Brits Try First Winter Ascent on Patagonian Peak

Two of Britain's top climbers have gone to Patagonia to attempt the first winter ascent of Torre Egger, one of the continent's hardest peaks and the expedition will be the subject of a film produced by award-winning film-maker Alastair Lee.

Andy Kirkpatrick and Ian Parnell will be attempting a route called Titanic, which is roughly E2 with added aid and is supposedly one of the easier routes on the mountain. The pair expect to find iced-up cracklines and are particularly wary of the overhanging mushrooms of snow and ice that flank the summit.

''I don't want to think about that bit, its too scary,' said Kirkpatrick, a man not usually known for his cautiousness.

The mountain has only been summited half a dozen or so times in summer, which underlines just what a serious undertaking this is. It's perhaps best known for the controversy surrounding its first ascent by Cesare Maestri and Toni Egger in 1959. Egger was killed on the mountain and many doubt Maestri's claims. More background at www.nationalgeographic.com.

The pair will be carrying film-making equipment supplied by Lee's Posing Productions company and will be filming their ascent with the raw footage to be edited and produced by Lee for the forthcoming PSYCHE dvd.

Anyone's who's witnessed Andy Kirkpatrick's entertaining lecture style will be looking forward to the results.

Additionally, Posing Productions will be running updates on the pair's progress when available at www.posingproductions.com worth a look for the images as well...

And here's the route...