Andy Kirkpatrick (with Richard Cross). July-August 2000

With plenty of cold weather experience behind them, this team hoped to make several first winter ascents, particularly of Torre Egger, c.2850m, probably via a new route on its East Face. However, once in the field, deep snow made them realise that more man-power would be required if they were to succeed, so they attempted a repeat of the Compressor Route instead. Bad weather on this forced a retreat from the Col of Patience. Attempts on the Parkin Route on Aguja Mermoz, 2732m, and the French Couloir on Cerro Pollone, 2579m, were also abandoned due to bad weather but, undeterred, these optimistic gringos still feel that winter is a good season for climbing in Patagonia.