This past weekend, alpinist Colin Haley was in Patagonia where he sended the Exocet route on Cerro Standhardt solo, according to his blog.  Cerro Standhardt neighbors Cerro Torre and Cerro Egger.

The Exocet route has never been soloed, until now.  It involves some scrambling, water ice (WI5) and some mixed climbing.

The route had been attempted solo before in 1994 by Tommy Bonapace, an Austrian climber, but was forced down due to one of those legendary “broom of God” Patagonian storms.

Haley’s accomplishment is all the more interesting when all the peaks in Patagonia have been conquored and the most challenging routes have been mostly repeated.  It’s good to know there are still some records that can still be a “first.”

Well done, Colin!

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