Tag Archive for: High Camp

Manaslu Expedition Conclusion

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive. (📸: Terray Sylvester)
Our Manaslu (8156m/26,759ft) team is now safely off the mountain and heading home. We are grateful they were lucky to have missed the avalanches reported in recent days. All equipment has been carried down from our high camps, and the base camp (4859m/15,944ft) crew is beginning to pack up.

Due to the lingering monsoon and heavy precipitation in western Nepal, as well as the continuous snowfall and bad weather, the route conditions on Manaslu are unsafe for us to proceed. There have been multiple avalanches in recent days causing fatalities and injuries. We are saddened by the events that have transpired and our hearts go out to those who have lost a loved one in these events.

The Madison Mountaineering team went into this expedition very excited to climb to the true summit of Manaslu. However, the mountain had other plans. We are thankful we can walk away and return to climb another day.

Up next is our Ama Dablam expedition beginning October 20th in Nepal. Our fingers are crossed for good weather and route conditions… Stay tuned!!!
Prayer flags among foliage during the 2022 Madison Mountaineering Manaslu expedition. (📸: Terray Sylvester)

Prayer flags among foliage during the 2022 Madison Mountaineering Manaslu expedition. (📸: Terray Sylvester)

Prayer flags hung below Manaslu. (📸: Terray Sylvester)

Prayer flags hung below Manaslu. (📸: Terray Sylvester)

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Back Down to Base Camp

Full team on the summit of Aconcagua

The Aconcagua team are now all back down to base camp safely after standing on the summit of the highest point in South America.  Here’s expedition leader Garrett Madison with today’s expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Aconcagua team dispatch.  Today’s Friday, February 11th.

Today we descended from Camp 3 (5989m/19,650ft) on Aconcagua down to base camp (4367m/14,327ft).  We had a nice day.  Got down in the early afternoon, set up camp, took some showers, had a nice barbeque lunch, and a celebration dinner this evening.  Everyone’s doing great, we’re happy to be down here in base camp after our summit day yesterday where everyone made it to the top and had great views from the summit.

We’ve heading out tomorrow, hiking back to the Horcones trailhead and then driving to Mendoza.

All’s well here in Argentina.  We’ll check in soon.

On the way up to the top of Aconcagua

On the way up to the top of Aconcagua

Celebration toast in base camp for 100% Aconcagua summit success!

Celebration toast in base camp for 100% Aconcagua summit success!

Climbing to the top of Aconcagua at sunrise

Climbing to the top of Aconcagua at sunrise

View from Aconcagua high camp of the moon and sunset

View from Aconcagua high camp of the moon and sunset

Sunset on Aconcagua

Sunset on Aconcagua

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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100% Aconcagua Summit Success!

Fantastic news!  The entire Aconcagua team stood on the summit (6961m/22,837ft) today and are now safely back down to Camp 3.  Here’s team member Krisli Melesk reporting the happy news:

This is Krisli calling in from Madison Mountaineering 2022 Aconcagua expedition.

I have some excellent news!  The whole team who we started with in Mendoza has just summitted and we are back safely in Camp 3!  We just has some nice beverages and also some snacks.  Everybody is in high spirits and we’re looking forward to heading back to base camp for some warm showers tomorrow and some more beverages, maybe. Haha.

Everybody’s doing great and we have an excellent team.  Everybody been super casual and super nice.  The weather has been amazing today, we were so lucky – clear skies and beautiful views.

I think that’s me over and out.  Lots of love to everybody, family, and friends.  Bye now!

(photo from the Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua archives)

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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Aconcagua High Camp (C3)!

Sunset on Aconcagua

Our 2022 Aconcagua team has moved up to High Camp (C3) (5989m/19,650ft) and is in position for the summit attempt tonight! Here’s team member, Todd Ammerman, with today’s dispatch:

Hello!  This is Todd Ammerman checking in from the Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua expedition.  Today we had a marvelous day.

We moved from Camp 2 to Camp 3 which I have now learned is at approximately 19,700ft (6005m).  We are getting well hydrated and fueled up.  We’ll start tomorrow for an early summit push.  Everybody is here and in good shape and good spirit.

We are looking for a wonderful day tomorrow.  Hopefully this next dispatch will have great success stories.  Until then!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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Celebration at Vinson Base Camp

Clients Sarah Brittain and Thomas Moore move from Low Camp to High Camp with guide Garrett Madison on a Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition in the Sentinel Range of Antarctica’s Ellsworth Mountains on January 1, 2021. (📸: @terray_s)

With the full team down to Vinson Base Camp, expedition leader Garrett Madison checks in with today’s dispatch recapping summit day and the journey down to base camp where everyone is celebrating:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team. Today is January 19th.

Our team came down from High Camp today after reaching the summit of Mount Vinson yesterday on January 18th. We had a good summit day and a nice trek down from High Camp. We arrived in base camp this evening and had a fun, celebratory dinner with our team – everyone was present. We enjoyed some champagne and burgers and had a good finish to our expedition here on Vinson.

We might be here another day or so at Vinson Base Camp. We’re not sure when the Twin Otters will be able to arrive to fly us out – hopefully in a day or two. But everyone’s in good spirits; we’re happy to be down safe and had a great summit yesterday, especially being up there with Ed Viesturs on the highest point in Antarctica was really special.

It was a wonderful expedition, and we’re just going to be here in Vinson Base Camp, hanging out, enjoying Antarctica until our flight back to Union Glacier and Punta Arenas, Chile.

(📸: @terray_s – Team Two climbers Sarah B. and Thomas M. moving up to high camp with guide Garrett Madison earlier this month)

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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Perseverance Pays Off – Vinson Summits!

Happy New Year 2022 from Antarctica!

After persevering through five nights at Mount Vinson‘s High Camp, our Team Three’s patience and tactics paid off and they were successful today in making it to the highest point in Antarctica, the summit of Vinson Massif.  Guide Terray Sylvester provided this text message from the mountain:

Good news from Antarctica! Most of our climbers summited Mount Vinson today in excellent weather.

The rest of the team is already in base camp relaxing and enjoying some good meals: pancakes, eggs and bacon for breakfast today, and hamburgers and french fries for dinner.

Tomorrow our summit team, led by Garrett and Ed Viesturs, plans to descend to base camp to await flights back to Union Glacier and Punta Arenas. We’ll be in touch!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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Waiting out the weather at High Camp

Clients Sarah Brittain and Thomas Moore move from Low Camp to High Camp with guide Garrett Madison on a Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition in the Sentinel Range of Antarctica’s Ellsworth Mountains on January 1, 2022. (📸: @terray_s)

Checking in from Mount Vinson, guide Terray Sylvester provides an update on Team Three’s status and plans for another summit attempt:

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition here in Antarctica. It’s our third climb of the season.

Our climbing team is currently up in High Camp, with Garrett and Ed Viesturs waiting on a weather window to go to the summit. It’s been stormy. Two fronts have come through this weekend, and right now, it’s windy and snowy up at High Camp. But it looks like the precipitation and the wind are going to taper off tomorrow for favorable conditions on top of Antarctica‘s highest peak.

So the team is in good shape, and we’ll be in touch!

(📸: @terray_s – Team Two climbers Sarah B. and Thomas M. moving up to high camp with guide Garrett Madison earlier this month)

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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Vinson Team Three Update

Quick update on our third Mount Vinson expedition team:

On Friday (Jan 14th) made an attempt at the summit but were unfortunately forced to turn around due to wind and cold.  Some other teams turned around as well.  Yesterday (Jan 15th) was another stormy day, so the team hung tight at High Camp.  Conditions are expected to improve on Monday, so they are hoping for another shot then.

Everyone is doing good and all’s well at Mount Vinson High Camp.

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Vinson Team Three Moves to High Camp

Mount Vinson High Camp (📷: @johnhorgan73)

The team is in place at Mount Vinson High Camp and preparing to head for the summit tomorrow.  Guide Terray Sylvester checks in with the details:

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition.  It’s the third climb of the season.  Today’s January 14th.

We moved from Low Camp (2774m/9,100ft) to High Camp (3536m/11,600m) today.  Now everyone’s tucked into bed and we’ll head for the summit tomorrow because tomorrow looks like the best weather – it may get a little windy after that.

So, we’ll be in touch tomorrow!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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Vinson Team Two Summits!

Best Christmas

Congratulations to Sarah, Thomas, and expedition leader Garrett Madison for making the summit of Mount Vinson (4892m/16,050ft)!!  Here’s Garrett via sat phone from High Camp with a recap of the day:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Vinson team number two.  Today is January 2nd.

Today we reached the summit of Mount Vinson!  We had a beautiful, glorious day all to ourselves up at the summit.  Nobody else was around and hardly any wind, clear skies, great climbing conditions.  So, a great day up there for myself, Sarah, and Thomas.  We are back at High Camp (3536m/11,600ft), had dinner, and are heading to bed.

Tomorrow we’re going to get up and head down to Base Camp.  So, all’s well here on Vinson…

[remainder of sat phone call was garbled and cut out]

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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