VINSON MASSIF EXPEDITION

Mount Vinson, Antarctica's highest peak, lies within the Ellsworth mountain range a mere 600 miles from the South Pole. Antarctica is a land of extremes, with night-time low temperatures often reaching negative 40F and a sun that never sets.

We meet in Punta Arenas at the southern tip of Chile where we will spend a day checking and weighing gear in preparation for the 6 hour flight to The Ice. The flight to Antarctica aboard a Russian Illuyshin cargo plane which lands on a blue ice runway at Patriot Hills is an experience you will not forget. From Patriot Hills we board a Twin Otter on skis for the flight to Vinson base camp. It takes an impressive amount of logistical support to get people and gear to the bottom of the world.

The route up Mt Vinson involves glacier travel and moderately steep snow climbing. We generally put in two or three camps above base camp before going for the top. The summit ridge provides some interesting climbing as you wind through through rocks and snow on your way to the top of Antarctica . The views from the summit on a clear day are breathtaking, as you gaze across an ocean of ice extending to the horizon.

Climbers should prepare themselves physically to be able to carry moderately heavy loads over the course of fairly long days. Antarctica is a very cold place and proper equipment is essential. Email us for an equipment list if you are thinking of testing yourself at these southern latitudes.

Each expedition departure date lasts a differing length of time, due to the schedule of flights from Chile to the Ice. Though trips take about 14 days; flight delays in Antarctica are quite common due to the changing weather. Climbers should keep some flexibility in their return schedules to allow for any delays.

We are currently offering three departures for the 2008/09 season, with additional departures possible if necessary.