Aguja Saint Exupery, Granite mountain summit in Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina.
Aguja Saint Exupery is a granite peak in Los Glaciares National Park, west of El Chaltén in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. It reaches 2,558 m, slightly higher than the nearby Aguja Raphael (2,482 m) and Aguja de la S (2,335 m). Its East Pillar route gains 700 m of elevation over snow at about 60 degrees.
The first ascent took place on February 23, 1968, led by Italian climbers including Silvia Metzeltin and Gino Buscaini. This achievement marked a turning point in exploring this difficult granite formation in the Andes.
The summit is named after writer and pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who flew postal routes across Patagonia during the 1920s and 1930s. Climbers and locals associate this name with the region's aviation heritage.
The best climbing season runs from December to February when weather conditions are most stable. El Chaltén village serves as the main departure point for all expeditions to the summit.
The first ascent, on 23 February 1968, was made by an Italian team of Silvia Metzeltin, Gino Buscaini, Lino Condot, Walter Romano and Silvano Sinigoi, who opened an 800-metre route on the East Pillar. In the Spanish sources this itinerary is called the Ruta Italiana, with 700 metres of elevation gain and snow at 60°.
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