Fitz Roy - North face


16. Pretty Bird

1000m 7a+ A0

Pete Fasoldt - Jonathan Schaffer, 1/2016.

Description. The started at the lowest point of the wall, following a 1985 attempt by Marcelo Aguilar, Vincent Banderet and Paul Maillefer, joining briefly the Afanassieff, to then head to the Gran Hotel which they reached after 16 pitches (5 to 6b+). In the headwall above they climbed a massive off-width crack, 12 pitches -three in common with Clínica de Aventura- with difficulties to 7a+ and one rest in a cam, the only aid move in the entire route. At the top of the headwall they joined the Afanassieff which they followed to the summit. In all they climbed 1,600 meters of which 25 pitches are new.

History. Fasoldt and Schaffer bivied at the Gran Hotel twice, on the way up and on the descent, rappelling Tehuelche. Somewhere in the upper part of the route they run into a hummingbird, clearly lost, about to die likely, hence the name of the route: “Pretty Bird”, a quote from the 1994 film "Dumb & Dumber", from a scene in which one of the characters strokes a dead bird with it's head wrapped in Scotch tape.

Marcelo Aguilar, Vincent Banderet and Paul Maillefer spent three days on the lower half of this line in 1985, reaching a hihgpoint just shy of the Grand Hotel, some 700 meters up. An accidentally dropped a pack forced to retreat. They rappelled along the line of Los Últimos Días del Paraíso, which is why Jakofcic and Lacen initially thought they were not climbing virgin terrain.

Approach. Paso Cuadrado and Glaciar Fitz Roy Norte.

Gear. Doubles to 3, one 4, one 5.

Descent. The first ascent party rappelled Tehuelche.

Photos (click to enlarge)

Fitz Roy northwest face

Fitz Roy north face

Fitz Roy north face

Fitz Roy north face