Fitz Roy - East face


7. Línea de Eleganza

1250m 90˚ 7c (6c A2) M

Horacio Codo, Lucas Fava (Argentina) and Elio Orlandi (Italy), 07/02/2004.

History. This line was originally attempted in early 1982 by a Japanese team of seven climbers led by Tsuneo Hasegawa who climbed approximately 400 meters. Elio Orlandi tried it on several occasions, the first with Rolando Larcher and Fabio Leoni in 2001. With Fava and Codo, and initially with the help of Fabio Giacomelli, Orlandi fixed ropes on the first 600 meters where they established a camp in a ledge they dubbed “Grand Hotel Patagonicus”. Above this point they fixed the ropes they had used in the lower wall to eventually reach the summit after several (9?) days on the wall. Some of the upper pitches might be in common with El Corazón. Free ascent, alpine style. Tommy Caldwell, Topher Donahue and Erik Roed (USA), 22-24/02/2006. They repeated the route in two days, climbing alpine style, with the leader onsight free climbing every pitch, the seconds following on jumars, with difficulties to 5.12d and M8. They descended the Francesa.

In 2016 Iñaki Coussirat was hit by rock fall while climbing high on this route and later died from the injuries suffered. Carlitos Molina, his partner lowered him back to the glacier.

Approach. Laguna de los Tres to Paso Superior to Glaciar Piedras Blancas Superior.

Descent. Raps anchors along the route, but a descent via the Francesa would likely be more convenient.

Photos (click to enlarge)

Fitz Roy southeast face

Fitz Roy southeast face