SEAN VILLANUEVA'S FITZROY TRAVERSE — THE STORY OF A DREAM

From his camper in El Chaltén, Sean Villanueva tells us the story of the incredible adventure he recently completed, that is now known to the world as the Moonwalk Traverse. The Fitz Roy traverse has only been done one time by Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell, from north to south, on the faces with the best exposure. Well… why not do it south to north, solo? It was a simple idea; Little by little it turned into a dream that Sean was able to bring to life. From the man himself, we heard about his experiences on this wild adventure.

From Mere Idea to a Dream Realized

"One day, I had the idea to traverse the entire Fitz Roy massif. At first, it was just an idea. It was unrealistic. The weather is complicated in Patagonia, the conditions are harsh. Plus, climbing solo is a lot of work! 

I started to study the topo to see how I could link the summits, without really imagining that I'd do it. It's something that really motivated me, that made my soul sing, even if I would never get the chance to do it!

One day, I realized that it was possible. At first, I thought it would take me 10 days. But I knew full well that having good weather for such a long period of time is impossible in Patagonia. So, I told myself that if there was a window of 6 good days, I would try it. And that window came for my birthday! 

Everything came together little by little. I had time to prepare, to think, to dream, to settle in here in Patagonia, and get accustomed to the conditions."

Moonwalking in Good Conditions

Throughout the whole traverse, I had the impression that everything was going smoothly. Everything aligned. I was mentally well-prepared. I planned for 10 days of food, just in case, even if the traverse would only take me 6. It was only when I arrived back at the ground at the very end, that the weather started to turn. I was so incredibly lucky with the conditions!

I chose to do the traverse from south to north, and even though the faces don't get sun, they weren't too icy. It wasn't too bad. I did it in the opposite direction mostly because it had never been done and it represented more of an adventure. 

Mental Game for the Game-Changing Decisions

"I made a few crucial good decisions. Just before the Fitz Roy, I stopped in front of the Col des Italiens. I knew that the wind was going to pick up and I didn't want to get caught in the middle of it, on an exposed face at night. So, I found a great place to sleep and recover. About that time, I crossed paths with two friends who were coming down from the summit, who told me that it was soaking wet. The next day, however, everything was dry!

Later, while I was rappelling down from the summit, I decided to stop on a small ledge. That break allowed me to recover well. Once again, the next day was much more favorable: there was no wind and I could rappel without any problems.

There was a somewhat difficult moment at the summit of Fitz Roy. In the guide, it says there is 200 meters of easy terrain. In fact, everything was frozen and I didn't have the necessary gear for ice climbing. I just had one ice axe, one ice screw, and some aluminium crampons. I really had to be careful and take my time."

An Accomplishment of Personal Pride

"When I was ascending, I was always super happy to be there! I woke up before my alarm went off, super motivated. Everything was going well, I had more than enough energy and food… It really was a dream. I had been preparing for a year, without really believing that it would happen. It was magical! 

At the end of the traverse, after the last rappel, I began walking to go down to the village. But I didn't want to go back; I needed one more day to dream, to realize what I'd done. So, I stopped in a prairie, near a stream with wild berries. I settled in and took the afternoon to digest what had just happened and enjoy the moment in this beautiful place. 

The next day, the 7th day, I returned to the village and everyone already knew that I'd succeeded! The morning of my departure, I only told 2 people. On my way up, I passed a team of three who must have spread the word in the village. 

Because of the pandemic, it was a pretty calm year in El Chaltén. There were very few climbers and mountaineers. But when I arrived at El Chaltén and everyone applauded and congratulated me, it warmed my heart. I've made so many friends here.They totally accepted me in their community. I also received a ton of messages, even from the greatest alpinists! 

Above all, I did it for myself. It's a huge commitment; there is no rescue team here! No one is coming to get you if something goes wrong. The first base camps are a 10-hour hike, so very far away. A commitment of this magnitude should be an intrinsic commitment. It really was for me, no one else."