Vinson Team Dispatch: Punta Arenas

The antic­i­pat­ed flight into base camp from Patri­ot Hills. From MM collection.

The wait­ing game has begun! We’ve heard from our Vin­son Mas­sif team that the group has com­plet­ed gear checks, had the req­ui­site brief­in­gs with Antarc­ti­ca Logis­tics & Expe­di­tions, and is ready to head to the ice. 

On Sun­day morn­ing, though, the flight was delayed due to news of strong winds at Patri­ot Hills, so the mem­bers of the group are enter­tain­ing them­selves in Pun­ta Are­nas for anoth­er day. Suzanne and Mike took a fer­ry to go sight­see­ing and snap some pic­tures of the pen­guins, and John­ny, Shawn, and Willie are sleep­ing off their jet lag in the hotel. 

Willie reports that they’re all hav­ing a great time get­ting to know each oth­er, and are look­ing for­ward to their time on the ice. 

If you’re just now hear­ing about the Moun­tain Mad­ness Vin­son-Mas­sif Expe­di­tion, it’s an espe­cial­ly excit­ing group. Suzanne Al Hou­by is the first Pales­tin­ian Arab woman to ven­ture toAntarc­ti­ca, John­ny Collinson is, at age 17, try­ing to be the youngest per­son to climb the Sev­en Sum­mits, and Shawn Daw­son is rais­ing mon­ey for the Dream Moun­tains Foun­da­tion. Stay tuned to read more about their adventures!