Aguja Pollone (ca. 2300m).


1. Cara Sur
2. La Granja
3. Joviejo
4. Sit-Start & Traverse
5. Alternate Sit-Start

An obvious tower that sits straight west from Paso Cuadrado, across the valley. Its most obvious feature is its east arete, La Granja, a route well worth repeating.

Photos (click to enlarge)

Cerro Pollone, Aguja Pollone -

overview

Aguja Pollone – South face

1. Cara Sur

350m 5+ A2

Richard Smithers and Clive Ward (South Africa), 23/2/1976.

Description. The route follows natural weakness up the south face, on good granite. The first ascent party climbed 12 pitches.

History. Smithers and Ward were part of a large South African team whose original objective was the north face of Fitz Roy. The climbed Aguja Pollone after fixing a few ropes over three days. The second ascent was done the very next day.

Approach. Paso Cuadrado and Glaciar Fitz Roy Norte.

Descent. Via the same route.

Bibliography. AAJ 1977 p. 231; Journal of the Mountaineering Club of South Africa 1976 p. 19-24.

Cerro Pollone, Aguja Pollone -

overview

Aguja Pollone – East arete

2. La Granja

350m 6c

Nicolas Benedetti, Ramiro Calvo, Juan Canale and Flavio Renzacci (Argentina), 10/3/1997.

Description. The first pitch is in common with the Cara Sur route. From there head up and right to reach the arete and move to its north side. Cracks lead to a scary last pitch, a compact granite slab with no pro (6b) to reach the summit. The route is well worth the walk to its base. Good rock in an impressive setting.

In 2012 Jumbo Jokoyama and Ryo Masumoto (JP), as part of the "sit start" and traverse of Aguja Pollone, put up a beautiful three pitch direct start, climbing cracks just right of the ridge. The first pitch is a perfect corner, thin fingers at the start (6c) leading to an off-width (#5 camalot recommended). The two following pitches are in the 6b range. This direct start makes the route far more sustained and homogeneous. To get to it reach the foot of the knife-edge ridge and downclimb 6 meters to the east. Belay there and start straight up.

History. At the time the first ascentionists worked together as guides on the Perito Moreno glacier, taking hordes of tourists on glacier walks and lived in the south shore of the Brazo Rico, in a small camp that they affectionately called “La Granja” (the farm), for its striking resemblance to a drug rehab camp.

Approach. Paso Cuadrado and Glaciar Fitz Roy Norte.

Descent. Via the same route.

Cerro Pollone, Aguja Pollone -

overview

Aguja Pollone - East face

Aguja Pollone - North face

3. Joviejo

350m 6b A3

Erich and Stefan Gatt (Austria), 9-10 and 14-15/3/1998.

Description. Nine pitches total. The last two are in common with La Granja.

History. “Joviejo”: joven y viejo, young and old, Erich and Stefan are father and son.

Approach. Paso Cuadrado and Glaciar Fitz Roy Norte.

Descent. Rap west twice, then 5 more raps on the north face bring you back to the base.

Aguja Pollone - East face

Aguja Pollone - North face

Aguja Pollone - Sit-start & Traverse

4. Sit-Start & Traverse

1000m 7a

Jumbo Jokoyama and Ryo Masumoto (JP), 1/2012.

Description. Jokoyama and Masumoto climbed an obvious sit-start to the east ridge of Aguja Pollone, climbing also a beautiful three pitch direct start to La Granja, which they joined to climb up and over Aguja Pollone. From the summit they rappelled west, then north. Easy snow ramps took them to the base of Aguja Stefan's summit pyramid. Here they rappelled west, reaching the ridge leading to Cerro Pollone's Cumbre Este. Snow over rock forced them onto the north side of the ridge (one pitch 7a), joining Re Puesto! three or four pitches below the Cumbre Este. From here they retreated. In all they climbed 29 pitches, all free. This is the sort of ridge line traverse that would be completely classic in the Alps.

History. They bivied twice, between Aguja Pollone and Aguja Stefan, and at their high point.

Approach. Paso Cuadrado and Glaciar Fitz Roy Norte.

Descent. Jokoyama and Masumoto rappelled east, between two very very nasty seracs. You might want to finish the traverse, fail upwards if need be, climbing over Cumbre Este's summit to rappel as for Re Puesto!.

5. Alternate Sit-Start

In early 2015, Josh Huckaby and Mikey Schaefer (US) climbed an alternate sit-start, from the very bottom of the buttress. They retreated upon reaching the base of the aguja. They describe good rock quality and fun climbing. If combined with La Granja (direct start) it woud make for a phenomenal climb of perhaps close to 800 meters of vertical gain. For the route line see the bottom photo on the photo menu to the right.