Cerro Tone in Winter 2000

Although intended to be a two-man team, the 'leader', David Hesleden, injured his back early in the year so, although departure was delayed in the hope that he would recover sufficiently, eventually Parkin went on his own. It was assumed that the winter season would provide more stable weather than other times of the year, and thus make the second ascent of the Maestri/Egger Route on the NE Face of Cerro Torre, 3,102m, a feasible proposition.

However, this was not to be, climbing being very slow and dangerous owing to strong winds and large amounts of verglas, and his attempt on the Compressor Route was abandoned 300m below the summit. Bad weather conditions were also experienced on the Super Couloir Route on the NW Face of Fitzroy, 3,444m (where lack of ice stopped him just below the jammed block) and on the East Face of Cerro Doblado, 2,675m (abandoned owing to excessive snow). As a consolation, Parkin teamed up with local Argentinean climbers to make first ascents of a number of icefalls in the El Chalten valley.