purportedly used the mountain's summit as a vantage point to survey and populate the Patagonian landscape with the first Tehuelche people by transforming accompanying animals into humans.^[7] These narratives, preserved through 19th-century European recordings of indigenous testimonies amid cultural contact, portray the peak as a sentinel in Elal's generative acts rather than a site of ritual ascent or habitation.^[8] Archaeological and ethnographic evidence from Patagonian sites indicates sparse direct utilization of Chaltén by Tehuelche hunter-gatherers, who traversed the eastern steppes but left no verified traces of climbs or settlements near the remote granite spire, underscoring its practical role as a visible navigational beacon amid the vast terrain over any intensive sacred exploitation.^[9]

European Naming and Mapping

Francisco Pascasio Moreno, an Argentine explorer and geographer known as Perito Moreno, first sighted and named the peak Monte Fitz Roy on March 2, 1877, during an expedition to map southern Patagonia.^[10] He bestowed the name in tribute to Captain Robert FitzRoy, commander of HMS Beagle during its surveying voyages along South American coasts in the 1830s.^[11] FitzRoy's relevant contributions included directing hydrographic surveys of Patagonian waters and the Strait of Magellan as part of the Beagle's second expedition (1831–1836), which produced detailed nautical charts enhancing safe navigation in the region.^[12] These efforts, documented in FitzRoy's Narrative of the Surveying Voyages (1839), provided foundational cartographic data for southern latitudes, justifying the naming despite FitzRoy's later non-mapping pursuits.^[13] Initial European mapping efforts integrated Fitz Roy into broader boundary surveys amid Argentina-Chile territorial claims, with the peak serving as a key landmark in the Andean cordillera.^[14] In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, disputes over the frontier line escalated, culminating in 1994 arbitration by the British Crown, which delimited the border from Boundary Post 62 to Fitz Roy along the continental divide, affirming Argentine control east of the peak while resolving overlapping claims to adjacent ice fields.^[15] Today, the European designation "Fitz Roy" coexists with the indigenous Tehuelche name Cerro Chaltén ("the mountain that smokes" or "blue mountain"), reflecting dual cartographic traditions in regional usage without supplanting local nomenclature.^[5]

Physical Characteristics

Location and Topography

Monte Fitz Roy is situated at coordinates 49°16′16″S 73°02′38″W within Los Glaciares National Park in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, forming part of the Argentina-Chile border along the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.^[1] The peak reaches an elevation of 3,405 meters (11,171 feet) above sea level, with its base emerging abruptly from adjacent glaciers, resulting in extreme vertical relief exceeding 2,000 meters from nearby valleys.^[3]^[16] The mountain's topography features a sharp granite spire characterized by near-vertical faces, with the east face presenting sheer walls rising approximately 1,500 meters from glacial bases.^[17] Prominent surrounding glaciated features include outflows toward Viedma Lake to the east and the Piedras Blancas Glacier nearby, while Cerro Torre lies about 8 kilometers to the south within the same range.^[18]^[19] Local meteorology is dominated by strong katabatic winds, termed "El Viento Blanco" (White Wind), descending from the ice field and often generating snow plumes that create a characteristic "smoking" appearance on the summit.^[3] These winds, coupled with orographic precipitation, yield high annual moisture inputs, particularly on western exposures where equivalents reach up to 4 meters of rain and snow.^[20] Eastern sectors, including areas near El Chaltén, experience somewhat lower but still substantial precipitation, fostering persistent cloud cover and frequent storms.^[21]

Geology and Glaciation

Monte Fitz Roy consists primarily of granite from the Fitz Roy Plutonic Complex, a Miocene intrusion in southern Patagonia formed through subduction-related magmatism in a back-arc setting east of the main Patagonian Batholith.^[22] ^[23] U-Pb zircon dating places the complex's emplacement between approximately 17 and 12 million years ago, involving fractional crystallization of mantle-derived magmas interacting with crustal materials.^[23] The granite exhibits exfoliation joints, resulting from pressure release and tectonic unloading after intrusion, which produce systematic crack networks that define the peak's steep faces and facilitate alpine climbing routes.^[24] The mountain emerges from the northern margin of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the world's second-largest contiguous ice mass outside the polar regions, with outlet glaciers such as Piedras Blancas and De los Tres descending its flanks into proglacial lakes.^[25] These glaciers have undergone retreat since the early 20th century, following advances during the Little Ice Age, with satellite observations documenting average frontal retreats of 20-30 meters per year for select tongues in the Fitz Roy region since the 1980s, amid broader icefield mass loss exceeding 17 billion tons annually.^[26] ^[27] Such dynamics reflect historical fluctuations tied to regional climate variability, including post-1920 warming of 0.4-1.4°C in southern latitudes.^[26] Tectonic activity in the area remains low, with stable background stresses since approximately 8 million years ago, minimizing seismic disruption to the pluton's integrity.^[28] However, erosional stability is compromised by intense mechanical weathering from repeated freeze-thaw cycles in the harsh Patagonian climate, where water infiltration into joints expands upon freezing, accelerating granular disintegration and slab exfoliation.^[29] This process contributes to frequent rockfalls, as evidenced by large-scale avalanches triggered during deglaciation phases when reduced ice support exposes slopes to thermal stresses.^[29]

Exploration and Surveying

Pre-20th Century Observations

The second voyage of HMS Beagle, commanded by Captain Robert FitzRoy, provided the first confirmed European observation of the Monte Fitz Roy massif during its upriver expedition along the Santa Cruz in January 1834, when FitzRoy and Charles Darwin advanced approximately 50 miles (80 km) inland from the Atlantic coast, noting prominent distant peaks shrouded in snow and cloud without attempting a closer approach or detailed survey.^[30] This sighting occurred amid broader hydrographic charting of Patagonian waterways, prioritizing coastal navigation over interior reconnaissance, with no instrumental measurements or sketches of the specific peak recorded in the voyage logs.^[12] Argentine explorer Francisco Pascasio Moreno conducted the earliest documented close-range European viewing of Monte Fitz Roy on March 2, 1877, during his Patagonian traverses aimed at geological mapping and territorial delineation for Argentina; he formally named the 3,405-meter (11,171 ft) granite spire Monte Fitz Roy in tribute to the Beagle's captain, distinguishing it from surrounding ranges based on its isolated prominence.^[31] Moreno's subsequent surveys through the 1870s and 1880s, including collections of ethnographic and natural history data, positioned the peak as a natural reference point in Argentina's claims against Chile over Andean borderlands, though precise triangulation awaited later joint commissions.^[32] The Tehuelche, indigenous nomadic herders of the Patagonian steppe, had long recognized the mountain as Chaltén—"the smoking mountain" or "mountain of blue skies"—attributing its frequent lenticular cloud formations to mythical significance, such as links to their creator deity Elal, with oral traditions evidencing practical awareness of regional passes for migration but no indications of ascents or ritual summit pursuits.^[33] European-indigenous contacts in the 19th century, including Moreno's interactions with Tehuelche guides, yielded insights into overland routes bypassing the massif's eastern flanks, yet yielded no collaborative efforts toward the peak itself prior to organized mountaineering.^[34] These pre-1900 accounts underscore the mountain's role as a remote visual landmark rather than a surveyed objective, with observations constrained by logistical limits and geopolitical priorities.

Early Expeditions and Boundary Surveys

In the early 20th century, joint Chilean-Argentine boundary commissions undertook expeditions to demarcate the Andean frontier in Patagonia, including sectors approaching Monte Fitz Roy amid ongoing disputes over the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.^[35] By 1913, these efforts involved mixed teams verifying tracings proposed by prior commissions, navigating overland routes through ice fields and valleys with rudimentary equipment, often relying on pack animals and prolonged foot traverses to access remote posts.^[35] Photographic surveys supplemented triangulation measurements, capturing terrain features to support arbitral decisions, though severe weather, glacial barriers, and logistical strains—such as supply shortages over weeks-long journeys—frequently delayed progress and limited comprehensive mapping near Fitz Roy's high peaks.^[36] During the 1930s, Italian Salesian missionary and explorer Alberto María de Agostini conducted multiple ventures into the Fitz Roy massif, prioritizing geographical documentation over summit attempts.^[37] From 1932 to 1935, de Agostini traversed the region around Cerro Chaltén, employing photography and sketching to record glacial extents and valley morphologies, while approaching but ultimately withdrawing from the sheer granite faces due to their technical demands and exposure.^[37] His teams faced analogous hardships, including high winds averaging over 100 km/h, unpredictable avalanches, and isolation from base camps, yielding detailed visual records that advanced scientific understanding of the area's hydrology without resolving border ambiguities.^[37] These pre-ascent surveys cumulatively informed Argentina's territorial assertions and resource evaluations, contributing to the 1937 establishment of Los Glaciares National Park via Law No. 13.895, which encompassed 539,302 hectares including Fitz Roy to safeguard glaciers, forests, and frontier integrity against exploitation.^[38] The park's formation reflected geopolitical imperatives, integrating boundary data to delineate protected zones amid disputes extending to Fitz Roy, thereby prioritizing ecological preservation alongside national security.^[38]

Mountaineering History

First Ascents

The first ascent of Monte Fitz Roy was achieved on February 2, 1952, by French climbers Lionel Terray and Guido Magnone via the southeast ridge, a technically demanding line involving aid climbing with pitons on steep granite terrain rated in modern terms as up to A3 aid and 6a+ rock sections.^[21]^[39] Their success followed multiple prior attempts, including local efforts by Argentine climbers like Hans Zechner in the late 1940s, amid extreme Patagonian weather and logistical challenges from remote access points along the Chaltén River valley.^[2] The route, now known as the French or Franco-Argentine Ridge, required fixed ropes and hardware placements due to crumbly rock and exposure, establishing Fitz Roy as one of the hardest unclimbed peaks of its era.^[40] The second ascent came on January 15, 1965, by Argentine climbers Carlos Comesaña and José Luis Fonrouge, who pioneered the Supercanaleta, a direct ice-and-rock gully on the east face involving sustained mixed terrain and objective hazards like seracs, completed in a three-day push as part of a larger expedition.^[41]^[5] This route highlighted local expertise in navigating Fitz Roy's variable conditions, with pitches equivalent to modern WI4 ice and 5.10 rock under aid.^[42] In 1968, an American team—Yvon Chouinard, Lito Tejada-Flores, Doug Tompkins, Dick Dorworth, and Chris Jones—completed the third ascent via the Southwest Ridge, dubbed the Californian Route, a cleaner free-climbing line graded VI 5.9 A2, reached in a 30-hour round-trip from advanced base camp emphasizing speed and minimal gear on high-quality granite.^[43] These early repeats solidified key approaches, with pitch difficulties reflecting the peak's sustained verticality and loose features, verified through expedition logs rather than retrospective claims.^[44]

Major Routes and Achievements

The Northwest Ridge, also known as the Afanasieff Route, was first ascended over six days from January 11-16, 1979, by Guy Abert, Jean Afanassieff, Michel Afanassieff, and Jean Fabre, featuring sustained alpine rock climbing up to French grade 6a with sections of aid.^[45] This 1,200-meter line follows the prominent ridge from the Col Français, involving mixed terrain and loose rock, and has since become a popular objective for its aesthetic line and accessibility relative to steeper faces.^[46] The Southwest Ridge, or Californian Route, marked the third overall ascent of Fitz Roy but via a new line, completed on December 20, 1968, by Yvon Chouinard, Dick Dorworth, Chris Jones, Lito Tejada-Flores, and Doug Tompkins in a 30-hour push, with difficulties rated up to 5.9 and aid.^[43] Spanning approximately 1,000 meters of granite ridge with exposed traverses and variable ice, it served as a standard approach until the 1980s, emphasizing efficient simul-climbing and minimal gear.^[1] The Supercanaleta, a 1,600-meter west-face gully system blending ice, mixed, and rock pitches up to M6, was first climbed in the 1970s and remains a benchmark for big-wall alpinism in Patagonia, requiring 1,500-2,000 meters of approach and descent via fixed lines.^[42] Milestone achievements include the first complete Fitz Roy Traverse, linking seven summits across the massif's ridgeline for over 5 km of terrain and 4,000 meters of vertical gain up to 5.11d/C1, achieved by Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold from February 12-16, 2014, in alpine style over five days.^[47] In 2016, Colin Haley and Andy Wyatt established a speed record for a round-trip ascent via the Franco-Argentine variation, reaching the summit and returning to the trailhead in 21 hours and 8 minutes, surpassing the prior mark of 31.5 hours.^[48] Success on these routes is constrained by Patagonia's volatile weather, with viable climbing windows typically limited to 2-4 brief periods per season (November-March) lasting 24-72 hours, resulting in low empirical success rates where most attempts fail due to storms, as documented in climber reports and guidebook analyses.^[49] ^[50]

Winter and Recent Climbs

In September 2025, Italian alpinists Matteo Della Bordella and Marco Majori completed the first winter ascent of the Casarotto route on Fitz Roy's Goretta Pillar (also known as the North Pillar), a milestone in Patagonian mountaineering.^[51] ^[52] The 1,300-meter line, graded VII/A1-A2 (approximately 5.11b), features sustained crack systems, polished dihedrals, and off-width chimneys, with winter conditions adding verglas, snow accumulation, and sub-zero temperatures that increase friction demands on gear and climbers.^[53] The pair ascended in pure alpine style over three days—September 5 to 7—starting from the base without fixed ropes, high-altitude camps, or external support, carrying packs weighing up to 25 kilograms each on initial approaches.^[51] ^[54] This ascent followed a targeted Italian expedition in August 2025, involving Della Bordella, Majori, and Tommaso Lamantia, focused on winter conditions during Patagonia's austral winter (June to September), when shortened daylight, high winds exceeding 100 km/h, and frequent storms typically deter attempts.^[55] Modern equipment, including lightweight ice tools, crampons optimized for mixed terrain, and advanced fabrics for moisture management, facilitated the rapid push with minimal bivouacs compared to earlier exploratory efforts, though GPS tracking data from similar recent Patagonia winter routes indicate exposure times reduced by up to 20% through precise weather windows.^[53] No prior full winter traverses of this pillar had succeeded, underscoring the route's technical severity in frozen states.^[52] Post-2020 winter activity on Fitz Roy has remained sparse due to climatic unpredictability, with 2025 marking the first documented winter first on a major pillar route amid broader trends of intensified storms linked to regional weather patterns.^[56] Advances in predictive modeling via satellite data have enabled teams to exploit brief stable periods, as evidenced by the climbers' alignment with a rare multi-day clear forecast.^[51]

Risks, Fatalities, and Ethical Debates

Climbing Monte Fitz Roy involves severe objective hazards, including sudden Patagonian storms that can persist for days with winds exceeding 100 km/h and heavy snowfall, leading to hypothermia and exposure-related deaths. Avalanches, often triggered by unstable snowpack on steep granite faces, and rockfall from the mountain's friable upper sections are also primary causes, compounded by the remote location which delays response times. Falls due to technical difficulties on mixed terrain or anchor failures contribute significantly, as evidenced by analyses attributing most incidents to inadequate planning and underestimation of weather variability.^[57]^[58] Documented fatalities since the 1952 first ascent number at least a dozen, with causes aligning to these hazards rather than inherent climber incompetence alone. In 1973, two American climbers, including S. McAndrews, perished during an ascent attempt, likely from exposure or fall. Chad Kellogg died in 2014 from injuries sustained on descent after a summit via the Afanassieff route. More recently, in 2022 a German climber succumbed to an avalanche, while Basque pair Amaia Agirre and Iker Bilbao were killed in 2023 by a wet avalanche sweeping them into a crevasse post-ascent. Rockfall claimed John Bolte in an unspecified recent incident on the descent rappels. These cases underscore how even experienced parties fail when storms or loose conditions overwhelm preparation, countering narratives that portray Fitz Roy as predictably manageable with modern gear.^[59]^[60]^[61]^[62]^[63] Ethical debates center on route purity versus artificial aid, with consensus favoring minimal fixed protection to maintain the granite's natural integrity and challenge. Unlike Cerro Torre's notorious bolt controversies—where Cesare Maestri's 1959 compressor route ladders were removed in 2012 to restore fair ascents—Fitz Roy climbers prioritize traditional gear like cams and nuts, using bolts only as last resorts on blank sections. This ethos preserves the peak's aesthetic and technical purity, as excessive bolting risks corrosion-induced cracking in the pristine Patagonian granite, per climber testimonies emphasizing self-reliant lines.^[64]^[65]^[66] Rescue operations reinforce a self-reliant climbing culture, given the terrain's isolation and frequent whiteout conditions that ground helicopters and strand ground teams. No dedicated professional service exists; volunteers from El Chaltén's Comisión de Auxilio handle most efforts, with Argentine Air Force involvement limited by high failure rates in gales, as seen in the 2014 helicopter crash killing pilot Pablo Argiz during a Fitz Roy-area attempt. Success depends on clear windows, often absent, leading to calls for climbers to prioritize descent strategies over summit fixation.^[57]^[57]

Access, Tourism, and Preservation

Trails and Visitor Management

The principal access route to the Fitz Roy massif originates in El Chaltén and follows the Sendero al Fitz Roy to Laguna de los Tres, a glacial lagoon providing proximate vistas of the peak's east face. This trail spans approximately 22 kilometers round-trip with 1,000 meters of elevation gain, suitable for completion in 8-12 hours as a strenuous day hike or extended over 1-2 days via overnight camping at intermediate sites.^[67]^[68] Overnight accommodations include designated campsites at Laguna Capri and Poincenot, which serve as staging areas for further approaches; no advance reservations or permits are mandated for tent camping, though national park entry fees apply, purchasable for multi-day validity at El Chaltén's ranger station or online.^[69]^[70] Additional base facilities exist near Rio de las Vueltas for valley traversals supporting extended itineraries.^[71] Mountaineers accessing technical routes beyond maintained trails must register at the Los Glaciares National Park ranger headquarters in El Chaltén to secure a free climbing permit, a process verifying participant qualifications and intended objectives to prioritize safety amid variable conditions.^[72]^[73] Such permits are issued selectively to experienced parties equipped for alpine hazards.^[74] Park administration enforces visitor protocols including trail adherence, waste removal, and prohibitions on open wood fires to sustain trail integrity; seasonal closures occur from May through September due to prohibitive snow and ice, with ad hoc suspensions possible year-round for high winds or avalanche risks monitored by rangers.^[67]^[75] Annual trekking volume in the El Chaltén vicinity surpasses 100,000 participants, concentrating on flagship paths like Laguna de los Tres and necessitating capacity oversight through signage, patrols, and infrastructure upkeep by Administración de Parques Nacionales.^[76]^[77]

Conservation Efforts and Environmental Data

Los Glaciares National Park, which includes the Fitz Roy massif, received UNESCO World Heritage designation in 1981 for its outstanding glacial landscapes and associated ecosystems, prompting enhanced regulatory frameworks to protect these features.^[78] Park policies mandate waste removal by visitors, restrict fires to designated sites with complete extinguishment required afterward, and confine camping to approved locations to curb soil compaction and vegetation damage.^[79] These measures address localized pressures from increasing foot traffic, including trail erosion near Fitz Roy trails, where restoration initiatives by park authorities have rebuilt paths using sustainable techniques to counteract degradation without evidence of ecosystem-wide collapse.^[80] Empirical monitoring of biodiversity in the park reveals persistence of key species, such as 145 documented bird taxa including the threatened Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), amid challenges from invasive plants and occasional livestock incursions, though no systemic decline has been recorded attributable to climbing or hiking.^[81] Visitor fees and tourism-generated funds support infrastructure maintenance and enforcement against poaching, enabling scientific endeavors like ice core sampling from nearby glaciers that inform paleoclimate reconstruction without exacerbating environmental strain.^[38] Glaciers adjacent to Fitz Roy, such as Glaciar Grande, have exhibited retreat since the Little Ice Age maximum around 1850, with empirical records showing frontal recession exposing bedrock by the 1990s and area losses aligning with regional patterns of 10-20% over the past century, modulated by millennial-scale fluctuations rather than solely recent forcings.^[26]^[82] This variability, evidenced in moraine sequences and modeling of past advances, underscores that current thinning fits within historical cycles of advance and retreat driven by precipitation shifts and temperature oscillations, with concentrated human impacts like climbing showing negligible contribution to overall mass balance changes.^[83]^[84]

Impacts of Climate Variability

Meteorological records from stations in southern Patagonia, including nearby El Calafate, document a warming trend of approximately 0.3°C from 1940 to 1990, with mean annual temperatures rising by 0.5–1°C overall since the 1950s in the region east of the Southern Patagonian Icefield.^[85] ^[86] This increase correlates with reduced durations of persistent ice cover on approaches to Fitz Roy, shortening viable windows for ice-dependent ascents, though regional wind regimes—driven by westerly flows and the Southern Annular Mode—continue to dominate short-term variability independent of temperature alone.^[87] Glaciers adjacent to Fitz Roy, such as those in the Piedras Blancas and Viedma systems, have exhibited empirical retreat since the Little Ice Age (LIA) maximum circa 1870, with small glaciers in the Monte Fitz Roy area losing 15–46% of their LIA extent by 1984 and an additional 5–18% by 2005 based on satellite and geomorphic mapping.^[82] The Viedma Glacier, calving into Lago Viedma near Fitz Roy's eastern flanks, has accelerated in retreat rate since the late 20th century, with multicausal factors including reduced accumulation from variable precipitation contributing alongside warming.^[88] This exposure of underlying bedrock has facilitated development of new rock climbing routes on formerly glaciated faces but has heightened rockfall risks, as thawing permafrost destabilizes granite spires, with documented incidents altering established lines on Fitz Roy proper.^[89] Mountaineers report adapting to narrower weather windows amid heightened unpredictability, with rescue operations in Los Glaciares National Park increasing due to combined effects of unstable seracs, serac falls from thinning ice, and erratic storm patterns rather than warming in isolation; historical post-LIA retreats provide precedents for such adjustments without implying unprecedented conditions.^[90]^[91] Causal analysis attributes these shifts primarily to localized mass balance deficits from observed temperature and precipitation data, distinct from broader Southern Hemisphere trends.^[92]

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Aug 7, 2020 · The mount was named by the Tehuelches as Chaltén, which means “smoking mountain” due to the clouds that almost constantly crown its top. The ...Missing: Ethnographic evidence
[35]
[PDF] Argentine-Chile Frontier Case - OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS |
December 1913 the boundary was not shown as following the River Falso ... tracing suggested by the Chilean-Argentine Mixed Boundary Commission ; that ...
[36]
[PDF] Argentine-Chilian boundary. Report presented to the Tribunal ...
Report presented to the Tribunal appointed by Her Britannic Majesty's government "to consider and report upon the differences which have arisen with regard to ...
[37]
The explorer priest - UNCHARTED Project
Jul 15, 2020 · Alberto María de Agostini was born on November 2, 1883 in Pollone, a ... Between 1932 and 1935 he went to Cerro Chalten (Fitz Roy), and ...
[38]
[PDF] Los Glaciares National Park - View PDF - IUCN
Created in 1937 (Law No. 13.895) its current boundaries were defined in 1971 (National Law No. 19.292), including the division of the area into a national park ...
[39]
Chaltén, Cerro Fitz Roy, French route - PATAclimb.com
Magnone and Terray tackled the route with a large amount of hardware, pitons mainly, but saved weight by not taking any bivouac gear. They managed to move fast ...Missing: Monte | Show results with:Monte
[40]
South America, Chile, Fitzroy - AAC Publications
FitzRoy. FitzRoy (11,072 feet) has finally been climbed for the second time and by a new route! (First ascent on February 2, 1952 by Magnone and Terray.
[41]
The 50th Anniversary of Fitz Roy's Supercanaleta - Gripped Magazine
Jan 16, 2015 · Comesana and Fonrouge's ascent was the second of Fitz Roy, after the first ascent in 1952 by French alpinists Lionel Terray and Guido Magnone.
[42]
Chaltén, Cerro Fitz Roy, Supercanaleta - PATAclimb.com
May 15, 2020 · The first winter ascent was done by Argentines Eduardo Brenner, Sebastián De La Cruz and Gabriel Ruiz, over three days in July, 1986. De La Cruz ...Missing: date | Show results with:date<|separator|>
[43]
Fitz Roy, 1968 - AAC Publications - American Alpine Club
Ascent: Fitz Roy, 11,289 feet, third ascent by a new route, the Southwest Ridge; Summit reached by whole party on December 20, 1968 in a 30-hour round-trip ...
[44]
https://www.pataclimb.com/climbingareas/chalten/fitzgroup/fitz/californian.html
[45]
Jim Reynolds Free-Solos Up and Down Fitz Roy in Patagonia
Apr 1, 2019 · Jim Reynolds, 25, has made history on the famous Patagonian peak Fitz Roy, climbing up and down the Afanassieff route solo.
[46]
Chaltén, Cerro Fitz Roy, French Northwest Ridge (Afanasieff)
May 6, 2019 · Just below the crest of the NW ridge the route joins the Afanasieff, along which it continues to the summit (700 meters more, difficulties to 6a ...Missing: 1971 | Show results with:1971
[47]
Caldwell, Honnold Finish 5k Fitz Roy Traverse - Alpinist Magazine
Feb 18, 2014 · Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold completed the first ascent of the much discussed “Fitz Traverse,” climbing across the iconic ridgeline of Cerro Fitz Roy.
[48]
Climbers Complete Patagonia's Fitz Roy Expedition in Less Than a ...
Jan 8, 2016 · Climbing reports the duo summited the iconic peak and returned to their trailhead in 21 hours, 8 minutes. The previous record was 31.5 hours.
[49]
Climbing & Writing: Fitz Roy - Blake Herrington
Jan 14, 2017 · In the past few years there have been a few excellent 3-6 day weather windows allowing for access to (in the words of guidebook author Rolo ...Missing: rates | Show results with:rates
[50]
Patagonia Part 3 - Fitzroy - Tom Livingstone
Jan 28, 2017 · Alpine climbing has a very low success rate - and by success, I mean ... 'Windows' of good weather appear in the weather forecasts, and ...
[51]
Fitz Roy's Casarotto route gets first winter ascent by Matteo Della ...
Sep 7, 2025 · On 7 September 2025 the Italian alpinists Matteo Della Bordella and Marco Majori completed the coveted first winter ascent of the Casarotto ...
[52]
First Winter Ascent of the Casarotto Route on Fitz Roy » Explorersweb
Sep 10, 2025 · Italian climbers Matteo Della Bordella and Marco Majori have achieved the first winter ascent of Via Casarotto on the Goretta Pillar of Fitz ...
[53]
Interview: the First Winter Ascent of Cerro Chaltén's North Pillar
Sep 14, 2025 · Casarotto's visionary route—35 pitches, 1,250 meters, up to 5.11b—traces the striking North Pillar of Cerro Chaltén, nearly 1,000 meters of ...Missing: Monte major
[54]
Famous Patagonia Route Gets First Winter Ascent - Gripped Magazine
Sep 9, 2025 · Matteo Della Bordella and Marco Majori have made history with the first winter ascent of Casarotto route on Fitz Roy.
[55]
Italian expedition aims for winter ascent of Goretta Pillar on Fitz Roy ...
Aug 5, 2025 · An strong Italian expedition comprised of Matteo Della Bordella, Tommaso Lamantia and Marco Majori is currently on its way to Patagonia ...
[56]
Italians write alpine history: First winter ascent of Fitz Roy - Lacrux
Sep 20, 2025 · It was first climbed in 1952 by the Frenchmen Lionel Terray and Guido Magnone. Matteo Della Bordella and Marco Majori climb on Fitz Roy | Photo: ...
[57]
Why It's So Hard to Rescue Climbers in Patagonia - Explorersweb »
Jan 26, 2023 · In 2014, one of the few rescue attempts to use a helicopter ended in tragedy when pilot Pablo Argiz Vale died in the northern part of the Fitz ...Missing: storm disaster
[58]
Two Climbers Die on Descent From Cerro Chaltén, Patagonia
Feb 16, 2023 · The Basque climbers were killed after an ascent of the 'Afanassieff' when a large wet avalanche swept them into a crevasse.Missing: storms exposure
[59]
2 Climbers Die in Argentina - The New York Times
Nov 18, 1973 · 2 mt climbers, 1 identified as S McAndrews, are killed on Nov 17 as they attempted to scale 10600-ft Mount Fritz Roy in southern Argentina.
[60]
Chad Kellogg dies on Fitz Roy in Patagonia - Planetmountain.com
Feb 14, 2014 · On 14/02/2014 the 42-year-old American alpinist Chad Kellogg lost his life while descending from Fitz Roy in Patagonia.
[61]
German climber dies in Patagonia avalanche – DW – 01/08/2022
Jan 8, 2022 · A German climber was found dead on Friday after an avalanche in Patagonia in southern Argentina, officials said.
[62]
Opinion: Climbers Are Dying in Patagonia and It Seems Different ...
Jan 26, 2023 · Last week, Basque climbers Amaia Agirre, 31, and Iker Bilbao, 29, died in an avalanche/crevasse accident on Fitz Roy. It was too dangerous ...
[63]
https://www.lasportivausa.com/blog/fitz-roy-patagonia-gisely-ferraz/
[64]
The Removal of Cesare Maestri's Bolt Ladders on Cerro Torre
Feb 4, 2012 · With the bolt ladders removed, a climber ventures upward with doubts and fears, constantly trying to gauge where the next protection will be and ...Missing: ethics purity
[65]
Fitz Roy Massif, Alpine climbing - theCrag
This is an alpine wilderness and rescues are problematic - climb accordingly. As with most alpine climbing, bolts are to be used sparingly and as a last resort.
[66]
Some thoughts on Maestri's Compressor route bolts - PATAclimb.com
The controversy over the Compressor Route bolts has ignited a firestorm, scuffle included, and raises the question of why we climb in the first place. Like most ...
[67]
Laguna de Los Tres via Monte Fitz Roy Trail, Santa Cruz ... - AllTrails
Rating 4.9 (5,803) Experience this 13.7-mile out-and-back trail near El Chaltén, Santa Cruz (Province). Generally considered a challenging route. This is a very popular area for ...Missing: major | Show results with:major<|separator|>
[68]
Laguna De los Tres Trek in El Chaltén, Argentine Patagonia
The most sought-after hike, to the natural viewpoint that comes closest to the imposing walls of Fitz Roy and its surrounding granite spires. National Park
[69]
Hiking the Fitz Roy Trek in Patagonia: Argentina's Most Iconic ...
Jan 13, 2025 · Mount Fitz Roy is often considered one of the most recognizable peaks in Patagonia, towering over the landscape with its sheer granite faces and ...Missing: height | Show results with:height
[70]
Laguna de los Tres Trail in El Chaltén, Argentina - 90 Summers
May 4, 2025 · You don't need a permit to camp here—so long as you've purchased your Los Glaciares entry tickets for the length of your stay, you're free to ...Missing: distance | Show results with:distance<|separator|>
[71]
Full Interrefugios - Refugios de Patagonia
Desde allí subiremos a la laguna de los tres donde se observan el Fitz Roy y aguja Poincenot en todo su esplendor. Volvemos a descansar al campo Poincenot.
[72]
Chaltén, General Information - PATAclimb.com
If you intend to climb in the park, it's important that upon arriving to Chaltén, you register at the ranger's headquarters, where you will be issued a climbing ...
[73]
Los Glaciares Parque Nacional, Alpine climbing - theCrag
You must secure a climbing permit at the National Park Visitor Centre, though the permit is free. Crossing some areas of private land such as Valle Rio ...
[74]
Climbing Regulations in Argentine National Parks - AAC Publications
The regulations are 1. a passport for identification; 2. a letter from a club certifying to the climber's experience; 3. a medical certificate that one is fit ...
[75]
The Best Time to Hike in Patagonia: Month by Month
Aug 1, 2025 · Restrictions/Closures: Trails start to close in May because of snow and ice conditions. people trekking up a sloped part of perito moreno ...
[76]
How many people visit El Chalten each year? - Perito Moreno Glacier
Jan 24, 2025 · In 2022, the Argentine Patagonia region, which includes El Chaltén, received nearly 3.9 million overnight visitors in accommodation ...
[77]
Tourism Surge Is Pushing Patagonia Paradise to the Breaking Point
Feb 9, 2024 · She says that El Chaltén has roughly 2,500 permanent residents that swell by about 3,000 seasonal workers during high season, and she estimates ...
[78]
Los Glaciares National Park - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
The property has an impressively long formal conservation history going back to 1937. Los Glaciares National Park is a state-owned unit of the National System ...Gallery · Maps · Documents · VideosMissing: surveys | Show results with:surveys
[79]
[PDF] Los Glaciares National Park General information - Argentina.gob.ar
Put the fire out completely before leaving the place. Make fire only in authorized places. Forbidden to use drones. Do not damage flora. Camp only in authorized.
[80]
Trail Restoration Project Los Glaciares National Park Argentina
This increase in tourist pressure has resulted in accelerated trail erosion. Park authorities have made notable efforts to minimize these impacts particularly ...
[81]
Los Glaciares National Park - World Heritage Outlook
Created in 1937 (Law No. 13.895) its current boundaries were defined in 1971 (National Law No. 19.292), including the division of the area into a national park ...
[82]
Little Ice Age fluctuations of small glaciers in the Monte Fitz Roy and ...
Aug 6, 2025 · Studies carried out at glaciers located in Southern Argentine and Chilean Patagonia show a general trend of the glacier retreat, which ...
[83]
[PDF] Holocene glacier fluctuations in Patagonia are modulated by ...
Jan 14, 2020 · The Río Fitz Roy runs parallel to the southern section of the moraine; evident slope retreat and subsequent erosion of the ridge crest led us to ...
[84]
Latitudinal variation in glacial erosion rates from Patagonia and the ...
May 1, 2016 · The net effect of an area subject to repeated glacier advance-retreat cycles would be an increase in bedrock erosion and efficient delivery ...
[85]
Modeling past and future surface mass balance of the Northern ...
Feb 22, 2013 · [1996] found a warming trend of 0.3°C in the period 1940–1990 (0.006°C/year) at a weather station in El Calafate (50°30'S) close to the Moreno ...Missing: Chaltén | Show results with:Chaltén
[86]
[PDF] RecentcIimatechangesinsouthern Patagonia ...
Recentclimatechangesin the region east of the Southern PatagoniaIcefield are shown by.
[87]
Inventory and recent changes of small glaciers on the northeast ...
Jul 10, 2017 · The town El Chaltén and the location of the Torre temperature data ... Monthly temperature data from several official weather stations ...
[88]
[PDF] Historically Unprecedented Retreat Of The Viedma Glacier - CONICET
Oct 5, 2018 · Due to the marked increase in the retreat rate of the Viedma glacier, a multicausal study was carried out on the factors intervening in its ...Missing: Fitz Roy
[89]
Falling Rock Changes Route on Patagonia's Fitz Roy - Explorersweb »
Mar 15, 2024 · A fallen 20-meter slab has affected the first pitch of the Royal Flush route on Fitz Roy (also known as Cerro Chalten), Patagonia Vertical reported.<|separator|>
[90]
Mountaineering, Death and Climate Risk in the Patagonian Andes
Oct 11, 2024 · Patagonian mountaineers confront increased risk due to climate change as they seek to limit fatalities.Missing: causes exposure
[91]
Rock falls while high-altitude mountaineering – More often in the last ...
Jan 29, 2024 · Rock falls are a the main geomorphological processes influencing the stability of mountain-walls [12]. Rock falls are largely climate-driven, ...
[92]
Accelerating shrinkage of Patagonian glaciers from the Little Ice Age
Sep 8, 2017 · We determined the extent and length of 640 glaciers during the LIA (~AD1870) and 626 glaciers (the remainder having entirely disappeared) in 1986, 2001 and ...