Torre Central del Paine : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost

Overview

Torre Central del Paine m. 2460

Torres del Paine East faces - Photo Fabrice Rimlinger

Torres del Paine, rising towards the sky like three perfect granite's arrows, are really the ideal archetip of rocky towers which is in the dreams of every mountaineer. They are located in southern Chilean Patagonia (Chile’s Magallanes Region, Ultima Esperanza Province, Torres del Paine Community), between Cordillera de Los Andes and Patagonian steppes.
The towers are rising up from Magellanic forests with impressive vertical cliffs. The majestic and the highest one is the incredible Torre Central, situated in the middle. From the "Mirador", a panoramic point of view near the Base Camp, it's possible to take the most impressive view over Torre Central stunning East Face; this is quite famous all over the world in reason of its outstanding steepness and the beauty of the surrounding landscape, shaped by the action of the ancient glaciers, renowned as well as the inclement weather conditions which distinguish the area.
Notwithstanding this, every year mountaineers organize their trips, hoping to climb this glamorous peak, while adventurous trekkers come to enjoy the tower’s dramatic scene, a popular hiking destination in Chile.

Getting There

Torre Central West face

Upper Rio Ascensio Valley

ROAD APPROACH

The approach to the area is from Punta Arenas, the capital of Chile’s Region XII, a more than 100,000 inhabitants’s town, with an active airport (2,500 Km South of Santiago). A 200 Km paved road (Ruta CH-9) connects Punta Arenas with Puerto Natales, the last small town on the way to Paine Region. From Puerto Natales (about 20,000 inhabitants, hotels) drive along a 120 Km unsurfaced road, leading to Laguna Amarga Keeper Post (Park Gate).
From here follow a narrow 7 Km. car road (private, tourists’s cars not allowed) to Estancia Paine (Lodge), from where the approach-trail to Chilean Camp is starting; follow it to Torres Base Camp, lying at the foot of Torres del Paine East faces (about 3-4 hours by walking).
An impressive view point - the famous “Mirador” - is easily reached following a short trail from Torres Base Camp.

History

Jumaring along Via delle Mamme (Torre Central del Paine)

Jumaring during Via delle Mamme first ascent (West face)- Photo Alberto Rampini november 1992

First summiters: Sir Chris Bonington and Don Whillans 1963, January, 16th

- The likely first attempt to climb Torre Central del Paine dates back in 1940, when Rudolf and Werner (Germany) tryed to climb from the saddle between Torre Central and Torre Sur, without leaving any climbing report.

- Torre Central absolute first ascent was realized many years later by Chris Bonington and Don Whillans (UK) along the North Ridge VI, A2 600 mt. 16.01.1963.

-Armando Aste, Vasco Taldo, Nando Nusdeo, Josve Aiazzi and Carlo Casati (Italy) realized the second ascent the day after (17.1.1963), climbing the same route.

Faces and Routes overview

East Face Routes: A La Ballena de los vientos- B Insumisioa- C Magico Est- D El gordo,el flaco y l'abuelito-E Riders on the storm- F El regalo del Mwoma- G Golazo- H Una fina linea- i Macaroni- J South African- K Waiting for Godot-L Original British Route ph. Alberto Rampini

North Face

**North Ridge British Route Chris Bonington and Don Whillans (UK) on the North Ridge VI, A2 600 mt. 16.01.1963 - The first route realized on the tower.

Eeast Face Routes (including NE and SE routes) in chronological order:

**North East Dihedral – Southafrican Route Michael Scott, Richard Smithers (South Africa) 21.1.1974 (absolute 3rd ascension) ED sup, VI, A4 1100 mt.

**Magico Est Maurizio Giarolli, Elio Orlandi, Ermanno Salvaterra (Italy) 31.10.1986 ED sup., VII, A3, 1000 mt.

**Riders on the Storm Kurt Albert, Berndl Arnold, Peter Dittrich, Wolfgang Gullich (Germany) 23/27.1.1991 ABO, 7c, A3, 1100 mt.

**La Ballena de los Vientos (SE) Eric Brand, Steve Hayward (USA), Sebastian de La Cruz (Arg), Jon Lazkano, Josè Carlos Tamayo (Spain) 24.11.1991 ED sup., 5.10b, A3+, 900 mt.

**El Regalo de Mwoma Paul Pritchard, Sean Smith (UK) 16.1.1992 EX, 6a/b, A4 1000 mt.

**Una Fina linea de locura Teo Plaza, Ramiro Calvo, Diego Luro (Arg) 8.1.1993 ED sup., VII, A3, 1100 mt.

**Insumisioa Raul Melero, Mikel Saez, Xabier Urdanoz (Spain) jan. 1994 ED sup., VI, VII, A4, 1000 mt.

**Golazo Steve Schneider (USA); february 1999 ABO, 5.10, A4+, 1100 mt.

**Macaroni Porridge Junction M.Holecek, F. Silhan, D. Stastny 2000

**El Gordo el Flaco y l'Abuelito Rolando Larcher, Fabio Leoni, Elio Orlandi (Italy) 7.2.2008 7a+/A3+, 1200 mt.

**Waiting for Godot Hansjorg Auer and Much Mayr (Austria) january 2010 7b, M6 750 m. The route ends at the col between Torre Central and Torre Norte.

West Face Routes: 1 Wild Wild West - 2 Rosso di sera - 3 Via delle Mamme ph. Alberto Rampini

West Face routes in chronological order:

**Rosso di Sera Mario Manica, Fabrizio Defrancesco, Fabio Stedile (Italy) 2.1.1986 ED sup., VII, A3, 700 mt.

**Wild Wild West Jan Smith, Scott Cosgrove (USA) 27.1.1991 5.11+, A3, 700 mt.

**Via delle Mamme Carlo Barbolini, Bruno De Donà, Angelo Pozzi, Alberto Rampini, Mario Vighetti (Italy) 15/16.11.1992 ED sup., VII, A3, 750 mt.

North West Face routes in chronological order:

**Kanterarik Ez Jon Lazkano, Kike de Pablos (Spain) 27.1.1991 6c, A3, 700 mt.

**Antxon Eta Gaiska Andoni Areizaga, Josetxo Rodriguez, Gerardo Telletxea, Martin Zabaleta (Spain) February 1998 5.10d, A2, 900 mt.

Endless cracks on Via delle Mamme - West face

South Face routes in chronological order:

**Kearney-Knight Alan Kearney, Bobby Knight (USA) 2.1.1986 VI, A3, 800 mt.

**Ragni di Lecco Marco Ballerini, Carlo Besana, Renato Da Pozzo, Norberto Riva, Dario Spreafico (Italy)24.12.1986

Late routes overview

“EL GORDO, EL FLACO Y L’ABUELITO” Rolando Larcher, Fabio Leoni, Elio Orlandi (Italy) 7.2.2008 7a+/A3+, 1200 mt.
More informations here:
Planetmountain

"WAITING FOR GODOT" Hansjörg Auer and Much Mayr (Austria) january 2010 7b, M6 750 mt.. The route ends at the col between Torre Central and Torre Norte.
More informations here:
Planetmountain

Red Tape

Torre Central del Paine and the entire Cordillera del Paine is lying inside "Torres del Paine National Park", one of greatest park in the country, established in 1959 and declared an UNESCO WORLD BIOSPHERE RESERVE in 1978. The access in regulated and an entrance fee is due.

Camping

Camping is allowed only in some official campsites and any fire is strictly prohibited.

Meteo

CNN METEO CONDITIONS PUERTO NATALES

METEO TORRES DEL PAINE

METEO PATAGONIA

External Links

Useful informations here:

Parque Nacional Park Torres del Paine

Chile Austral

Erraticrock Patagonia

Andeshandbook

Guidebooks and maps

"Patagonia Terra Magica per viaggiatori e alpinisti" by Gino Buscaini and Silvia Metzeltin

Additional images

"Malo Tiempo al Paine"

Torres del Paine East faces: Torre Central in the middle - ph. Alberto Rampini november 1992

Cuernos and Torre Sur del Paine seen from Torre Central summit

Cuernos del Paine and Torre Sur seen from Torre Central summit

Additions and Corrections

[ Post an Addition or Correction ]

Viewing: 1-4 of 4

Baarb

Attaching

Hasn't voted

Might be good to also attach this page to the main Torres page http://www.summitpost.org/parque-nacional-torres-del-paine/282708. Cheers.

Posted Feb 13, 2012 7:02 pm


	AlbertoRampini	Re: Attaching
	Hasn't voted	I'm going to attach my page to the main one. Thank you very much for your message. Cheers. alberto
		Posted Feb 14, 2012 9:09 am

Jesus Malverde

More beta....

Hasn't voted

There is a climber's archive of Big Wall information/pitch diagrams/rack recommendations and expedition notes at Erratic Rock Hostel in Puerto Natales, Chile:http://www.erraticrock.com. Much of the information relates to the Torres del Paine and Fitroy towers/walls. Alot of the information is the original notes (paper/handwriting/ink) of the climbers themselves. I saw expedition routes/notes going back to 1979. Put simply: it is a feast of Patagonia Big Wall climbing information/history. I spent about 20 minutes taking a cursory look at the information and there are about three books/folders. I doubt whether alot

of the information has ever made it into mags/guidebooks. Apparently the information is the private collection of one of the owners of Erratic Rock, but it is apparently available for climbers to review/study and copy. If you are looking for additional beta or are curious about a potentially obscure route, it might be well worth a stop by Erratic Rock.

Posted Jan 3, 2013 12:45 pm

AlbertoRampini

Thanks

Hasn't voted

I'll take a look to this website.

alberto rampini

Posted Jan 4, 2013 10:33 am

Viewing: 1-4 of 4

Images



[ View Gallery - 27 More Images ]