Join an IFMGA certified mountain guide, on this once-in-a-lifetime expedition to the top of Cerro Torre in El Chaltén, Patagonia, Argentina.
Private
Andes
5 Days
Jan - Mar, Nov, Dec
Very high
Advanced
Cerro Torre is a legendary climb, and reaching its summit is a dream for experienced rock climbers.
Torre means tower in Spanish, and upon seeing the dramatic shape of this peak, you won’t wonder why. Its elevation is more than 3,000 meters at its highest point. For a long time, it was considered unscalable, and the first undisputed ascent wasn’t until 1974.
This is a one-on-one trip with an experienced and qualified mountain guide. It’s an intense journey, and the challenging nature of it guarantees a deep sense of fulfillment when you reach the summit. Looking around at the breathtaking Patagonian scenery, inspiration is inevitable.
Book now to embark on a life-changing journey ascending Cerro Torre, and be part of the history of this fabled peak.
For an intermediate-level trip near El Chaltén, check out this ascent of Cerro Vespignani. For a challenging 3-day trip, you might like this Aguja Poincenot guided climbing trip.
We drive to the bridge of Rio Eléctrico where we start a 2-hour hike to Piedra del Fraile camp. Then we continue hiking a demanding trail between moraines and glaciers, ascending 950m of altitude and walking 12km of distance in about 6 hours, to our first camp at Paso Marconi in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.
We start early in the morning moving to the Circo de los Altares s at the foot of Cerro Torre. Then we begin ascending snow ramps that take us to the first part of the climb, a mixed climbing section (rock and ice). After this, we arrive at the Advanced camp of the so-called Filo Roso. An intense day of about 15km of route and with a moderate to hard climbing of 150m.
Approximately at midnight, we start climbing towards the summit, reaching first the Col of Hope, then overcoming the Elmo formation (ice of particular hardness and shape), and later climbing the blue and hard ice of the so-called headwall. Then we finally reach the base of the famous mushroom of Cerro Torre. Only 30m of very exposed climbing, because the consistency of the ice, separate us from the summit. If the weather helps and we keep a good pace, we will be at the summit in the afternoon. After enjoying its views, we start with the hard work of rappelling, where we will have to spend the rest of the day and the next morning until we reach the camp.
After a short nap we start our return to the Marconi pass where we will spend another night.
We return from the Marconi Pass to town following the same tracks as the first day.
More info
The climbing level for this tour is: Ice- W5 Mixed- M4
This is an extremely challenging climb and an extra 1-2 days may be necessary depending on the client's fitness level, climatic conditions, etc. The day before the expedition there´s a brief meeting with the guide to check equipment and arrange last-minute details. The route normally chosen is on the west side of Cerro Torre: Via dei Ragni (Ragni Route). 600m, 90º, M4.
This climb is definitely not suitable for beginners or intermediate climbers, but for the advanced only. Due to the difficulty of the logistics and the high level of fitness and expertise required, there are only 2 or 3 guides, nowadays, that take clients up to this summit and that I can really recommend. This means that you need to book this trip months in advance. Each guide will take only 1 client. Although this summit is reached in 3/4/5 days only, you need a month (with a guide available for you the whole month) to wait for the perfect weather window. During this month, you will do some practice climbs near town. This is not cheap, it has a cost of about 12.000 USD. If the weather is unsuitable, then the guide will take you up to other fascinating mountains in the area such as Aguja Guillaumet or Aguja Poincenot, and refund you for the price difference if applicable.
Meeting point
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5.0
(9)
Mountain Guide
Tomás and his team of IFMGA/UIMLA-certified mountain guides, leaders and rock climbing instructors (Alvaro, Juliana, Merlin, Rodrigo, Armin, Alfredo, and Camila) are some of the top outdoor adventure professionals in Latin America.
Whether you wish to climb some of the most stunning mountains in the Andes or discover the vibrant peaks of Central America, among other amazing options, you will find yourself in good hands with this lively team of professional local guides that will not only show you the top spots in Latin America for outdoor adventures but also, bring you closer to the colorful local cultures of the places that you visit with them.
Tomás will be your main point of contact during the booking process and will help you with all the questions you have in order to make sure you receive the best possible guiding service.
Pick one of the E-S Latam Adventure Guides' programs and start planning an unforgettable experience in the beautiful mountains of Latin America!
Languages
French | English
Certificates
AAGM | IFMGA
Christopher
We wish we could have Simon as our guide on every trek we do. His mountaineering experience and extensive knowledge of the area was impressive and definitely enhanced the trek for us. On top of this, we got along great with Simon and appreciate his easy going personality and sense of humor. We will definitely request Simon as our guide for the next hike we do from El Chalten!
Jim
Thoroughly recommended. Daniel is an excellent guide and we had a great day out.
Chase
This was a fantastic mountaineering trip to Ecuador. The altitude was a bit of a challenge, but Ramiro did a great job with the acclimatization schedule leading up to the taller mountains. Overall, this was a challenging experience given the altitude of the climbs as well as the back-to-back climbing of four mountains. I would highly recommend this excursion for anyone who wants to experience a fantastic country/culture as well as someone who wants to gain some nice experience mountaineering!
Kally
Fredy Tipan is like a superhero of the outdoor world. He knows absolutely everyone, has climbed and guided in the most epic of locations all around the world, knows the mountains like old friends, and really loves what he does and who he does it for. Our trip was completely messed up after an issue with our airline tickets. We weren't going to be able to leave until a week after our planned departure which jeopardized our entire trek with Fredy. We didn't expect him to take any sort of responsibility in replanning as it was our mistake that caused the airline issue but he absolutely did. Within days he rearranged the entire trek so that we would be able to summit all our desired peaks without cutting the days down and without changing the cost. He is a class act and an incredible guide and I'd say my husband and I both consider him a friend as well. We will definitely be booking another trip with Fredy Tipan and recommend him to anyone looking for the real deal in outdoor Guides. Thank you, Fredy!
Amazing short but exciting climb to a summit with outstanding views. Perfect acclimatization peak for the bigger Ecuadorian volcanoes, with a cozy hut and a nice approach walk. Fredy was fantastic, thank you so much for this unforgettable experience!
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