When Luka Lindič and I stood on top of Aguja St. Exupery after climbing our new route Mir on its south face (AAJ 2020), the view to the north was of the imposing south face of Aguja Poincenot (3,002m). We knew about some unclimbed terrain on that section of the wall, but the lack of crack systems and obvious blank rock made it clearer why there were no routes. During our descent from Exupery, we took a couple of photos, having no idea we would look at them so many times in the years to come.

In January 2022, we found ourselves under the wall. On that first visit, we scoped options for a new line and climbed some entering pitches that start from the SUSAT col and traverse onto an obvious buttress shared with Historia Interminable (Cobo-Murcia, 1987); after a few pitches on the buttress, Historia Interminable traverses left, and our line stays 50m to 100m to the right. We later made a second, two-day attempt and climbed 11 pitches, turning around after spending half of the second day climbing 20m of a smooth traverse between two crack systems, one of the major puzzles of the route. It took us two and a half hours to place a single bolt, and we had to lasso a horn high overhead to overcome one blank section.

Before the biggest weather window of that season, I suddenly had to leave for home, so Luka and a friend went back to retrieve the gear we had left under the wall. Fortunately, they hadn’t planned to go climbing. Before dawn, one of the biggest rockfalls in recent times occurred in the approach couloir. Our equipment therefore remained below the wall.

In 2023, we returned to the “scene of the crime,” but bad weather and uncertainty about the rockfall situation diverted us to easier goals. In early February 2024, we decided to go for a recon, and a 24-hour round trip from Polacos camp equipped us with the knowledge that our gear under the wall was in great condition. We also managed to climb an additional ten meters of the traverse, add two bolts, and peer into the next crack system, which promised a way forward.

The end of February finally brought good weather for a proper try. On the 23rd, we climbed the familiar first eight pitches and bivouacked. On the second day, we climbed the remaining known meters in the morning, then headed into unknown terrain, using Peckers and all the aid tricks we had. Then, every climber’s dream came true in the form of incredible pitches and amazing rock. Splitter cracks that rival any Yosemite classic brought smiles to our faces. Plus, we were rewarded with a perfect bivouac ledge in the middle of a steep wall.

On the third day, an overhanging “changing corners” crack awaited for breakfast, followed by a huge roof visible even from Chaltén. In the afternoon, we found ourselves in less steep terrain. We followed the last 200m of the Whillans- Cochrane Route (1962), where the climbing was easier but the fatigue and weight of the equipment we carried became more evident. At the top, we were rewarded with almost no wind and a vividly glowing sunset, which, together with the inner peace we felt, needed no words. Twenty meters below the summit, we set up a third bivouac on a wedged boulder under a roof. We were woken that night by snowfall but didn’t care much. In the morning, we rappelled Whiskey Time (Eggler-Pitelka, 1994) on the east face and stumbled back to town.

In harmony with the changes that happened to us during the life cycle of this project and the history of a climbing partnership that began 20 years ago, we named the route Pot, which is a Slovenian word for “The Path.” The route gained 750m (6c A3), with 500m of new climbing. We used nine bolts, three of which are on belays, and climbed the route without fixed ropes. Peckers were used on the crux sections. Low wind or strong fingers are recommended for the lasso move. The rock is very good to amazing in quality.

— Luka Krajnc, Slovenia