South America, Argentina, Argentine Patagonia, Agjua Poincenot, Various Ascents

Publication Year: 1997.

Aguja Poincenot, Various Ascents. Several ascents were made of Poincenot in the 1995-1996 season, all by the classic 1962 Whillans-Cochrane Route. On January 13, during a brief spell of good weather, three teams crowded onto the route and summitted at 10 p.m. in a snowstorm. They included the Spanish team of Javier Carrasbal Onieva and Ayustine Rodriguez, the Catalan team of Alfonso Vizan and Javier Gomez Santos, and the Anglo-American team of Julian Fisher, Charlie French and Cam Burns. Descent was made throughout the night in a snowstorm that deposited several feet. On January 30, Poincenot was climbed by Americans John Catto and Peter Gallagher by the Whillans route. The pair made something of a circular tour of the mountain, traversing far onto the west face and climbing 16 pitches above the shoulder before sum- mitting. (Most groups climb 10-12 pitches.) In February, an Italian team also climbed Poincenot by the Whillans route.

Cameron M. Burns