Cerro Piergiorgio Patagonia: fresh Ragni di Lecco attempt after setback

A small Italian Ragni di Lecco expedition to Patagonia's Cerro Piergiorgio suffered a setback last week when expedition member Giovanni Ongaro was hit by a massive block of falling ice at circa 700m. Both hands were severely injured and the team comprised of Cristian Brenna, Hervé Barmasse and Mario Conti worked hard at lowering Ongaro, transporting him 23 km across the glacier and getting him to medical care first in El Chalten, then at El Calafate.

Ongaro returned to Italy yesterday and despite the route's objective dangers (Italian mountaineer Luca Maspes was injured in a previous 2006 attempt) the remaining team members have decided to give the line another shot, weather and route conditions permitting.