All Antarctica expedition dispatches

Back to high camp from the summit!

Some of the team on the summit of Mount Vinson!

The Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team safely descended from the summit back to their high camp. The celebration continued on here with recounts of the day and a well-deserved meal of mac and cheese with pork chops! A good nights rest will lead into the teams continued descent back to Vinson Base Camp, where preparations will be made for the return to Union Glacier Camp, then Punta Arenas, and on to everyones home countries. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Mount Vinson High Camp:

Hello! This is the Madison Mountaineering Vinson (4892m/16,050ft) team. We are back in high camp (3536m/11,600ft)!

We had a great summit. It was calm and warm up there, and we’re all back in high camp now safe and sound. (We) just had dinner, pork chops and mac and cheese!

We’re going to have a long night of rest and then wake up and head down to base camp (2140m/7,020ft) tomorrow. Hopefully we’ll get a flight back to (700m/2,297ft) Union Glacier in the next couple of days and can head on home to South America and onwards.

All is 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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Madison Mountaineering team summits Mount Vinson!

Summit photo! 100% summit success for the final Madison Mountaineering team of the season.

We are excited to share that the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team successfully reached the summit on Sunday, January 18 and safely descended back to their high camp! Everyone did great, coming together on the summit for a celebration and summit photos before turning back towards high camp. We are filled with gratitude to have the opportunity to get to share these amazing experiences with awesome people every season in Antarctica! Awesome work, team. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from the summit of Mount Vinson:

Hello! This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson (4892m/16,050ft) expedition climb number four, the last of the season.

Today is Sunday, January 18. It’s 4:30 p.m. and we are at the summit of Mount Vinson! Everyone made it today. (I’m) very proud of our team. We’ve got Susan Agar up here, who was with us on Everest (8848m/29,032ft) this past spring, and a bunch of other great climbers on the team here: Jamie, Ashley, Pascale, Richard. Just a wonderful crew with Aang Phurba Sherpa and myself! We’re looking forward to a safe descent back to high camp (3536m/11,600ft) tonight and base camp (2140m/7,020ft) tomorrow.

So all is well here! We’ll check in soon. Beautiful day on Mount Vinson!

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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Mount Vinson High Camp

Nearing the top of the fixed-lines and our high camp.

The Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team settled into their high camp on Friday, January 16 after a fun day of climbing the fixed-lines that separate low camp from high camp. The team had excellent views and climbing conditions, making for an unforgettable day of climbing in one of the most magical places on Earth! After settling in and fueling up with a warm meal, the team plans to take a rest-day tomorrow and eyes a summit push the following day! Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Mount Vinson:

Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson (4892m/16,050ft) expedition, our final expedition for this season.

We are at high camp (3536m/11,600ft)! We had a great day climbing from low camp (2774m/9,100ft) yesterday up to high camp and taking a rest day today. Good weather up here and going for a summit attempt tomorrow. So wish us luck! Hopefully we’ll get some good views. Seems to be fairly warm and calm for Antarctica this time of year up on Mount Vinson here, almost 4,000 meters, 12,500 feet or so.

We’ll check in soon.

Looking out on endless ice from the fixed-lines.

Looking out on endless ice from the fixed-lines.

Beautiful day with excellent views while climbing from low camp to high camp.

Beautiful day with excellent views while climbing from low camp to high camp.

Enjoying an awesome day of climbing in Antarctica!

Enjoying an awesome day of climbing in Antarctica!

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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Last team of the season has arrived at Vinson Base Camp!

All smiles in Antarctica!

The fourth Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team of the season is on the move! After a few days of anxiously preparing in Punta Arenas while they awaited their flight, the team boarded the plane, filled with excitement, out of South America and flew onto the frozen continent. Upon taking their first steps onto the ice, the team was greeted by their guides and moved into their tents, all in while trying to take in the incredible views of the magical place they just arrived in. But the team couldn’t get too comfortable… The next morning, we were boarding our next flight – this time to Mount Vinson Base Camp. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from the foot of the highest peak in Antarctica:

Hello! This is Garrett checking in for our last, and fourth, Mount Vinson (4892m/16,050ft) expedition of the season.

We just arrived in Mount Vinson Base Camp (2140m/7,020ft) and the team is doing well. We spent a night at Union Glacier Camp (700m/2,297ft) after the team got in, and our last group flew out. And then this morning, after breakfast, we got ready, flew over to Vinson, settled in here, had a few hours of rigging with our sleds and harnesses, and getting ready for our move up to low camp (2774m/9,100ft) tomorrow. (We) had a nice dinner, and now we’re all tucked into bed.

So, everyone’s doing well! Fingers crossed for good weather ahead, and we’re really happy to be back on the mountain. We’ll check in soon.

The team aboard the DHC-6 Twin Otter flight to Mount Vinson Base Camp

The team aboard the DHC-6 Twin Otter flight to Mount Vinson Base Camp

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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The whole team tops out on Vinson!

Madison Mountaineering climbers on the summit of Mount Vinson!

It comes with great excitement to share that the entire Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team topped out on Antarctica’s highest peak yesterday and has safely returned to their high camp! The team enjoyed a beautiful day on the mountain, taking in great views and sunshine as they pushed to the summit. Once standing on top, we celebrated together while relishing in the beautiful moment and place before shouldering packs once again and starting down the mountain. The team had a good nights rest and plans to continue on down to Vinson Base Camp today. Way to go, team! Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with the celebratory dispatch from Mount Vinson:

Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson (4892m/16,050ft) expedition, third trip of the season.

Yesterday, we summited Mount Vinson! Everyone made it to the top. It was a beautiful day and we got some great views from up there! So, just a spectacular summit day. Couldn’t ask for better weather: calm, with some low clouds below on the mountain and great views above.

Today, we just woke up at high camp (3536m/11,600ft), and we’re gonna head down to base camp (2140m/7,020ft) and probably spent a night there. Fingers crossed we’ll get flights back to Union Glacier (700m/2,297ft) to rest up a few days before heading onwards.

Looking forward to our last and final upcoming Vinson climb of the season, our fourth expedition on Mount Vinson this season starting January 10th! So, hopefully we’ll have good weather and looking forward to another group coming to Antarctica. We’ll check in soon!

Expedition guide, Aang Phurba Sherpa and team on the summit!

Expedition guide, Aang Phurba Sherpa and team on the summit!

On the move under clear blue Antarctic skies!

On the move under clear blue Antarctic skies!

Looking down the route as the team climbs toward the summit.

Looking down the route as the team climbs toward the summit.

Beautiful views!

Beautiful views!

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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New Year’s Eve in Antarctica!

On the move from Vinson Base Camp to Low Camp

The Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team is on the move after a fun New Year’s Eve celebration on the frozen continent! After celebrating the new year in Union Glacier Camp, the team hopped aboard their twin otter flight which transported them to Vinson Base Camp at the foot of the continents highest peak. After some skills review and one night in base camp, the team took to the route and climbed up to Camp 1. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Mount Vinson:

Hello! This is Garrett and Aang Phurba Sherpa checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson (4892m/16,050ft) expedition – this is our third program of the season here in Antarctica on Vinson. We are up at low camp (2774m/9,100ft)!

We arrived in Vinson Base Camp (2140m/7,020ft) yesterday from Union Glacier (700m/2,297ft). (We) had a great New Year’s Eve there with all of the ALE staff, and we’re lucky enough to fly yesterday afternoon over to Vinson, settled into our base camp, had a good night there, and today climbed up to low camp. The team did great! We had a little cloud, and some sun, and it was a great day overall.

So we settled in, had dinner, and heading to bed here. Looking forward to a nice rest day tomorrow!

All is well here on Mount Vinson. We’ll check in soon!

Our Mountain Hardwear Trango tents set up in Mount Vinson Low Camp

Our Mountain Hardwear Trango tents set up in Mount Vinson Low Camp

Guide, Aang Phurba Sherpa posing for a quick photograph in the team dining tent

Guide, Aang Phurba Sherpa posing for a quick photograph in the team dining tent

Climbing between camps under beautiful, clear blue skies

Climbing between camps under beautiful, clear blue skies

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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On the ice again!

The team after landing on the blue ice runway in Union Glacier Camp

Another Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team came together over the holidays to begin their journey to the highest point in Antarctica! The team met in Punta Arenas and has since landed on the frozen continent where they await their flight to Mount Vinson Base Camp. Everyone is psyched, doing well and looking forward to starting the new year in such a special place! Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checked in with this dispatch from Union Glacier Camp:

Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson (4892m/16,050ft) expedition, our third of the season.

Today, December 30th, we flew from Punta Arenas, Chile (34m/112ft) as scheduled to Antarctica to Union Glacier Camp (700m/2,297ft). (We) unloaded, had a great lunch and then settled into camp. We set up our tents, and we’re going to spend our first night here in Antarctica at Union Glacier Camp.

Hopefully, fingers crossed tomorrow, we get to fly over to Mount Vinson Base Camp (2140m/7,020ft) to start our climb, but we’ll see how the weather is. It’s pretty nice here at Union Glacier Camp. It sounds like a bit of fog at Mount Vinson that’s obstructing the runway from the pilot’s view. Hopefully we’ll get to fly over there, but everyone’s doing well. Beautiful, sunny, warm day here in Union Glacier Camp. And 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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More summits on Mount Vinson!

The team together on the summit of Mount Vinson!

More great news from Antarctica over the weekend from the Madison Mountaineering team! Expedition leader, Benny Lieber sent word that the team stepped onto the highest point in Antarctica, Mount Vinson, on December 13 at 15:25 local time. The team embraced in celebration and enjoyed the summit all to themselves for nearly an hour before shouldering their packs once again, and descending back down the mountain. The team is safely back in Union Glacier Camp now awaiting their flight back to Punta Arenas, Chile. A huge congratulations and ‘thank you’ goes out to the team for a wonderful expedition on the ice! Expedition leader, Benny Lieber had this to say following a successful summit day on Mount Vinson:

Happy holidays from the bottom of the world!

We went to the top of Antarctica on December 13. Mount Vinson (4,892m / 16,050ft.)

It was my 6th time guiding climbers to the summit- wow I am pretty lucky to do this job!

The first few days of our trip the weather wasn’t great. But in the high camp the clouds cleared out and we had a nearly windless climb to the top in the warm sun! The views are just unbelievable. I really do not know how to describe it. You feel as though you are on top of a different planet- a frozen one. There is a nothingness about it. Endless ice only interrupted by occasional snowy rock spikes jutting up through it.

It is a really special place and I am so happy my team got to experience it.

Two of our team members, from Lithuania, finished the 7 summits on top of Vinson. Their journey to climb the highest peaks on each continent took them around the world and away from their homes for long periods of time. Perhaps it is something their loved ones will never fully understand, and of course dealt with the difficulties of their absence while they pursued their dream. But now the dream comes to fruition and they will return home changed for the better having seen it through to completion. They will be role models in their communities and inspire others to live a better life.

Climbing the 7 summits takes you through wildly varying landscapes, climates, geopolitical challenges, and many unforeseen hardships along the way. For them it finished on a pinnacle of frozenness at the bottom of the world. A long way from their home country of Lithuania where they are now the 3rd & 4th people from their country to complete this 7 summits journey. I am so happy for them!

The team looking psyched as they near the summit!

The team looking psyched as they near the summit!

All smiles atop Mount Vinson!

All smiles atop Mount Vinson!

Descending under sunny, clear skies!

Descending under sunny, clear skies!

Nearing the top of the fixed-lines that separate low camp from high camp.

Nearing the top of the fixed-lines that separate low camp from high camp.

Mount Vinson Base Camp

Mount Vinson Base Camp

Views out the tent door from High Camp.

Views out the tent door from high camp.

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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First Vinson team of the season tops out!

On the summit of Mount Vinson!

It comes with great excitement to share that the first Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team of the season successfully reached the summit and returned to their high camp safe and sound! The team topped out together, slapped high-fives, shared hugs, and snapped some summit photos while taking in the scenery from the highest point in Antarctica. After turning back the way they came to descend down the mountain to their camp, the team crawled into their sleeping bags after a warm meal for a good nights rest. Today, the team will continue their descent down the fixed-lines and onward to Vinson Base Camp. Awesome work, team! Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Mount Vinson:

Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson (4892m/16,050ft) expedition – first one of the season.

We topped out on Mount Vinson yesterday. (We) had a bit of a stormy day up there, but everyone made it to the top! (We) had a fun climb, got some great photos at the summit, had a clearing there for a couple of minutes on top, and could see some of the surrounding peaks and the polar plateau. So, it was really beautiful!

(We) all made it back down to high camp (3536m/11,600ft) last night, had a good nights rest, and planning to head down to Vinson Base Camp (2140m/7,020ft) today.

So all’s well here! And we’ll check in soon.

Taking in the views after topping out!

Taking in the views after topping out!

The view looking out from the summit.

The view looking out from the summit.

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 push on Mount Vinson coming up!

Climbing towards Mount Vinson High Camp.

The Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team has reached their high camp! That means they are in position to make a summit push, which is expected to take place tomorrow assuming good weather. The team moved strongly up the fixed-lines which separate low camp from high camp and crawled into their sleeping bags for the night. Today, the team rested and made preparations to go for the summit! Expedition leader, Garrett Madison and guide, Phunuru Sherpa checked in with this dispatch from Mount Vinson High Camp:

Hello! This is Garrett and Phunuru Sherpa checking in for the Mount Vinson (4892m/16,050ft) expedition, first one of the season from Mount Vinson High Camp (3536m/11,600ft)! We arrived yesterday after a good climb up from low camp (2774m/9,100ft), had some clouds, some wind, but the team was strong and pushed through and made it to high camp. We set up our tents and made our dinner, and we got to bed before the wind picked up, and we had a good blow over the night of wind and snow, but today, it’s much nicer! The sun’s poking out. So our team’s resting today, and we’re hoping to make our summit attempt tomorrow, fingers crossed! And here’s Phunuru.

Here we go! I look forward to the summit tomorrow. Thanks!

All right, check in soon!

The team ascending fixed-lines between low camp and high camp.

The team ascending fixed-lines between low camp and high camp.

Up the headwall.

Up the headwall.

All smiles from Antarctica!

All smiles from Antarctica!

Mount Vinson High Camp

Mount Vinson High Camp

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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