Many mountaineers view Cerro Torre as the most difficult to climb in the world. It sits at the southern edge of the Patagonian Region. Ceasare Maestre lay claim to the first ascent of this mountain in 1959, although his claims are among the most controversial in the mountaineering world. The mountain is notorious for its bad weather and pin-like shape, and has been ascended less than 100 times. Recent challanges have involved finding a new route to the top, all of which involve steep granite faces.
There was a great deal of skepticism about Maestre's initial claim to ascent. A climb of such magnitude done in alpine style in such bad weather seemed unlikely given the state of the art of alpinism in 1959. Maestre attempted the climb again in 1970 with the help of over 100 locals and a compressible bolt gun, which fires a bolt with a preclipped hanger directly into the rock. The bolt gun is viewed by many mountaineers to defy the mindset of mountaineering--to respect the forces at nature. Many climbers at the time felt that Maestre had 'desacrated' the mountain. To this day, his initial claim to ascent is still doubted, with his further ascent in 1970 simply adding another complication.
While Everest has certainly seeped a lot of fame in the non-climbing world, it is difficult technical and weather-plagued climbs like Cerro Torre which inspire awe in even the most accomplished Alpinists.
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