In a remarkable feat of mountaineering, Belgian climber Siebe Vanhee and American counterpart Tommy Caldwell completed an unprecedented 24-hour free ascent of the South African Route on the Central Tower of Paine in Chilean Patagonia. Their journey began at an early 3:20 a.m. on February 13, 2026, and culminated exactly 24 hours later on the summit, marking the first one-day free ascent of the route.
"Tommy and I sent our objective here in Patagonia—we free climbed the South African Route in a day!" Vanhee expressed. Reflecting on the climb, he added, "This is by far one of my most epic experiences in the mountains, and I’m so proud to have shared this with Tommy, a truly strong and supportive climbing partner."
The South African Route, renowned in climbing circles, was established back in 1973-1974 by a six-member South African team. The route remains a prized challenge for climbers, notably due to its lack of bolts and the sheer difficulty posed by the East Face of the Central Tower, towering at 2,450 meters. In a nod to its history, the first free ascent was achieved in 2009 by Vanhee's fellow countrymen, Seán Villanueva-O’Driscoll and Nico Favresse, along with American climber Ben Ditto.
Previous attempts to reach this milestone had their share of setbacks. In 2018, Vanhee and Villanueva-O’Driscoll planned a similar project but were thwarted by unfavorable weather conditions. "The East Face is known for its challenging rock-climbing conditions: 'stable' weather can change very rapidly into fierce wind, and its cracks are often full of snow and ice," Vanhee noted. Given these conditions, the one-day ascent represented a significant escalation in difficulty compared to the traditional multi-day capsule style ascents.
Describing the planning that preceded their bold venture, Vanhee outlined the daunting nature of their undertaking: "The chances of success on this project are incredibly slim, so it was important for us to simply try. The weather window for the send was not promising: Several days of precipitation followed by one dry but cloudy (and very windy) day on February 12." With trepidation, the climbers assessed the rock face before the final ascent, unsure of how wet the higher sections might be.
On the day of the ascent, conditions showed some improvement, providing a window for their determined push. Initially, Caldwell led the climb through pitches one to five, with the team primarily simul-climbing. As they approached the first crux, during pitch 14, a slip briefly upset their pace, but Caldwell recovered, proceeding to summit that section cleanly: "Despite having onsighted this pitch on our second attempt, Tommy took a slip halfway up and fell," relayed Vanhee.
Their climb proceeded with calculated urgency, knowing the narrow window for success. Just days earlier, they had attempted a similar push, reaching pitch 21 but were forced to retreat when poor weather hit. "We knew we had to climb the steep crux sections ever faster to give us time to climb the remaining 300 meters of the tower," said Vanhee, highlighting the high-stakes nature of their effort.
As they tackled increasingly difficult sections, they were met with both physical and mental challenges. Vanhee assumed the lead for another crux pitch, though not as fluid as during their past attempts, he pressed through to link various sections together into a single length. When confronted with the daunting 5.11+ offwidth, he considered the risks of leading it himself—a feat he had observed Caldwell handle adeptly before. “I really felt like going for it,” he admitted, and ultimately succeeded, saving crucial time as Caldwell followed quickly behind.
After 13 hours of climbing, both climbers remained driven towards the summit despite the grueling pace. Vanhee took the reins for the final assent except for one pitch, relentlessly pushing onward. They reached the summit at approximately 10 p.m., fulfilling their goal just as the sun dipped below the horizon.
The historic achievement not only underscores their mountaineering prowess but also highlights the relentless spirit of climbers in Patagonia's rugged landscape. The Central Tower of Paine remains one of the most challenging ascents in the world, and Vanhee and Caldwell's one-day ascent redefines what is possible in this enchanting region. As climbing continues to evolve, their landmark ascent paves the way for future endeavors in the extreme environment of Patagonia.