2021/2022 season Mount Vinson expedition dispatches

In Between Days

Union Glacier Camp (📷: Jeffrey Doerschler)

Our adventures in Antarctica continue!  We are in the in-between days separating the second Mount Vinson expedition and the long-awaited third Mount Vinson expedition with special guest guide Ed Viesturs.  Guide Terray Sylvester checks in with the description of some of the fun things the team has been doing in and around Union Glacier Camp while they await their return flight to Chile and the guides Terray and Madison await the arrival of Ed and the third team of climbers:

Hello, this is Terray calling in the second Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition of the season.  It’s January 8th.

For the last few days we’ve been here at Union Glacier Camp waiting for this team to fly back to Chile and our next team to arrive here on the ice from Punta Arenas.

So we’ve been seeing some of the sites here around Union Glacier.  A couple of days ago we went to a marble buttress known as The Elephant’s Head.  It’s an interesting location.  It’s at the head of a valley that’s scowered free of snow, one of the few snow-free landscapes here in Antarctica.

We were also able to see tracks of an ancent tirlobite in a rock there.  Those tracks were probably left many, many years ago when that rock was at the bottom of the sea floor.  We’ve also been enjoying talks on Antarctic history and exploration and nightly entertainment of documentaries and scrabble games.

So, with any luck this team will be flying back to Chile tomorrow, it just depends on the weather.  And our next group will be arriving here in Antarctica with Ed Viesturs.  We are looking forward to seeing them and getting the next climb started!

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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Hanging Tight at Union Glacier

Yet another satellite phone transmission that is incomplete from our team at Union Glacier Camp, but expert guide Terray Sylvester is able to squeeze out a little bit of detail today:

Hello!  This is Terray calling in for the second Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition of the season.  It’s January 7th.

For the last couple of days we’ve been in Union Glacier Camp as we wait for this team’s flight home on the 9th – the flight back to Chile – and our next team to arrive.  So there’s plenty of … [garbled and transmision cuts 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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The wonders of technology!

Aerial View of Union Glacier Camp in Southern Ellsworth Mountains

Our team is still checking in for Union Glacier Camp and doing well but the satellite phone transmission was pretty broken up this time!  We’ll try again tomorrow, stay tuned!!

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the second Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition of the season.  It’s January 5th.

Since our travel to Antarctica with this team and… [garbbled] …Union Glacier Camp… [garbbled and cuts 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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Rest Day at Union Glacier

Another relaxing rest day at Union Glacier Camp in between Mount Vinson climbs.  The climbers from the second team are waiting to catch their flight back to Punta Arenas and the third team is ready to fly into Union Glacier.  Guide, Terray Sylvester, phones in today’s expedition dispatch from Union Glacier Camp, Antarctica:

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the second Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expediton.  It’s Wednesday, January 5th.

Today we woke up to a bit of stormy, cloudy weather.  So, we hunkered down, took hot showers, enjoyed some great meals, and attended a history lecture on the famous polar explorer Ernest Shackleton.  And then in the evening, we watched a movie and stepped outside to see that the skies had cleared.  Antartica has some of the clearest, cleanest air on the planet and of course it is sunny 24 hours a day here.  So we stepped out into bright blue skies with mountains that surround us on both sides and the massive glaciers that pour down between them as well as the flat expansive ice that extends out towards the Weddell Sea to the northeast of us.

Tomorrow we will have a rest day while this group of guests waits for their flights and with luck we will go explore the Drake Icefall, which is a several hundred meter tall icefall just to the west of us.

So, we will 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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Vinson Team Two back at Union Glacier Camp

Our Mount Vinson team two was able to quickly catch a flight back to Union Glacier Camp right after arriving down at Vinson Base Camp.  Guide Terray Sylvester checks in with the details of the day:

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the second Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition of the season. It’s January 3rd. Today after their successful summit, the team descended the route back to base camp where a Twin Otter was waiting for us and we’re headed directly back to Union Glacier Camp. So, in just about 24 hours after summiting Mount Vinson, we’re were eating a great dinner at the buffet here in Union Glacier Camp – chocolate cake, white fish, and fresh veggies. It tasted great!

Now, our team has dispersed – some of us have headed to bed and others are watching a movie. We will be here for the next few days while we wait for our flights back to the North.

We will 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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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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Vinson Team Two Moves to High Camp

The view from Vinson High Camp

To start the new year, our second Mount Vinson expedition team moved up to High Camp to position themselves for their summit push within the next couple of days.  Terray Sylvester calls in today’s dispatch:

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the second Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition of the season.  It’s New Year’s Day.

Today we woke up and had bacon and french toast for breakfast and then moved from Low Camp (2774m/9,100ft) to High Camp (3536m/11,600ft).  We had beautiful weather all day – clear, sunny skies and basically calm air, no wind.

Now we’re settled down in High Camp.  We had hamburgers for dinner with risotto and veggies.

[remainder of sat photo call garbled and cuts 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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Happy New Year from Vinson Low Camp!

Mount Vinson base camp

Our Mount Vinson Team Two wishes everyone a Happy New Year from the Low Camp (2774m/9,100ft) on Antarctica’s highest mountain!  Here’s to the great 2022 for everyone!!  Just before heading to bed, guide Terray Sylvester calls in via sat phone with today’s expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the second Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition of the season.  It is…, while now it is New Year’s Day – January 1st!

It’s about 2:00 AM and we are just going to bed.  The beautiful weather has continued so we took the day to practice some skills and review mountaineering techniques.  We celebrated the new year with a dinner of pork chops, corn, and spinach and a dessert of cheesecake, peaches, and strawberries.  So now we are turning in.

The camp here, Low Camp, is about to go into shade so it will get much colder even though, of course, the sun is still out.  When the camp comes back in the sun, we will get started and start moving up the mountain.

So 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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Vinson Team Two Moves Up To Low Camp

With beautiful weather and route conditions, our Vinson Team Two moved up from Vinson Base Camp (2140m/7,020ft) to Low Camp (2774m/9,100ft).  Here is guide Terray Sylvester with a recap of the day and plans for the days ahead:

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the second Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition season.  It’s Thursday, December 30th.

Today we made the most of the beautiful weather and moved up to Low Camp.  We’re here now, just had a great dinner, and we’ll rest here tomorrow and celebrate New Year’s Eve here in Low Camp.  We are going to keep taking advantage of this sunny, beautiful weather and head on up to High Camp (3536m/11,600ft) the following day.

So, we’ll be in touch.  All’s well here!

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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Team One Departs and Team Two Arrives Vinson Base Camp

Victorious Vinson Team One departs Vinson Base Camp and Team Two arrives!  Expedition leader Garrett Madison calls in from Vinson Base Camp with a recap of the day:

Hello!  This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition season.  Today myself, Jen, and John all came down from High Camp after our summit yesterday and made it to Vinson Base Camp where the Twin Otters came in, picked up Jen and John and brought them back to Union Glacier Camp where they will be awaiting their flights back to Punta Arenas in a few days.

Meanwhile, guide Terray Sylvester and climbers Thomas and Sarah arrived at Union Glacier Camp and flew to Vinson Base Camp today, so we’re all together here.  It’s a beautiful sunny evening – very calm and warm considering we’re in Antarctica.  We’re glad to be here, everything’s on schedule, and nice flights coming in today – great views and we’re looking forward to getting our second expedition of the season on Mount Vinson underway!

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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