Gran Gendarme Del Pollone

1. East face

250m 5+ A1

Rab Carrington and Alan Rouse (UK), 15/12/1976.

Description. The route involves 7 pitches on good granite up a steep wall then, higher up, up a bottomless chimney choked with ice that leads to some ice grooves and the summit (bring basic ice gear!).

History. The first ascensionists were quite surprised to find the summit decorated with much hairy lichen defying the elements. The west face of this tower, some 550 meters high, remains unclimbed. In 2008 Ramiro Calvo and Marcello Cominetti made the only repeat of this route to date.

Approach. Marconi glacier, then up and up, to a saddle very close to the summit on Loma Blanca. Dont blame me if you decide to hike all the way there for so little climbing... that said the view is unbelievable, well worth the walk from my perspective.

Descent. Via the same route.

Bibliography. Mountain magazine 58 p. 18-21; AAJ 1978 p. 581-583; Climbing magazine 47 p. 5-11.