Aguja de l'S - South face
11. Besos to Pesos
320m 7b A0
David Allfrey and Jonathan Schaffer (US), 2/2013.
Description. Climb the initial 500-meter "approach" of Thaws not Houlding Wright involving moderate rock climbing up easy slabs somewhat reminiscent of Yosemite' Royal Arches. In the upper headwall climb two pitches along The Art of War following an obvious corner to then move left to an crack system immediately left of The Art of War. The route is wildly steep and right leaning, the upper 2/3's slightly overhanging. In all it climbs 10 pitches -400m- (7 or 8 of them new) at a sustained 6c to 7b range, with at least three pitches being 7a+ or harder and three moves of A0.
The climbing is reported to be of really high quality, and offers everything from technical stemming (pitches 2 and 6), fingers, hand cracks and many sections of off-width. The first crux pitch is a gently overhanging, right leaning hand-crack that becomes flared fingers and then a 6" off-width. The next 7b pitch is wild steep stemming between crack systems and 0.5 to 0.75 camalots over a roof. The second to last pitch, 6c, is a long sustained hand crack in a corner on excellent silver rock. This corner is capped by a large roof with a beautiful hand and finger crack. The roof might be free climbable at 7c but required three moves of aid during the first ascent.
History. The first ascensionists named the route "Besos to Pesos". Being this their first time in Argentina they feel they learned many things, from besos to pesos…
The first ascent was done with one bivy at the base of the upper headwall.
Approach. Before Niponinos.
Descent. Via the Austriaca along the north ridge.
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