Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll Interview- The Moonwalk Traverse

There are those who call it a masterpiece. Others, like Colin Haley, defines it as “the most impressive solo climb ever made in Patagonia”. With The Moonwalk Traverse, Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll, considered one of the strongest mountaineers in the world, has outdone himself. And he has achieved an undertaking that is destined to enter Patagonian history.

Patagonia is your second home, how was born the idea of The Moonwalk Traverse on Fitz Roy?
I arrived in Patagonia in January 2020, before the pandemic, with Nicolas Favresse, my partner of many adventures, and we opened some new routes there. Then in mid-March Nico had to go back to Europe. At that point my plan was to stay in Argentina until the end of March, only then the lockdown started and they canceled all flights. I contacted the embassy in order to go home, but at the same moment I realized that I was in a wonderful place, and so I decided to stay. Instead of the two months plannes, I stayed in Patagonia for a year and a half. I have always had this traverse in mind, I found it very fascinating: so long and wild, it offered a unique opportunity to experience a memorable adventure. I admired the skyline from below and I was sure it would be epic, but I had always thought of doing it with a climbing partner.

You lived for a year and a half in your van in El Chaltén: is it during these days that you had the idea of trying the traverse? Has anyone inspired you?
During winter, daylight hours are few, so I spent a lot of time alone reading, playing and reflecting in the van. One of these nights, inspired by my friend Silvia Vidal, a very strong Spanish mountaineer who always carries out incredible projects and often spends more then thirty days alone on immense walls without contacts of any kind and no electronic equipment, I decided that I wanted to try a similar adventure, completely alone. For the first time, I didn’t have an upcoming project with Nico and it seemed like a unique opportunity. And so I came up with what I called The Moonwalk Traverse: it seemed like a long enough and demanding project, but I thought it was impossible, especially for the short windows of good weather that there are in the area. But then I thought that having a dream would certainly not hurt me, and so I began to fantasize, to inform myself better and to slowly believe that maybe it could be done.

The traverse took you six days (February 5 to 10, 2021), just one more day than the Caldwell-Honnold team, which made them earn a Piolet d’Ort. Did you expect to take so little time?
I knew that the Caldwell-Honnold team had taken five days to complete the traverse and therefore I thought I needed a good weather window of at least ten days, certainly no less than six, also because I was solo climbing, self-insured, and therefore slower. And so I patiently waited. Then, on my fortieth birthday, a six-day window came. The dream was becoming a reality.

How did you move?
I made the traverse in the opposite direction of Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold, from south to north, because it had never been done, it was something new. In Patagonia, in fact, it is north faces that get the most sun.

Did you have any difficulties?
On the first day, while I was carrying the backpack, which at the beginning weighed very much, about thirty kilos, some stones fell from above and damaged the rope, fortunately not drastically. I thought the expedition was over, but then I repaired it with tape and continued. The rope lasted all six days, and then, just when I had finished the traverse, it broke completely: at that point it would not really be usable anymore.

Did you have a telephone or any electronic devices with you?
No, absolutely nothing. I also decided not to tell anyone what I wanted to do because they would think I was crazy. Only on the morning I left I told two people about it, and during the traverse I met just three other groups. Then, I don’t know how, when I got back to El Chaltén everyone knew what I had done and cheered me, it was a wonderful moment. I have also received congratulatory emails from the best mountaineers in the world and from many journalists.

What is the local population like? Did you feel lonely while living in the van?
I really enjoyed having some time to be alone but I also met so many extraordinary people who have then become very good friends: the El Chaltén climbers community is really hospitable, open and generous, they welcomed me warmly right away, accepting me as part of them.

Some people cry when reaching the top, others scream, others laugh. You play the flute on each peak. What do you play?
My mother is Irish: I am very attached to that land and its traditions, especially to its music, so on each peak I play some melody from that country. They are important moments because they remind me that I climb mountains to have fun and to experience intense and special moments.

During the climb you celebrated your 40th birthday. You are happy? Do you have any regrets or remorse?
No regrets or remorse, I am happy, I live a wonderful, dreamy life. I am grateful for my friends and for everything I have.

The Moonwalk Traverse is it the most exceptional experience you have had?
I don’t know, for sure it was really special. I was full of both physical and mental energies, in a really positive mood, I lived intensely every moment up there. Everything went perfectly, and I was very lucky with the weather.

Is there an Italian mountaineer that you particularly esteem?
Certainly Walter Bonatti and his life’s philosophy, and then Matteo della Bordella and Ragni di Lecco which are my great friends and have a very positive energy.

Future projects?
I am leaving with Nico for an exploration expedition on a sailing boat in Greenland, we are going to climb any interesting routes we will find.