Trip Report
Supercanaleta on Fitz Roy, Patagonia (November 2013)
Wednesday November 25, 2015 10:15am
I guess this mountain does not need an introduction. Here are a few photos from an ascent of what could arguably be the most classic alpine climb on Earth:

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Spot the line!
Spot the line!
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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Having soloed the first 1000 meters of the couloir the real climbing b...
Having soloed the first 1000 meters of the couloir the real climbing begins.
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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Exiting the main couloir.
Exiting the main couloir.
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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More ice.
More ice.
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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Final bit if ice.
Final bit if ice.
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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The real fun begins.
The real fun begins.
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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Crack climbing with gloves on.
Crack climbing with gloves on.
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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Exposed slab climbing.
Exposed slab climbing.
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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View of the Torres.
View of the Torres.
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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Summit of Fitz in the background.
Summit of Fitz in the background.
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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More crack climbing.
More crack climbing.
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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Perfect fist crack (when using gloves).
Perfect fist crack (when using gloves).
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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Getting close.
Getting close.
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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End of difficulties.
End of difficulties.
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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Just before the scramble to the summit. We did not remove our crampons...
Just before the scramble to the summit. We did not remove our crampons on any part of the climb, so needless to say our front-points were so dull that the final bit of soloing to the summit was quite scary...
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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Tagging the summit and then racing the last rays of the sun. Long desc...
Tagging the summit and then racing the last rays of the sun. Long descent (30+ rappels) awaiting the same way we came up.
Credit: KristofferSzilas
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KristofferSzilas
About the Author
Kristoffer Szilas is a mountain climber from Denmark.

Comments
Gregory Crouch

Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
  Nov 25, 2015 - 10:19am PT
Bitchin' route; bitchin' climb! Good effort. I've had the honor of shaking Fonrouge's hand and of speaking to Carlos Comesana on the telephone. One of the greatest first ascents of all time, in my opinion.
Studly

Trad climber
WA
  Nov 25, 2015 - 10:19am PT
That is quite RADICAL!++++
Gagner

climber
Boulder
  Nov 25, 2015 - 10:51am PT
Great shots that bring back memories of a super fun route.

I climbed this in 1987 with Walt Shipley in, I believe, 15 hours from schrund to summit. Looks like a bit more ice exiting the couloir in your photos. Pretty much all rock as I remember.
Fat Dad

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
  Nov 25, 2015 - 10:52am PT
I hate you (not really). Probably the one route on earth I've wanted to do more than any other. Congratulations on a terrific climb.
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
  Nov 25, 2015 - 04:55pm PT
Wow! Another outstanding TR of another world classic. Thank you.

John
namascar

Trad climber
Pasadena, CA
  Nov 25, 2015 - 07:37pm PT
Dang, this is a TR poker!
overwatch

climber
Arizona
  Nov 25, 2015 - 09:41pm PT
Glad I finally took the time...good sh#t.
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
  Nov 26, 2015 - 06:54am PT
Yeeha! More of this !!
the "Compressor" photos and write up were great too!
This arrives on the Thanksgiving here in the States.
Thanx you for filling in the drive time with memorable 'snap shots'
SC seagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab, Bozeman, the ocean, or ?
  Nov 26, 2015 - 07:12am PT
I can't stop going over again and again and again your recent TR postings.
I look and look and look and see something new every time.

A wonderful gift to us.

Susan
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
  Nov 26, 2015 - 10:47am PT
Very nice. You must have had to file for a week to get your points sharp again.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
  Nov 26, 2015 - 11:38am PT
Fantastic TR of a global classic!

Thanks for posting it here and sharing your exploits with us!

climbski2

Mountain climber
The Ocean
  Nov 27, 2015 - 02:53pm PT
Loooong..and Badass!
d-know

Trad climber
electric lady land
  Nov 27, 2015 - 03:22pm PT
Sickness.
Way to represent,
Denmark!
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
  Nov 28, 2015 - 06:19pm PT
You, my friend, have lived a dozen lives of fine routes compared to most of us. Thank you for taking us along with you through this recent explosion of trip reports.
Much appreesh.

Scott
Ed H

Trad climber
Santa Rosa, CA
  Nov 28, 2015 - 06:26pm PT
Way to go!

Thanks for posting!
Larry Nelson

Social climber
  Nov 29, 2015 - 07:36am PT
Bump for some great climbing content.
you are on a roll. Thanks for posting
crankster

Trad climber
No. Tahoe
  Nov 29, 2015 - 07:39am PT
Your posts are like a travelogue for climbs most of us will only do in our dreams. Thanks!
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
  Nov 29, 2015 - 08:38am PT
Colors notwithstanding, an overall wonderful TR of this classic.

With whom did you partner on this?
thebravecowboy

climber
The Good Places
  Nov 29, 2015 - 08:48am PT
Salut!
KristofferSzilas

Mountain climber
Denmark
Author's Reply  Nov 29, 2015 - 04:02pm PT
Colors notwithstanding, an overall wonderful TR of this classic.
With whom did you partner on this?


I uploaded PNG-files now and the colors seem to have improved.

Climbed this one with David Gladwin (UK) and Kim Ladiges (Tasmania).
Great alpine climbers both of them!
BrassNuts

Trad climber
Save your a_s, reach for the brass...
  Nov 29, 2015 - 04:51pm PT
Very cool pics, great job, thanks for sharing!
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
  Nov 29, 2015 - 08:34pm PT
Thank you, just amazing photos.

30 raps, through the night, after a massive day of pushing... Boy oh boy, no margin. Respect for anyone who sends that route. Is IAD the standard way of firing it, or do parties bivy?

This photo is my favorite:

KristofferSzilas

Mountain climber
Denmark
Author's Reply  Nov 29, 2015 - 09:05pm PT
We did 30+ rappels because one guy lost his belay device and his headlamp died, so we had to do shorter rappels as the ropes kept twisting with the HMS-brake. On top of that there was so much spindrift coming down that we didn't find half of the in situ anchors, and had to build many ourselves. We would stop mid-pitch whenever we got back on track, so we did countless of extra rappels.
We returned to our bivy at the base of the climb after a 33 hour round-trip. We then hiked directly back to El Chalten to party, so ended up being awake for two days straight.
I guess we were a bit slow being three in a team, plus it was unusually cold so we had to stop a few times to brew up and keep warm.

As far as I know most people do it in a single push like we did, or else they bivy at the notch before starting the rappels. Most people rappel the Franco-Argentino, which has fixed anchors the whole way and is shorter.
Blakey

Trad climber
Sierra Vista
  Nov 30, 2015 - 02:35am PT
Kristoffer,

All that hard core alpinism, you were lucky to escape coz you don't tie off your fig of 8s!!!

;-)

(Seriously, this is seriously impressive stuff)

Steve
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Nov 30, 2015 - 02:47am PT
Quite a career !
Respect.
Scole

Trad climber
Zapopan
  Nov 30, 2015 - 09:33am PT
Well done! I'm glad to see that Fitz-Roy still satisfies.
KristofferSzilas

Mountain climber
Denmark
Author's Reply  Dec 3, 2015 - 12:49pm PT
I should also add this video:
[Click to View YouTube Video]

We thought we were smart by hiking up a day in advance of the weather window. Turned out to be a poor decision, because we had to bivy behind some boulders and got absolutely soaking wet. On top of that the whole couloir was loaded with snow and the hike back over Paso Quadrado was also incredibly avalanche-prone.

Here is a video of the view from the top ridge on the successful ascent a week later:
[Click to View YouTube Video]
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
  Dec 3, 2015 - 12:54pm PT
Wicked.
Go