Cerro Torre, The Ragni Route

Sunrise on the last day of 2012 from Paso Marconi

Cerros Fitz Roy and Pier Giorgio dominate

Cerro Torre catches the first sun, on the right, dwarfed in this view

Cerro Gorra Blanca (2860m) at sunrise near Paso Marconi

The west faces of Cerros Volonqui and Rincon on the Continental Ice Cap

The first view of Cerro Torre and Torre Egger, seen from the Ice Cap

Jens and Joel near the Cirque of the Altars

 Joel climbing under Torre Egger and Cerro Torre

The Ragni route basically climbs the right skyline, but remains out of view

Climbers below the Col of Hope

Mushrooms of rime ice grow when the wind plasters the rock with fresh moisture

The West Face of Cerro Torre from The Helmet

The Ragni naturally follows the line of weakness from the lower right to the upper left

The notorious headwall pitch exits the face left under the first mushroom near the summit

Oriol, our Basque friend, under the headwall pitch of the Ragni route

Austrian climber below the headwall

Jens focused near the end of the headwall pitch

Argentine climbers opening a new route

Felicitones Indio, Gabi, and Wenny! 

Joel psyching up for the final mushroom

The most insane pitch of ice ANYWHERE!

Most seasons leave this pitch full of unconsolidated insecure rime ice

Mostly we found blue ice and decent screw placements

Joel entering the tunnel which gives access to the summit

Neil exiting the tunnel

Neil, Jens, and Joel on the summit!

Happy New Year!

Neil and Joel 

LA CUMBRE!

(Jens Holsten took this photo)

Cerro Fitz Roy high above the Torre Valley

Jens rappelling off the Helmet

 The south face of Torre Egger looks incredible!

  Behind Joel is Chile and the Continental Ice Cap

Our friends Nico and Roberto on top of The Helmet

 Paul McSorly found a rock! 

Then he buried it in the snow so we could rappel off The Helmet 

He was very excited, and so were we...

Thanks Team Canada!!!

Jonathan Byers rappelling to the Col of Hope

Above is the crazy rime terrain of The Helmet

Jens and Joel heading down in the last light

Visit Jens Holsten's blog for more photos and some words...www.jensholsten.blogspot.com