Free South Africa on Paine Towers in Patagonia, the Nico Favresse, Sean Villanueva, Ben Ditto ascent video

In February 2009 the Belgian climbers Nicolas Favresse and Sean Villanueva and America’s Ben Ditto spent 13 days on the Central Tower of Paine in Patagonia tackling "some of the most amazing free climbing we have ever encountered" while taking the first free ascent of the big wall established in 1974 by a South African team composed of Paul Fatti, Roger Fuggle, Art McGarr, Mervyn Prior, Mike Scott and Richard Smithers. Here is the video documenting the free ascent a decade ago.



South African route, East Face Central Tower, Paine, Chile
F.A. Paul Fatti, Roger Fuggle, Art McGarr, Mervyn Prior, Mike Scott, Richard Smithers, 1973/1974
FFA: Nicolas Favresse, Sean Villanueva and Ben Ditto, 02/2009
Grade: originally A4/5.10, now 7b+/5.12c
Length: 1200m (30 pitches, many 50m long)