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Stephan Siegrist at Cerro Stanhardt
Together with Ralf Weber and Thomas Senf the Swiss pro climber Stephan Siegrist succeeded at Cerro Stanhardt in winter. The trio reached the most northerly one of the three main summits of the Cerro Torre group in alpine style over the Exocet route (second ascent after Bonapace-Ponholzer team in 1990). By doing so, Stephan Siegrist is the first to succeed on all three major summits of the Torre group* in wintertime!
The Torre group with the Exocet route
(photo: photo: visualimpact.ch | Thomas Senf)
The Swiss began his adventure in Patagonia already in 1999. Back then, Siegrist and Thomas Ulrich, David Fasel and Gregory Crouch made the first winter ascent of the Ferrari (Ragni) route. Siegrist came back to South America ten years later and accomplished the first winter climb to the summit of Torre Egger, together with Daniel Arnold and Thomas Senf. The team sent almost 1000 meter long Titanic route and added some new variants of their own. This year the time has come to manage the last main summit.
Stephan Siegrist, Ralf Weber and Thomas Senf on the summit of Cerro Stanhardt
(photo: visualimpact.ch | Thomas Senf)
Siegrist emphasizes that for him the uniqueness of this climb did not come from the challenge and the success for the main part, but from the exceptional experience of being privileged to climb with two good friends but no one else near in the winterly quietness of the Cerro Torre group, reaching the top on a bright day right before sunset and then – after a quick rappel in moonlight – spending the night directly underneath the summit mushroom in the “most beautiful bivouac ever” (as quoted by Senf). These are the highlights he is looking for in the mountains – truly magical moments!
Stephan Siegrist during the descent from Cerro Stanhardt
(photo: visualimpact.ch | Thomas Senf)
*the Torre group, located in Patagonia in South America, west of Cerro Chalten (known as Fitz Roy), includes three main summits: Cerro Torre, Torre Egger and Cerro Stanhardt.
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