This is my final post before I fly out. So in this post I will cover the overall expedition breakdown between the 7 day journey to the ice cap and the 8 days on the mountain.
And yes packs are ready to go.
But before I get to use any of this gear, the journey to South America begins with quite a few flights. SEA-JFK-LIM-SCL-PUQ and that is just to get to Punta Arenas at the bottom of Chile. JFK is New York of course. LIM is Lima Peru. SCL is Santiago where I need to overnight to get a PCR test (one more in addition to the one I am taking tomorrow 2 days before I fly out) and need to wait for the result 12 hours later before I can even continue on my way to Punta Arenas. Once I make it to Punta Arenas (PUQ), then I need to quarantine for 5 days per Chile's rule. So it will be a full week before we even set foot on the ice.
Once we are released by Chile's officials to fly to the icecap in Antarctica, then we board the Ilyushin Il-76 that is chartered once a week to bring Cargo and a few climbers on the ice cap.
But that is not the last flight. From there we still have to take a small ski plane for a 45 minutes flight to the Vinson Base Camp at 6,900 ft. (2,100 m) on the Branscomb Glacier. Now the climb finally begins... a mere seven days after leaving Seattle.
There are three phases to this climb with some rest or weather days (in case of bad weather we stay put in the tents) in between.
Phase 1: Base camp to Camp 1 also known as lower camp.
Phase 2: Camp 1 to camp2 up the fix lines
Phase 3: Camp 2 to summit
During the first move from Base camp to Camp 1 we travel on a fairly flat glacier pulling our sleds. Unlike other expeditions where we are assisted by porters or Sherpas, here we carry all our tents, food, propane for melting snow, and cooking gear ourselves.
When the weather allows, we then move to camp 2 by travelling up some fix ropes at a 35-40 degree angles. We can't bring the sleds up there, so we may have to double carry (meaning take two days to carry all our gear up to camp 2).
After a rest or weather day or two at camp 2, we can then travel up the Vinson summit valley to the summit. This is a long 12 hour day.
From then it will take about a couple of days to return to base camp and fly to the Glacier basin where we will await for our flight back out to Chile. Weather depending, this can take 1 to 3-4 days.
For those interested in the full detailed itinerary you can find it here: https://www.alpineascents.com/climbs/mount-vinson/itinerary/
From then, it will take a couple of days to travel back to Seattle once I have received the results from the PCR test that is required to re-enter the US.
While on the ice cap Alpine Ascent International will update cybercast daily at: https://www.alpineascents.com/climbs/mount-vinson/cybercasts/
I will also be using a GPS tracking device like I have in the past on Cho Oyu and Everest. https://us0-share.inreach.garmin.com/tdhers. Though don't expect that I will start updating my position until I land on the ice cap probably around December 7, plus or minus a day or two.
I'm looking forward to this trip. I have been told by many folks who have climbed it before, that it is a magical place of unique and wild beauty.
See you in a few weeks with hopefully tons of great pictures and memories....
It is almost funny that they force you to stay in the country and increase the chance to endanger others when your only wish is to get the hell out of there. We want to see pics of you in the middle of penguins taking the same pose, of course. 😉
What a great journey. I can’t wait to follow along!