Vinson: 3rd Expedition Recap

Ed Viesturs and Garrett Madison on the summit of Mount Vinson, Antarctica

We were honored to have Ed Viesturs co-guiding our third successful Mount Vinson expedition of the season!  And here, from Punta Arenas, is Ed with an expedition recap:

Hi, this is Ed Viesturs reporting from Punta Arenas, Chile.  It’s Sunday (January 23rd).

Yesterday, very early in the morning, at around 4 AM we managed to leave Union Glacier on the 757 which flew us here to Punta Arenas.  It was the end of a pretty interesting expedition and in the end we made the summit of Vinson!

After arriving at High Camp on January 12th, the next day in a window of weather, we made an attempt for the summit which failed due to high winds and very challenging conditions.  We came back to High Camp and made the decision to wait several more days for another opportunity period.

Our patience paid off after five nights of waiting in quite a challenging storm – high winds and snow.  Eventually, we reached the summit on January 18th.  So all-in-all our patience paid off.

It was a great trip, we had a lot of fun, and I look forward to doing more guided expeditions alongside Garrett Madison and Madison Mountaineering.

Ed Viesturs signing out from Punta Arenas.

2022.01.05 Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team

2022.01.05 Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team

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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Active Rest Day at Low Camp

Near Vinson Low Camp (📷: @johnhorgan73)

Mount Vinson Team Three spent an active rest day at Low Camp today as they prepare to move up tomorrow.  Guide Terray Sylvester provides the details of the day:

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition.  Today is January 12th and this is a third climb of the season.

We all spent the day at Low Camp.  We spent part of the day refreshing the skills we will need higher on the mountain and then we also hiked to col near camp which is located on the original route up that was used on the mountain back in the ’60s.  There were some great views from that col of both the Antarctica landscape and the Mount Epperly.

Tomorrow we’ll move to High Camp, if the weather permits.  So we’re looking forward to that.

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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Team Three Moves to Vinson Low Camp

Antarctica 2021! (📷: @johnhorgan73)

Our already speedy Mount Vinson Team Three flew from Union Glacier Camp to the base camp for Mount Vinson and immediately headed up the hill to Low Camp (2774m/9,100ft)!  Guide Terray Sylvester checks in from there with today’s expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition.  We’re on our third climb of the season.  It’s January 12th.

Today we flew from Union Glacier Camp to Vinson Base Camp – a beautiful sunny day.  Then we moved directly to Low Camp (2774m/9,100ft).  We just enjoyed a good dinner of hamburgers and tortellini with red sauce and sauted pumpkin.  Now everyone’s heading to sleep.

Tomorrow we’ll take a rest day and then hopefully move on up to High Camp (3536m/11,600ft).

All is well!  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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Third Vinson team arrives Union Glacier

Boarding the Boeing 757 to Union Glacier, Antarctica (2022.01.05 Vinson)

Moving day!  At long last our triumphant Mount Vinson climbers have returned to Punta Arenas, Chile and our third and final team of the season with guest guide Ed Viesturs have arrived in Union Glacier Camp.  Terray Sylvester has today’s expedition dispatch via sat phone from Antarctica:

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition.  It’s Monday, January 10th.

Our second Mount Vinson summit team flew back to Punta Arenas today and our third team of the season arrived here at Union Glacier.  We had a nice dinner and settled into camp.  Now it’s a beautiful sunny evening and we are just going to bed.  We are looking for continuing on to Vinson Base Camp as soon as possible.

So, we’ll be in touch!

2022.01.05 Vinson team dinner in Punta Arenas

2022.01.05 Vinson team dinner in Punta Arenas

2022.01.05 Vinson team obligatory Punta Arenas photo

2022.01.05 Vinson team obligatory Punta Arenas photo

Ed Viesturs and climber Steve M. studying the Mount Vinson map

Ed Viesturs and climber Steve M. studying the Mount Vinson route

Climber Kristin B. checking for the flight to Union Glacier, Antarctica (2022.01.05 Vinson)

Climber Kristin B. doing the required daily COVID-19 testing in Punta Arenas (2022.01.05 Vinson)

Ed Viesturs and Quazi R. on the bus to the Punta Arenas airport (2022.01.05 Vinson)

Ed Viesturs and Quazi R. on the bus to the Punta Arenas airport (2022.01.05 Vinson)

Climber Eva Z. has her boarding pass and is ready to finally get to Antarctica! (2022.01.05 Vinson)

Climber Eva Z. has her boarding pass and is ready to finally get to Antarctica! (2022.01.05 Vinson)

Climber Quazi R. boarding the Boeing 757 to Union Glacier, Antarctica (2022.01.05 Vinson)

Climber Quazi R. boarding the Boeing 757 to Union Glacier, Antarctica (2022.01.05 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 guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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Punta Arenas – Union Glacier flight delayed

Union Glacier Camp (📷: Jeffrey Doerschler)

An extra day at Union Glacier Camp for our Mount Vinson Team Two.  Inadequate landing weather at Union Glacier forced the delay of the flight between Punta Arenas and Union Glacier until at least tomorrow.  Guide Terray Sylvester lets us know how they have been staying busy:

Hello, this is Terray calling in the second Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition of the season.  It’s January 9th.

Today we woke up to light snowfall and low lying clouds, so the flight from Punta Arenas was unable to make into the ice, but tomorrow’s weather look better, so our fingers are crossed that our next team of climbers will be able to arrive and this team of climbers will be able to fly back North.

To keep ourselves busy today there were two talks: one on penguins in Antarctica and another on Roald Amundsen’s historic trip to the South Pole.  We also got some exercise in on the 10k walking, biking, running loop here at camp.

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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