Cybercasts

Vinson Team Preps for Low Camp

Don Wargowsky calls in a report– the team has been training and prepping at basecamp and will soon begin their summit attempt!

Transcription:

Hi friends, this is Don checking in from Mount Vinson basecamp in Antarctica. We had a wonderful day today in basecamp– this is a preparation day for things to come. The weather was a little bit chilly over night heading lows of-20 to 25 degrees, a little bit windy this morning, but things warmed up and the winds died down in the afternoon. We had a nice day here in camp of setting up our harnesses and the ascenders, reviewing glacier travel, and sorting out our food and meals for our summit attempt and we’re gonna start that tomorrow. We’re gonna move from basecamp up to Mount Vinson and low camp starting tomorrow morning and looking forward to good weather up there. The team is in great spirits everyone is doing well and it looks like we have great weather to come. So thank you very much for following along and look forward to talking to you tomorrow. Thanks!

 

The Team Moves to Basecamp!

Ben Jones and the team call in from Vinson basecamp!

Transcription:

Hi everybody this is Ben Jones all the way from Mount Vinson. We took a 4 hour flight and landed onto the blue ice runway, then took a short drive to union glacier. Then after a couple hours we got on another plane and flew here to Vinson Basecamp at just about 7,000 ft. It’s a little after midnight here and its been a long day. We’re getting ready to head off to bed and then tomorrow we’re be around here at camp reviewing skills before getting packed up for our move to the next camp the following day. Everybody is doing well and says hello to everybody following along back home. Talk to you soon.

V2- First Vinson trip of the season kicks off!

Hello Everyone, Our first Vinson team of the season has arrived and we have completed our gear check, orientation, and our check in for the flight down to the “ice”. The team is in great spirits and really looking forward to this unique adventure to the bottom of the World. We will get an update this evening on our scheduled departure so will keep you posted when our flight is confirmed but it looks like we will fly tomorrow on the 6th of December. Check back here for daily updates! Thanks for following along, Ben Jones

Team Ultimate heads home

Hola friends, family and loved ones,

Sad to depart from such an uplifting expedition. We’ve been telling stories of the highlights of our recent experiences on the “Ice” while celebrating our success on the massif known as Vinson. The weather tried our patience but ultimately it was very benign when it counted most on summit day. We were very fortunate to have excellent members that came ready to rock but mature enough to wait until the mountain was ready to be climbed. Now we say goodbye yet look forward to climbing we one another in the years to come.

Topping the headwall

Meow

Summit celebration

Evening Sun dog

May all your penguins be well fed!

All my best,Vern Tejas

Team Ultimate Returns to Punta Arenas

I thought is was a fantastic experience. Alpine Ascents did a great job providing logistics and experienced guiding. Great mountain, great guides, overall a good group of people with good mountaineering skills.

Disembarking on the ice from our Illuyshin 76 private jet. Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
Moving to Base Camp from our Twin Otter landing strip. Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
Neighboring Mount Shinn from High Camp. Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
High Camp. Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
Summit Ridge. Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
Vinson Summit. Lakpa Rita Sherpa becomes the first Sherpa to summit Mount Vinson, and the Seven Summits. Photo: Andy Tyson
Plenty of daylight. Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
Climbing towards summit ridge. Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
Ralaxing at Union Glacier Camp. Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska
Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Photo: Monika Witkowska

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