Vinson Base Camp Archives

Vinson 2021/2022

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:

December 30, 2021/0 Comments/by Garrett

Vinson 2021/2022

Merry Christmas from the Slopes of Mount Vinson!

Merry Christmas from our team at Mount Vinson Low Camp (2774m/9,100ft)! Here’s Garrett with holiday wishes and the climbing game plan:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team. Today is Christmas Day. Merry Christmas!

We are at Low Camp on Mount Vinson, and our plan is to head up to High Camp (3536m/11,600ft) tomorrow if the weather is good. We’re about ready to get to bed here for a good night’s rest. And then, tomorrow, wake up, have breakfast, and take a look at the weather. If it’s good, we’ll head up to High Camp.

All’s well here on Vinson. Have a wonderful Christmas Day! 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 guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

December 26, 2021/0 Comments/by Garrett

Vinson 2021/2022

Celebrating Christmas at Vinson Low Camp!

Today our Mount Vinson team one moved into their Christmas location of Low Camp on Mount Vinson. Meanwhile, in Punta Arenas, Chile, our Mount Vinson team two arrived and will spend the next few days preparing for their flight to Union Glacier, Antarctica. Here’s Garrett via sat phone with the recap of the day on Mount Vinson:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Vinson expedition team. It’s Christmas Eve, December 24th here and we climbed up from Vinson Base Camp to Low Camp today on Mount Vinson.

We left base camp mid-day after packing up and caching our gear. We climbed about eight hours up to Low Camp (or Camp 1) on Vinson. We had nice weather, it was a little blustery and snowy starting out for the first few hours and then the wind let up a little bit and we actually got a little sun up here at Low Camp and had a Christmas Eve dinner. We had some salmon, some mixed vegetables, some empanadas, and some mangos and chocolates for dessert. It was a fun evening. We’re glad to be up here at Low Camp. It was a long and tiring day but we’re feeling good and we’re looking forward to a rest day tomorrow on Christmas Day.

All’s well here at Low Camp on Mount Vinson. We’ll check in soon and happy Christmas Eve to everyone out there!

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:

December 25, 2021/0 Comments/by Garrett

Vinson 2021/2022

Vinson Base Camp and Carry Completed

Our first Mount Vinson team of the season has flown from Union Glacier Camp to Mount Vinson Base Camp and made their carry towards Low Camp. Expedition leader Garrett Madison provides the day’s dispatch via satellite phone:

Hello. This is Garrett calling for the Mount Vinson expedition team. Today is Wednesday, December 22nd and we are in Vinson base camp.

We arrived late last night just before midnight on our flight from Union Glacier Camp and we set up tents and moved in. Today we got up, had breakfast, and did a carry up halfway to Camp 1. We carried up food and fuel and some other gear and cached it about halfway from base camp to Camp 1. We got back to base camp, had dinner, and are just getting tucked in for bed.

We’re doing well here. A little marginal weather at the moment, a bit stormy. But we’re hoping it will clear out in the next day or two and we can resume heading back up the mountain – hopefully, get up to low camp and focus on getting to high camp.

All’s well here at Vinson base camp and we’ll check in soon. Thanks!

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:

December 23, 2021/0 Comments/by Garrett

Vinson 2019/2020

Antarctica Season Wrap-up

Hi! This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Antarctica season wrap-up.

Well, we had a great season in Antarctica this past month. We did two Madison Mountaineering Vinson expedition climbs that were successful: one in late December and one in early January along with co-guide Conrad Anker. And then I stayed down with Conrad and some of his friends came in and we climbed Vinson in a day via a variation of a new route that Conrad had actually climbed 20 years ago: The Central Ice Stream on Mount Vinson.

After that one day ascent, we skied down most of the mountain and then flew over to Mount Tyree, the second-highest mountain in Antarctica. Beautiful location — the valley next to Mount Tyree, which has only been climbed a handful of times. We spent six nights there attempting climb Mount Tyree but did not summit due to very unusual heavy snow conditions and very high avalanche risk up near the summit of Tyree. We got up fairly high but turned around on our summit day due to the unsafe, unstable snow conditions.

Everybody had a great trip. It was a wonderful season in Antarctica, and we just feel so lucky to have been down there with so many great people and very beautiful and surreal natural beauty surrounding.

So, great season and we are looking forward to going back next year. Please contact us if you would like to consider joining one of our Antarctic programs!

Garrett, Conrad Anker, and Jimmy Chin on the summit of Mount Vinson

By the way, it’s not too early to start making your plans to join us on Mount Vinson for the 2020/2021 season next December! Contact our office for details.

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates

– Instagram:

January 23, 2020/1 Comment/by Garrett

Vinson 2019/2020

Team returns to Union Glacier and back to Punta Arenas soon

Here’s Conrad with the final dispatch for the second of our two successful Mount Vinson expeditions for 2019/2020:

Greetings folks, this is Conrad Anker with the final dispatch from Vinson 2020 with Madison Mountaineering. It’s a beautiful sunny day here at Vinson base camp and all the team is safely back at Union Glacier camp. They are awaiting the Ilyushin to fly home.

We’ve had a successful expedition. It wasn’t the best of weather, but, as we well know, the strictest teachers are the best teachers. So, we all came away with knowledge, experience, and newfound friends.

Thanks for listening in. Stay tuned. Talk to you soon. Bye!

(photo: Madison Mountaineering archives)

By the way, it’s not too early to start making your plans to join us on Mount Vinson for the 2020/2021 season next December! Contact our office for details.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the teams as they make their attempts to summit the highest mountain in Antarctica on:

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

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates

– Instagram:

January 12, 2020/0 Comments/by Garrett

Vinson 2019/2020

Another day at Vinson base camp

Another day at Vinson base camp where the team is keeping themselves entertained while waiting out a change in the weather that will allow the planes to fly:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Mount Vinson climb with Conrad Anker.

Well, we had another nice rest day in Mount Vinson base camp and the weather wasn’t good enough for the Twin Otters to fly from Union Glacier camp. So, we just rested and relaxed here in Vinson base camp.

We had a nice, leisurely pancake breakfast this morning and lounged around this afternoon and had a nice salmon, chicken, asparagus, and risotto dinner here in camp, played some music, and then a few members of our team went off to make a few laps on the ski hill here next to Vinson base camp.

Everyone’s doing well. We’re still savoring our summit success and looking forward to hopefully some good weather tomorrow and getting the team back to Union Glacier and onward back to Punta Arenas, Chile and on to home to family and loved ones.

So, it’s been a great expedition and we’ll keep our fingers crossed for good weather tomorrow. All’s well here at Vinson base camp. We’ll check in soon. Thanks!

(photo: Madison Mountaineering archives)

By the way, it’s not too early to start making your plans to join us on Mount Vinson for the 2020/2021 season next December! Contact our office for details.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the teams as they make their attempts to summit the highest mountain in Antarctica on:

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

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates

– Instagram:

January 11, 2020/0 Comments/by Garrett

Vinson 2019/2020

Waiting for good flying conditions

The team is at Vinson base camp waiting for good flying conditions so they can get back to Union Glacier camp. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, provides today’s expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Mount Vinson expedition climb with Conrad Anker. Today, January 9th, we had a rest day in Mount Vinson base camp.

We were hoping for good weather and good flying conditions so that the Twin Otters could come from Union Glacier to Vinson and pick up our climbing team to return everyone back to Union Glacier camp but it was foggy here at Vinson base camp. So, instead we relaxed and orginized gear.

We had a nice breakfast and then this evening had a fun team dinner and then after dinner Conrad Anker gave a lecture on the discovery of George Mallory on Mount Everest and his 1999 expedition where they found George Mallory on the north side of Everest and also recounted the 2007 recreation of the Mallory and Irvine climb with period specific clothing and equipment. It was a fun day and a fun evening here at Vinson base camp. We had a couple of other teams join us for the lecture and now we’re off to bed.

Hopefully on January 10th we’ll have clear skys and good flying conditions so that our climbers can get back to Union Glacier camp and then hopeful catch the Ilyushin jet which is now scheduled for the 11th back to Punta Arenas. But, all’s well here. We’ve had a full value expedition.

Everyone’s doing well and in good spirits and we’ll check-in tomorrow. Thanks!

(photo: Madison Mountaineering December 2019 Vinson team #1)

By the way, it’s not too early to start making your plans to join us on Mount Vinson for the 2020/2021 season next December! Contact our office for details.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the teams as they make their attempts to summit the highest mountain in Antarctica on:

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

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates

– Instagram:

January 10, 2020/0 Comments/by Garrett

Vinson 2019/2020

Down to Vinson base camp

The team is now safely down to Vinson base camp and Conrad Anker reports on the day in this expedition dispatch:

Greetings sports fans! This is Conrad calling from Vinson base camp. It’s the 8th of January 2020. What a way to start this fresh, new decade. We’re all back here after a wonderful and adventurious and trying expedition to the summit of Antarctica, Vinson Massif.

We had bad weather and a couple clear windows and today we started out at about 6am in a blizzard and we had to pack up camp, and head down to Low Camp, and then all the way back to Vinson base camp. The team was really excited for everything that went on.

What we have now at Vinson base camp is probably about 45 climbers that are all backlogged hoping to get out on a flight tomorrow. But it’s been foggy and no flights here for the last week to get to Union Glacier, all be it with weather in the mountains. But our team was happy to have spent six nights at High Camp inside a small tent that turned into a Top Raman sauna everytime we cooked.

Taking our changes on less then optimal weather and getting shut down and then coming back to wake up on a beatiful crystal clear day and getting the summit. So that’s what you come to expeditons for is to challange yourself, to make new friends, to be in scene places, and maybe have a laugh along the way.

For all of us here a big shout out especialliy to Roxy – yup that’s her – for her Seven Summits success and everyone else on the team. So wishing you all the best. Take care and stay tuned. Bye

By the way, it’s not too early to start making your plans to join us on Mount Vinson for the 2020/2021 season next December! Contact our office for details.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the teams as they make their attempts to summit the highest mountain in Antarctica on:

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

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates

– Instagram:

January 9, 2020/0 Comments/by Garrett

Vinson 2019/2020

Team trains at Vinson base camp

Conrad Anker provides a recap of today in around Vinson base camp. Happy birthday Andrew from all of us at Madison Mountaineering!

Greetings folks from the Branscomb Glacier here at the base of Mount Vinson!

We had a great day on the 30th of December – Andrew celebrated his birthday. So we made him a cake of snow shaped like a cake and added Snicker bars and M&Ms after a nice spicy meal. We made a carry today [up towards Low Camp] and then tomorrow we’re off to base of the fixed lines and couldn’t imagine a better place to welcome in the new decade.

This is Conrad. Take care!

(photo: Mount Vinson base camp from the December 2019 team #1 expedition)

By the way, it’s not too early to start making your plans to join us on Mount Vinson for the 2020/2021 season next December! Contact our office for details.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the teams as they make their attempts to summit the highest mountain in Antarctica on:

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