Cozied up in Low Camp!

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive (Photo by Ted Hesser)

The Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team has left their base camp and settled into their temporary home at low camp! Here, they’ll spend another day resting and reviewing technical skills that they’ll need higher on the mountain. With great weather so far, the team hopes for more sunny skies as they continue to ascend Antarctica’s highest peak. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Mount Vinson:

Hello! This is Garrett calling in from Low Camp (2774m/9,100ft) on Mount Vinson (4892m/16,050ft) with our first expedition team of the season. We had a great day coming up from base camp (2140m/7,020ft) – myself, Benny with Art, Kevin, and Sanjeev. It was nice, sunny weather, and then clouds came in for a little bit and cooled off. By the time we got to camp, the skies parted and the sun came back out! So we had a nice evening here getting camp set up, digging out our cache, cooking dinner, and now we are off to bed a little after midnight.

So, we are excited to take a rest day tomorrow, which is really today, and review some fixed-climb climbing techniques, check the weather forecast, and see if we can move up the following day if everything looks good.

So everyone is doing great and we are excited to be here! We are enjoying some fabulous views and lots of other nice teams and climbers on the mountain. So we are having a great time here! We’ll check in soon.

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive (Photo by Ted Hesser)

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive (Photo by Ted Hesser)

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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Vinson Base Camp

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive (Photo by Ted Hesser)

After a short stay in Union Glacier Camp, the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson team has, once again, packed their bags and flown to Mount Vinson Base Camp! The team will officially start the climb from here, spending the coming days ascending the frozen continent’s highest peak. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Vinson Base Camp:

Hey, this is Garrett calling in for the first Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson (4892m/16,050ft) expedition of the season! We just arrived in Union Glacier (700m/2,297ft) and met our fellow climbers, Art Muir and Kevin, who just came off ski last degree. They had a great ski to the South Pole, flew back to Union Glacier a day ahead of us. Also, we flew in with Sanjeev. So the five of us flew from Union Glacier to Mount Vinson (2140m/7,020ft), arrived today, set up our camp, had a nice dinner, and we are heading to bed.

We’re really happy to be here! It’s just beautiful weather, spectacular scenery, and we are ready and very excited to get our climb underway! All as well here on Vinson. We’ll check in soon!

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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Hello from Antarctica!

Guides, Garrett and Benny with Mount Vinson climber, Thais after landing on the ice!

The first of the 2023 / 2024 Madison Mountaineering teams have arrived in Antarctica for Mount Vinson, ski the last degree, and Mount Sidley expeditions! We are more excited than ever to be back on the ice and look forward to a great season ahead. Expedition guide, Benny Lieber checks in with this dispatch from Union Glacier Camp:

Today we made the flight from Punta Arenas (34m/112ft) to Antarctica. Flying across the frozen continent and into the mountains, landing in the Boeing 757 on the blue ice runway was a surreal experience.

It’s a beautiful evening here. No wind. We had a big dinner – uniting with Art & Kevin who are back from skiing the last degree to the South Pole. We are all so excited for the mission ahead on Mount Vinson (4892m/16,050ft)!

Flying over the frozen continent on the way to Union Glacier Camp (Photo: Benny Lieber)

Flying over the frozen continent on the way to Union Glacier Camp (Photo: Benny Lieber)

Expedition leader, Garrett Madison in Union Glacier Camp under clear blue skies!

Expedition leader, Garrett Madison in Union Glacier Camp under clear blue skies!

Guide, Benny Lieber is all smiles after arriving on the ice!

Guide, Benny Lieber is all smiles after arriving on the ice!

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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Summit Success on Ojos del Salado!

Warm meals in the dining tent, fueling us for the climb!

It’s with great excitement that we share the first of our Ojos del Salado expeditions this season has come to a close with a successful ascent of the world’s highest volcano! The team reached the summit on December 18 after several acclimatization hikes and climbs around the Atacama Desert. The team experienced great weather throughout the expedition and topped out on Ojos del Salado under beautiful, clear-blue skies on their summit day. It was the perfect way to end the expedition before returning back to civilization.

Going to the Atacama Desert is like traveling to another planet. It’s one of the driest places on Earth, and is world-renowned for some of the best star-gazing on the planet.

Coming up this February, 2024 we’ll head back to Chile for another expedition on Ojos del Salado. The dates are set for February 8 – 19, 2024 – come join us for an unforgettable expedition and see what the hype is all about!

Summit photo!

Summit photo!

Relaxing on the summit of Ojos del Salado under blue skies!

Relaxing on the summit of Ojos del Salado under blue skies!

On the shores of Laguna Verde.

On the shores of Laguna Verde.

Climber, Chuck Clement nearing Ojos del Salado.

Climber, Chuck Clement nearing Ojos del Salado.

The team nearing the summit!

The team nearing the summit!

Basking in the sunshine after a successful climb!

Basking in the sunshine after a successful climb!

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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Aconcagua season is underway!

The 2023 Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua expedition team loading up to leave Mendoza to begin their climb!

The 2023 / 2024 Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua (6961m/22,837ft) season is off in Argentina! We are thrilled to be back in the Andes and on the trail with our eyes set on the highest peak in all of the Americas, Aconcagua. After a long day of traveling, our climbers touched down in Mendoza (746m/2,449ft) and were picked up by private transportation and dropped off at the team hotel. After some rest, the team came together for the first time completing a gear check and orientation, before heading out for dinner and later going to bed with departure for the trailhead scheduled for the following day.

The team awoke to blue skies and pleasant temperatures as they loaded the truck and hit the road towards Los Horcones, the gateway to Aconcagua. We’ve arrived in Plaza de Mulas (4367m/14,327ft) which will serve as our base camp on Aconcagua, and are getting ready to continue on up the mountain to Camp Canada (5060m/16,600ft).

The team is doing well and are in good spirits! We hope for good weather in the coming days as we continue to ascend the highest peak outside of Asia.

Stay tuned for more!

Madison Mountaineering private transportation loaded up and ready to go!

Madison Mountaineering private transportation loaded up and ready to go!

Dawning packs and hitting the trail en route to Aconcagua!

Dawning packs and hitting the trail en route to 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 daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Summit Success on Illiniza Norte!

Climbing Illiniza Norte with Illiniza Sur seen behind (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

The Madison Mountaineering Ecuador Volcanoes expedition team has completed their acclimatization hikes and are primed and ready for their upcoming attempts on Cayambe and Chimborazo! Weather and climbing conditions have been outstanding so far, and will hopefully continue for the climbs ahead. Expedition leader, Estalin Suárez checks in with this dispatch from Ecuador:

Hello! This is Estalin calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ecuador Volcanoes expedition.

Today, we summit the Illiniza Norte which is 16,800 feet with the summit. We finished our acclimatization process! The group is feeling pretty strong and motivated. We had a great day on the mountain and some really nice views of the other peaks around! Now everybody is resting at the lodge.

Tomorrow we are going to move to Cayambe volcano which is our first big mountain on this expedition. Stay tuned… Bye!

Summit photo on Illiniza Norte! (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

Summit photo on Illiniza Norte! (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

Ascending the ridge which leads the way towards the summit of Illiniza Norte with Cotopaxi behind (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

Ascending the ridge which leads the way towards the summit of Illiniza Norte with Cotopaxi behind (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

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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Updates from the Himalayas

Nelly Attar (left) and Aang Phurba Sherpa cleaning up trash above Lobuche East High Camp (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Fall, 2023 Madison Mountaineering Himalayan season has been all time! Clear skies, perfect climbing conditions, and strong teams throughout have made for an unforgettable season… And it’s not over yet! Our teams have been climbing throughout the Khumbu region, trekking amongst giants up to Everest Base Camp, climbing on 6000m / 20,000ft peaks like Lobuche and Island Peak, and one of the crown jewels of the Himalaya, Ama Dablam.

Perfect weather, climbing conditions, and summits are part of the equation for a successful expedition – this season has been full of that with 100% summit success on Ama Dablam under weather that climbers dream of. On three separate teams, our climbers topped out on the peak of Ama Dablam, taking in the views, hugs and celebrating after achieving the goal that we’ve worked so hard for.

Our teams have descended safely out of the mountains and and returned to their homes. We are so grateful to get to share this time with friends new and old in a truly special place!

Congratulations to our climbers for a wonderful expedition! Special thanks to our rockstar Sherpa and base camp staff teams for their support – these efforts would not be possible without you!

Still to come: We have a special expedition underway in the Himalaya where the team has successfully climbed Lobuche East and Ama Dablam, with Mera Peak still to come. In addition to these efforts, the team is also cleaning up and removing much of the trash and debris that has accumulated on and around the mountains over the years. This week, the team removed 350 kilograms of waste from Lobuche peak and are continuing these efforts on and around Ama Dablam. Great work team!

The Fall 2023 season has been one for the books! We’re so proud of all of our teams and are psyched for the many years of climbing to come in the Himalaya. Looking to climb in one of the world’s great ranges? Reach out to our office to set up your next mountain adventure!

Nelly Attar picking up trash above Lobuche East High Camp (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Nelly Attar picking up trash above Lobuche East High Camp (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Cleaning up trash above Lobuche East High Camp (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Cleaning up trash above Lobuche East High Camp (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our team carrying trash out of Lobuche East High Camp to be repurposed or disposed of out of the Khumbu Valley (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our team carrying trash out of Lobuche East High Camp to be repurposed or disposed of out of the Khumbu Valley (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our team Our working near Lobuche East High Camp (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our team Our working near Lobuche East High Camp (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Loads of trash in Lobuche East High Camp (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Loads of trash in Lobuche East High Camp (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Aang Phurba Sherpa cleaning old fixed line from the climbing route on Lobuche East (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Aang Phurba Sherpa cleaning old fixed line from the climbing route on Lobuche East (Photo by 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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El Corazón Success!

Summit photo on El Corazón (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

Two acclimatization hikes done and only one more to go before the Madison Mountaineering team positions themselves for summit attempts on Cayambe and Chimborazo! The team is feeling strong and becoming well acclimatized to the elevation of the Ecuadorian Andes. Expedition leader, Estalin Suárez checks in with this dispatch from Ecuador:

Hello! This is Estalin calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ecuador Volcanoes expedition. Today we had another great hiking day in the Ecuadorian Andes! We summit our second peak here, El Corazón (4790m/15,720ft) which is 15,700 feet of height. This is part of our acclimatization process. The group is feeling pretty good and getting used to the altitude!

So, now we are at the lodge just resting and getting ready for our next step. Okay, so stay in tune… Bye!

Climbing among the clouds on El Corazón (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

Climbing among the clouds on El Corazón (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

Approaching towards El Corazón (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

Approaching towards El Corazón (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

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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Ecuador Volcanoes expedition is underway!

Our team on the approach to Pasochoa volcano (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

We are thrilled to be back in the Ecuadorian Andes! Our team arrived in Quito, and with a good nights sleep after a long day of travel, our team has headed for the mountains and begun their climbs on the Ecuador Volcanoes. The team completed their first acclimatization hike, and with a few more days of acclimatization ahead, look forward to climbing some of Ecuador’s highest peaks, Cayambe and Chimborazo! Expedition leader, Estalin Suárez checks in with this dispatch from Ecuador:

Hello! This is Estalin calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ecuador Volcanoes expedition – today is November 19.

We just did our first acclimatization hike, it was the Pasochoa volcano (4200m/13,800ft). We got the summit, had some really nice views of all the volcanoes surrounding, and had a really great day! We got 13,700 feet and now we are in a really nice lodge resting and getting ready for tomorrow.

Our next hike is going to be the Corazón volcano (4790m/15,720ft). Stay tuned! Bye.

The team on the summit of Pasochoa Volcano! (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

The team on the summit of Pasochoa Volcano! (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

At the trailhead (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

At the trailhead (Photo by Estalin Suárez)

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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Farewell from Lukla!

The team topping out on Kala Patthar with excellent views of Mount Everest (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The sun is setting on another fantastic expedition in the Himalaya! Our climbers have arrived back in Lukla, and will fly back to Kathmandu after one last nights sleep in the mountains before boarding their flights to go home. We’re thankful for time well spent in the mountains with friends, new and old. We cherish these moments and look forward to many more in the future! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this ‘farewell’ dispatch from Lukla:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest Base Camp (5364m/17,598ft) trek, and Lobuche East (6119m/20,075ft) and Island Peak (6189m/20,305ft) climbs. Today our team arrived back in Lukla (2860m/9,383ft) after a very pleasant hike down the Khumbu Valley! Tomorrow morning they will fly by helicopter directly back to Kathmandu (1400m/4,600ft) to catch their flights home.

So all in all, we had a successful expedition with a great trek to base camp, a successful climb of Lobuche East, and a great climb on Island Peak! We just had fantastic weather throughout.

So, that concludes this expedition! We’ll be in touch with the next one.

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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