All-Women Team Opens New Alpine Route on Cerro Steffen
Photo: angiediprinzio
In one of Patagonia’s most remote and weather-beaten corners, a three-woman team has completed a bold new alpine route on Cerro Steffen (3,300 m) – a rarely climbed peak deep inside the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. The ascent marks the first-ever route on the mountain’s west face, adding an inspiring new chapter to female-led alpinism in the region.
The team – Angelina di Prinzio, Paloma Farkas, and Catalina Unwin – established a 900-metre mixed and ice line graded M4 WI4, 60°, which they named Sincronía (“Synchrony”). True to its name, the climb demanded complete harmony in decision-making, movement, and mindset.
A Remote Patagonian Objective
Cerro Steffen sits behind layers of glaciers, lakes, and storm-prone terrain, making it one of the least accessible mountains in the region. Reaching it required crossing Lake O’Higgins, navigating the ice field, and working with almost no prior information – only a handful of old images and a 1965 first-ascent report from the original team.
Because of the remoteness, much of the expedition’s planning happened virtually, with climbers coordinating from Argentina, Chile, and the United States. They spent months preparing logistics, studying maps, and arranging transport into an area known for fierce storms and scarce rescue options.
Climbing “Sincronía”
Once on the ice field, the trio waited out Patagonia’s notorious weather. When a brief window finally opened, they moved decisively.
The route followed a sharply defined line of iced ramps, mixed steps, frozen grooves, and snowfields. The women climbed efficiently, managing difficult conditions and long stretches of sustained terrain. They topped out after a long push, standing alone on one of the most secluded summits in southern Patagonia.
Their effort was supported by grants from the Grit & Rock Foundation, the NOLS Rothberg-Birdwhistell Exploration Fund, and members of Argentina’s guiding community. Their success highlights the growing strength and visibility of all-women alpine teams pushing bold routes in high-commitment terrain.
A New Chapter in Patagonian Alpinism
Cerro Steffen sees very few ascents. Its west face had never been climbed – by anyone – until now. The new route Sincronía stands not only as a technical achievement, but as a symbolic one:
three women carving a line through one of Patagonia’s wildest, most inaccessible regions, entirely on their own terms.