Cerro Eléctrico, Round Trip from "El PiIar"
It was our last day in El Chaltén and we wanted to conclude our trip with a mountain that would challenge us a little more technically. In our search for projects we came across this beautiful mountain with a good history behind it, with 3 characteristic summits and with a glacier pass and some good rock climbs. We searched for information and most of the websites described the route as easy but required equipment to progress and protect ourselves in the glacial snow pass. So we set off equipped for it, with just enough, the minimum to progress safely but moving fast. We left at 8 am. Half of the route runs through the classic Patagonian forest on a well-marked trail, practically flat. Then abruptly begins the steep and continuous slope up to the rock ridge. The rock ridge was very entertaining, with a couple of bouldering climbs.
Finally you can access the summit by crossing a glacier snow or continue along the rocky ridge. We decided to cross the glacier tongue, progressing with ice axe and microspikes, once we crossed the snow, there are about 300 meters of rocky ridge to the central summit. The descent we decided to do it by a different route than the ascent, in order to avoid the climbing step because for it we had to unclimb unstable rock, so we decided to cut through an intermediate valley type carriage.
The mountain has it all, long trails where you can run at high speed, vertical kilometer type slope, climbs, glacier crossing and spectacular views.
We went by sight, so the route reading took us time, plus the weather conditions were quite rough, so we believe that in better conditions and already with the known route can significantly lower the time. Even so we were happy and therefore we want to share this route.