Recently, the two mountaineers Colin Haley and Tyler Karow attempted to climb the El Corazon route on Fitz Roy. However, a 10-meter-wide, loose rock flake forced them to turn back.
Between the two alpinists and the route El corazon There is something wrong with it. Two years ago they attempted to climb the route, but were forced to turn back shortly before the ascent due to an approaching storm.
New attempt, new luck?
This season Haley and Karow to Patagonia and wanted to use the perfect weather window to conquer the route. Over eight rope lengths everything looked promising and the two made rapid progress.
After eight pitches I was pretty sure we would make it before nightfall.
But this year, nature once again threw a wrench in their plans. When the two arrived below the Aquarian Roof and were about to get started, they noticed that the rock directly above the stand had changed. A 10-meter-high and 20-centimeter-thick rock flake had broken away from the mountain. On top of this gigantic rock flake stood another gigantic rock flake.
It was not possible to climb around the scales and the risk of climbing these two huge and wobbly rock scales was too great for us.
The two had to go home empty-handed again. In recent times, rockfalls and avalanches have occurred repeatedly in Patagonia. Just a week ago, an alpinist was hit on the head by a loose rock and had to be rescued. And so the decision to retreat was not too difficult for Haley and Karow.
Colin Haley and Tyler Karow are forced to withdraw
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Credits: Cover picture Colin Haley/Tyler Karow