|
Vinson Massif Dispatch Archive
December 2004 | January 2004 | January 2003 | January 2001
DECEMBER, 2004 VINSON EXPEDITION
Mountain Madness 2004 Mount Vinson Expedition, Antarctica - December 2004
Guide: Christine Boskoff and Casey Henley
Team Members: William Lee, Jack Edwards, Joe Bonner, Raymond Behm, Ona Alpert, Megan McGrath, Bill Hargreaves
Friday, December 17, 2004
This is Christine Boskoff reporting from Punta Arenas, Chile.
Welcome to the Mt. Vinson 2004-2005 Mountain Madness Expedition. Casey Henley and I will are looking forward to guiding this Mt. Vinson adventure. Casey and I arrived in Punta Arenas last night and checked into the Hotel Isla Rey Jorge. We met our first team member, Ray, who arrived a couple days ago. Ray has been touring the area, including a visit to the Penguin colony and Torres del Paine National Park.
We woke up to rain this morning and went to pick up another team member, Joe, at the airport. After our return, we went to the supermarket to purchase the remaining food items needed for our climb. We are not only making sure we have plenty of food in case we encounter bad weather on our climb, we are helping ensure our success since eating properly and well is important to each member’s success.
Tonight the team went to dinner at a local restaurant. It is 11:00 p.m. and it is still light outside. We are all having trouble adjusting to the long days.
Tomorrow we meet the rest of the group since Bill, Ona, Megan, Jack and William will be arriving. It will be great for the entire team to be together!
Cheers from Punta Arenas!
Christine
Sunday, December 19, 2004
(Punta Arenas) - This is Christine Boskoff writing from Punta Arenas, Chile. Our entire team has arrived, and thankfully so has their luggage. Bill, Will, Jack, and Ona arrived on the 17th. Will’s baggage did not arrive with him. Fortunately, we were able to track it down and it arrived late in the evening on the 18th. Good thing everyone was scheduled to be here early in case there was just such a situation.
So far, we’ve been busy enjoying Punta Arenas and making final preparations for our journey. Bill, Megan, Will, Ona, and Joe went to see the Penguins on Isla Magoalena. The boat ride took 2 hours each way, but everyone agreed it was well worth the journey! Casey and I went shopping for last minute items, like T-bone steaks, Chicken, good sausages and cheeses which we stored in the Antarctic Logistics Expedition’s (ALE) freezer until our departure.
We are now ready for our journey! Today we had our Antarctica briefing with ALE, who will be chartering the aircraft for our journey. After our two hour meeting, we went back to the hotel and packed all the luggage that will be sent to Antarctica. We weighed our bags and we were easily under the set weight limit. We are ready to depart at any time.
We may fly tomorrow afternoon (the 20th) if conditions at Patriot Hills are good. We will be flying down on an Illysion 76, a Russian transport plane. For us to land at the blue ice runway at Patriot Hills we need good visibility, less than a 20-knot crosswind, and no snow on the runway. We are all waiting patiently, but I can tell the group is eager to begin.
Keep your figures crossed that we will fly tomorrow! Until then. . .
Adios,
Christine
Monday, December 20, 2004
(Punta Arenas) Hello from Punta Arenas! We got the call after being on stand-by for the day....we fly in less than an hour. Talk to you from the ice soon!
Cheers - Casey Henley
December 22, 2004
Hi everyone!
This is the Mountain Madness Vinson Massif December Expedition. I’m calling from Vinson Base Camp. It’s December 22nd at 12:20 a.m. We got the green light in
Punta Arenas on the 20th at 8:30 p.m. that we were going to fly to Patriot Hills. We had 15 minutes to get ready before our bus picked us up for the airport. We departed Punta
Arenas at 10:40 p.m. and arrived at Patriot Hills at 3:10 a.m. We landed in marginal weather with white snow. Due to inclement weather, we stayed at Patriot Hills for the night.
Yesterday we woke with cloudy skies so we waited until 5:00 p.m. to fly. We established our camp, and had a great Mexican dinner and drinks. Bill and Will helped with melting
snow.
Everyone is in great spirits and eager to move to Camp One tomorrow. We’ll call again this evening. Over and out! Christine
December 23, 2004
Hello and good morning.
This is Casey Henley reporting from Vinson base camp. Today was a beautiful day. We took a load of food and gear to Camp One and got to see more of the amazing sights to be seen down here. To the south of us extends an ice cap as far as we can see. Everywhere else there are amazing peaks. With 24 hours of sunlight we’ve been eating, sleeping, and
traveling at all hours of the day. Tomorrow we’ll move Camp One. We’ll call in tomorrow and let you know how things went.
Jack wants to send his love to Amy, the kids – John, Scott, and Julie, and the grandkids –Johnny, Julia, Michael, Jane, and Liam.
Hope all is well back at home with everyone’s families and we’ll talk to you soon.
December 24, 2004
Hi everyone,
It’s Christmas Eve morning and our group has just gone to sleep for the night.
This morning we broke down camp and moved up to Camp One. We climbed up the Branscomb Glacier with breathtaking views 360 degrees all around us.
It took us four hours to reach the camp at 10,000 feet. Everyone is good and strong and in good spirits. Camp One is situated at a beautiful valley with views of the
stunning peaks of Tyree and Mt. Shin. We are anxious to carry to our high camp tomorrow.
We wish our friends and family a happy Christmas Eve.
December 25, 2004
Hi Everyone, We want to say hi and Merry Christmas to all. Here are some messages from the group:
(Note: there was some difficulty with this transmission, so not all messages are complete. All are in good health though. The group will likely be in position for a summit attempt in the next several days if weather permits. We will keep you posted. From the Mountain Madness office).
Ona- Hi everyone and all you guys in Crested Butte.
Raymond- Merry Christmas to the entire family. We have no Christmas tree but do have the most beautiful white Christmas in the world.
Will- Hi to family and niece and nephew.
Jack- Had a great day going up to high camp. Happy birthday to Julie and Johnny. Hope you are having a great time, we are but it’s a bit cold (laughs).
Bill- Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We are having a great time here in Antarctica. We went to high camp today, Chris and Casey are busting our butts, but things are moving along well.
Megan- Hi to family and friends and all at work. Everything is a bit chilly, but going well. Hope uncle is doing ok and wish him the best of health.
Chris- Hi to mom and everyone.
Casey and Joe- Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
More later, Chris
December 27, 2004
From the top of Mt. Vinson, Antarctica!
This is Christine Boskoff calling from the summit of Mt. Vinson. It is 10 o’clock at night and the sun is high in the sky and we just summitted. We are proud to say that all nine people in our expedition team made it. We are on our way down now and will call in later.
December 28, 2004
This is Casey Henley reporting from High Camp at Mt. Vinson.
Everyone is in good spirits and is super-psyched that the entire group summitted. There has been a lot of laughter. The climb itself was good. It was a long day with not much wind, and by the time we got to the top the wind had died down completely. We were greeted with 360 degree views of the Ellsworth Range.
Today we had a rest day at high camp and tomorrow we return to Base Camp. We
are hoping to explore the area in the next couple of days before we fly to
Patriot Hills. Then we hope to spend a couple of days at Patriot Hills before flying to Punta Arenas.
December 29, 2004
This is Christine Boskoff calling from Mt. Vinson Base Camp, here at 7000 feet. Yesterday on the 29th the team descended from the High Camp. It was marginal conditions here. Visibility was poor and we had very windy conditions, so we are all glad we summitted when we did. We are happy to be back down at Base Camp. The whole group is safe and in good spirits. Today we are having a rest day. More tomorrow…
January 1, 2005 - Mt. Vinson Base Camp
Happy New Years everyone! This is Christine Boskoff and the Mountain Madness Vinson Expedition reporting from Vinson Base Camp. We had a great New Years Eve celebration last night. It was a lot of fun. Now we are waiting for our plane to take us back to Patriot Hills. More from Punta Arenas later
January 4, 2005 - Patriot Hills
This is Christine Boskoff and the Mountain Madness Vinson Expedition reporting from Patriot Hills. We have been in Patriot Hills for several days now waiting for agreeable weather so we can fly to Punta Arenas. Currently the wind is 10 knots with gusts to 30. We must have a wind of 15 knots with gusts to 20 to fly out, so it is a matter of hurry and wait at this point. Needless to say we are playing a lot of cards and reading a lot. Everyone is eager to get back to Punta Arenas but we are all in good spirits.
January 6, 2005 - Punta Arenas
Hello Everyone,
We arrived in Punta Arenas at 6 a.m. today (6th). Everyone is excited for a hot shower and great bed. The Illysian 76 arrived at midnight at Patriot Hills. Everyone was excited for the flight, and we said our goodbyes to the white, silent and beautiful continent. We all had a wonderful time and will miss our short, but strong friendships we acquired while we were here.
Our group will be leaving back home in the next couple days.
Adios amigos! Christine
Top
JANUARY, 2004 VINSON EXPEDITION
January 4, 2004
Buenos Tardes! This is Chris Boskoff reporting from the Mountain Madness Vinson 2004 Expedition in Punta Arenas, Chile.
Climbing members - Kay McClair from Spokane, WA, Gene Rehfeld from Golden, CO, and Jay Weiner from San Francisco, CA - arrived yesterday in Punta Arenas. Punta Arenas, the capital of the Magallanes region, sits alongside the Straits of Magellan at southern latitude of approximately 54º south. J. Byron discovered this location on the Brunswick Peninsula in the 17th century and named it "Punta Arenas" (Sandy Point). The city of Punta Areas, founded in the mid 1800s, grew into a center for commerce, fishing, Antarctic research, coal, wool and tourism. Our hotel Isla Rey Jorge is a quiet and quaint place located close to the town square.
Today was a productive and busy day for our expedition. After breakfast, we congregated at the Cabo de Hornos Hotel “Cape Horn Hotel” where Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions (ALE) organized a briefing. ALE provides the logistical support for Antarctica “non-research” expeditions, which includes the facilities in Antarctica and the charted flights to and from Patriot Hills, Antarctica and the Mt. Vinson base camp. ALE charters an Illysian 76, a Russian military transport plane. The plane fits about 50 people and cargo.
We were briefed on ALE procedures in Punta Arenas and the Antarctica. The expedition could fly out at any time due to favorable weather conditions, so our members had to be readily available to depart quickly. After the briefing our group divided their gear into three separate sets of luggage. One group of luggage included all the items we didn’t need until we arrived at Patriot Hills. The second group was our carry-on luggage, which included camera equipment, video camera, mountaineering boots, and warm clothing that we would put on before we arrived at Patriot Hills. Our last set of items was clothing that we would wear on the plane and included long underwear and a light layering jacket. ALE came by around 1 p.m. to weigh and load the luggage that we didn’t need until Patriot Hills. It would be stored at the airport until departure.
Each member was restricted to 125 lbs. of equipment that included both personal and group gear. If we went over our limit it meant a hefty excess baggage charge. Our gear included everyone’s personal kit, group gear on the mountain, and food for 17 days while in the Antarctic. This included a weeks worth of food in case of delays. Fortunately everyone packed wisely and we didn’t go over our weight limit.
Unfortunately, one of our team members, Jay Weiner’s, personal gear didn’t arrive on his international flight from the US. This is always a frightful predicament because if the flight to Patriot Hill happens today this could end his Vinson climb. Jay and I took a drive to the airport in the afternoon to hopefully locate his lost luggage. We tracked down the manager for the Lan Chile airlines in Punta Arenas and were able to successfully track down his luggage. It was expected to arrive on the next plane from Santiago. Yippee!
At 7 p.m. Jay’s belongings were delivered to our hotel and everyone celebrated. We toasted to a short wait at the El Remezon Restaurant this evening, and savored the local cuisine of Emu, Salmon, Guanaco, Lamb, Beaver and King Crab dishes. We took a group photo at the restaurant to commemorate our first night in Punta Arenas. Everyone was excited about our upcoming flight to Patriot Hills. If the weather is good tomorrow in Patriot Hills we will receive a wake-up call at 6 a.m. and instructed to be ready to leave our hotel by 7 a.m. and transported to the airport for our flight. Keep you figures crossed!
January 5, 2004
This is Chris Boskoff calling from Punta Arenas, Chile. Our 6 a.m. phone call never came, so we slept in and took a later breakfast. (The time difference between Punta Arenas and the west coast is five hours, so 8 a.m. is very early for us!)
ALE called later this morning to tell us to stay close to the hotel. The current weather condition at Patriot Hills was cloud cover that seemed to be moving away from their facility. They hoped to fly out any time. We waited with anticipation.
Our hopes were dissipated when ALE called again at 2 p.m. to say it was worse, with occasional snow showers and a ceiling down to 500 feet. ALE gets satellite images of the area around Patriot Hills, so they are able to predict condition within 12 hours. We needed at least an 8-hour window. It takes around two hours to get everyone to the airport and ready to depart for the 4 and 1/2 hour flight.
With a nil chance of a departure today, our group chartered a private van to go and see the Magellan penguins. We invited our recently acquired friends, Jack and Todd who also were going with us to the Antarctica, to come with us to the Seno Otway Penguin Colony. The penguin colony is located 65 kilometers north along the Brunswick peninsula. The colony has over 10,000 penguins.
We watched these awkward looking birds waddle around occasionally jumping into the sea for their evening dinner catch for a couple hours. It was nice for us to leave Punta Arenas, stretch our legs and smell the freshness of the ocean air. Now it was our turn to get dinner! Once back in Punta Arenas, we went out to nice seafood restaurant on the coast. The food was delicious. We ordered the fresh, local king crab and salmon on the menu. We toasted again for an early morning departure to Patriot Hills and took the token group restaurant photo. Jay Weiner said, “The journey is half the challenge.” Our group is beginning to believe him!
January 6, 2004
Once again our 6 a.m. departure wake-up call didn’t come. We spent the morning switching hotels since the Hotel Isla Rey Jorge didn’t have rooms available for tonight. (We were unable to make reservations in advance since we couldn’t predict our length of stay in Punta Arenas). We settled into the Finis Terrae Hotel, the “End of the Earth Hotel.” It is a first class hotel with excellent accommodations! Since the weather in Patriot Hills was still unacceptable to our Russian pilots, we took another tour south along the coast to the Fort Bulnes. In 1843, Chile took possession of the Strait and the Patagonian lands by establishing its’ first settlement and fort at the site. This evening we ate at the hotel’s roof top restaurant. Since our hopes were not as great as the previous two nights, we decided to hold off on our morning departure toast and the token group photo!
January 7, 2004
This is Christine Boskoff at Patriot Hills, Antarctica reporting for the Mountain Madness Vinson 2004 Expedition.
We made it! Our group is super psyched! After a four-hour flight we landed on the infamous blue ice runway. We barely made it because within 15 minutes the clouds rolled in --- a mere 15 minutes later we would have had to turn around.
Wow! It’s hard to believe we are here. Just 24 hours ago our sprits were dampen due to 7/8 cloud cover with significant snow cover on the runway. (The Ilyushin is not equipped with skies, so it cannot land on a snow cover ice runway. The ALE staff at Patriot Hills plowed the runway in order to make it happen!)
At noon today in Punta Arenas our group was told to standby, because the weather was clearing. After a nice lunch at a close by café, we received the green light at 4 p.m. The skies were clear and they cleared the runway at Patriot Hills. At 4:50 p.m. we were loaded on a bus and taken to the airport. Our gear was loaded in the middle of aircraft and we filed in single file along the sides of the airplane. Many of the passengers had their video cameras rolling to capture the excitement on everyone’s faces. Our seats were hard with not much legroom, but we didn’t care --- we were going to the Antarctica! We were given earplugs to help us deal with the loud noise of the four jet engines of the Ilyushin. By 7:20 p.m. we were cleared for take off and the Ilyushin departed for our journey south. Our in-flight dinner was one of the better dinners I’ve experienced with the airlines. A large ham and cheese sub with chips, dessert, wet wipes and plenty to drink.
Once we arrive at Patriot Hills, we hiked 15 minutes to the ALE facilities. We pitched our tent and went to the ALE kitchen for a welcome dinner of beef stew. Fran is the cook and does a fantastic job of cooking for the ALE staff. It was now after midnight and it was still bright outside. This was one characteristic of the Antarctic our group had to learn to deal with --- 24 hours of sunlight. We crawled into our sleeping bags around 1 a.m. after an exciting day!
January 8, 2004
This is Christine Boskoff reporting for the Mountain Madness Vinson 2004 Expedition. It’s midnight and the sun is still high in the sky at Mt. Vinson Base Camp.
Our team spent the day waiting for our one hour flight to base camp. ALE charters two twin Otters and each plane can carry eight people plus their climbing gear to Vinson Base Camp. It took five trips to get 28 people to camp. We were one of the last groups to fly and with the threatening clouds approaching late in the afternoon, it didn’t look hopeful. Fortunately at 6:45 p.m. we got the ok from our pilots. We broke down our tents, loaded the planes and took off at 7:09 p.m.
Our flight took us over the Ellsworth Mountain Range. As I looked down on the various peaks below, I wondered what new routes could be climbed. Our pilots touched down their ski-equipped aircraft on a slightly uphill snow runway. We arrived shortly before 8 p.m. The elevation at Base Camp is 7,100 feet. Our group established camp. The Vinson Base Camp manager Heather, a Scottish woman with a welcoming smile came over and briefed our group regarding the environmental issues and climbing procedures on the mountain. We then feasted on a tasty cheese, bean and rice burritos before crawling into our sleeping bags close to midnight. Fortunate for the 24 hours of daylight, we can get a lot accomplished in a single day.
ALE delivered us safely to base camp, now it’s our job to climb the mountain. We are all excited to climb to Camp 1 tomorrow.
January 9, 2004
A cold wind contributed to the -30 degree temperature that greeted us this morning. After taking down our camp and dividing our loads, we loaded our sleds and backpacks and climbed to Camp 1.
We departed Base Camp at 2:10 p.m., which sounds ridiculous if we were climbing anywhere else in the world. The clouds soon rolled in and stole us a view of the surrounding mountains. We ascended the gentle slopes of the Branscomb Glacier and the sled hauling was pleasantly nice. We took several breaks along the way to ensure we were properly fueled and hydrated. We arrived at the site of Camp 1 at 9 p.m. and the clouds miraculously rolled back and the sun greeted us.
The location of Camp 1 this year was slightly higher up the valley to eliminate the need for Camp 2. Our camp was located around 10,000 feet. Everyone is doing well and looked strong on the glacier today. We wasted no time and Gene and I shoveled a platform and set up the tents, while Kay and Gene worked as a team constructing a nice windshield snow wall out of blocks of snow. We soon had water bottles full and a nice salmon pasta feast for dinner. Hot drinks were served around midnight as the sun still hung high in the sky. It’s truly the land of the midnight sun!
January 10, 2004
This is Jay Weiner reporting for the Mountain Madness Vinson Expedition. Today marks one week since our group flew into Punta Arenas. Our arrival on this expedition seems to be a month ago due to the long journey to get to Vinson Base Camp and the enchantment of Antarctica.
Sunlight hits Camp 1 at 11 a.m. Given the intensity of the cold, one does not wish to arise in shadow. Thus we did not begin our carry until 1 p.m. after a hardy breakfast of blueberry pancakes. It took us an hour and a half to reach the base of the headwall. Due to the dense fog, our progress up the 1,000 foot, 40 degree headwall was slow. Fortunately conditions cleared and were able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The weather was flawless as we reached the top of the headwall – sunny with panoramic views. We reached Camp 3 at 7:30 p.m. Stashed 4-days of fuel and food and then headed down at 8 p.m. We returned to Camp 1 at 10:30 p.m. Everyone was strong and exemplary during today’s carry.
January 11, 2004
Hello this is Chris Boskoff reporting for the Mountain Madness Vinson Expedition. We had a wonderful leisurely rest day here at Camp 1, and a well deserved one too! The cold is a major element when climbing Mt. Vinson. It is the toughest of the seven summits in that regard. Out here one must be completely self-supported and well prepared for the worst weather and extreme cold. Fortunately for our group everyone was well prepared for the cold.
Last night was the coldest night yet. It had to be -35 degrees. Fortunately Jay, my tent mate, got turned around trying to warm his fee and slept on mine. I didn’t mind since it was the warmest my feet have been at night since the start of the climb.
We woke at 11 a.m. We ate, drank and slept today. Ahhh life in the mountains! It was partially sunny today with temperatures around -10 to -15 degrees. We would like to wish Kay’s son Andrew a happy 19th birthday and hope the Green Bay Packers won against the Philadelphia Eagles today in the play offs. Go Packers! Kay was able to reach her son tonight on our satellite phone to personally wish him a happy birthday.
Tomorrow we plan to climb to high camp and sleep there for the night.
January 12, 2004
This is Christine Boskoff calling from high camp at 12,500 feet. We had a wonderful and productive day! After our 11 a.m. breakfast, we dismantled Camp 1 and, at 2 p.m., departed for high camp. The snow conditions were brilliant. The headwall can sometimes be icy, but we had a 6-inch layer of snow and made progress quickly. We had a beautiful day climbing to high camp. The weather was balmy and our group was strong, because of yesterday’s rest day. We arrived at high camp around 7:30 p.m. It took us two hours to construct our camp before we were able to focus on drinks and a nice hot dinner. We were now poised in an excellent position for our summit push. We are at high camp with four days of food and fuel, and everyone healthy and psyched for the summit.
January 13, 2004
What a beautiful day! Not a cloud in the sky and a slight breeze. We got lucky with the weather for our summit day.
Kay, Gene, Jay and I started out for the summit at 11 a.m. after a power breakfast of pancakes. Just above the first 100-foot slope, Jay complained of back pain. Jay had a recent medical history of back problems and was showing the signs once again. He decided to turn around, so the rest of the group could go on. I thought this was very noble of him. Kay, Gene, and I continued under clear blue skies. We trekked along the vastness of the glacier for four hours until we reached the foot of Mt. Vinson. It was hot so we stripped our layers of down and wore only a layer of polypropylene. It was the warmest day yet.
After six hours, we reached the ridge of Mt. Vinson around 15,000 feet. The cold wind greeted us as we reached the shoulder, so we had to put on our down suits. We climbed the steeper snow slopes and reached the summit ridge, a beautiful rocky ridge that led to the summit around 7:30 p.m. We topped out at 8:00 p.m. to 360-degree view of the Ellsworth Mountains. After celebrating on the summit and calling home to say we made it, we descended our ascent route at 8:30 p.m. We arrived back to our camp at 11:30 p.m. Jay greeted us once we arrived. We were all very tired and managed to gulp down dinner by 2 a.m.
January 14, 2004
Our team arrived safely at Base Camp this evening. We woke this morning at 9 a.m. under blue skies once again. Jay and I spoke about possibly going back up for another summit attempt the next day, but his back symptoms still existed and it would be too risky with no support above high camp. We broke down our camp and headed back down the headwall.
At Camp 1 we loaded our sleds, which alleviated our loads on our backs, and descended down the Branscomb Glacier. It took us six hours to get down and considering our previous long day we were relieved when we reached Base Camp. Our Base Camp manager Heather greeted us with a nice dinner of beef stew.
Everyone - Jay, Kay and Gene - did an outstanding job on the climb! Everyone was strong and helped with responsibilities on the mountain to make this climb a success. Special thanks to Jay, who made the selfless decision to turn around on summit day. For Kay and Gene, Vinson was their 4th seven summits they topped out on. Gene is joining our Mountain Madness Everest expedition this spring.
We should all sleep well tonight since it is considerably warmer at the lower elevation of Base Camp and was a long active day.
January 17, 2004
This is Chris Boskoff from Patriot Hills, Antarctica. The day before yesterday (the 15th) Gene and I took a wonderful hike to the surrounding hills around Base Camp. We climbed a 1000-foot knoll over looking Base Camp. After a late lunch of cheese, salmon and crackers on the patio of our Base Camp station, the twin otter planes arrived. This time we were the first to leave. It would take the aircraft four trips of 10 passengers each to get everyone back to Patriot Hills. The last group arrived mid day on the 16th.
We are now all at Patriot Hills and waiting for the Ilyushin to bring us back to Punta Arenas. For the Ilyushin to land we need less than 15-knot winds. Unfortunately the winds on the 16th are were gusting to 30 knots. At Patriot Hills, we became creative with the cooking as our food supply dwindled. For Kay we made a celebratory pizza. Gene said it was one of the better pizzas he has eaten. Gene understands the merits of racking up brownie points by complementing the chefs!
Today, the 17th, the winds died, but a low cloud layer has moved in with a chance of snow showers. We are playing the waiting game and hope the weather improves tomorrow. Once again we need a big enough window for the Ilyushin to make the 4 & 1/2 hour flight form Punta Arenas and land safely within the cloud ceiling and wind limits.
Fortunately we already obtained our goal here, so everyone is more tolerant of the wait. The groups are filling their time by going on hikes to the surrounding hills, reading, and having igloo building contests. However we are anxious to return home and see our families and enjoy the comforts of home. Fortunately we have a cell phone and we can call back home at night.
January 19, 2004
Hello everyone. This is Chris Boskoff reporting for the Mountain Madness Vinson Expedition. The winds are very strong at Patriot Hills today. Our general routine is wake up at 11 a.m. eat breakfast, get the weather report, take a walk, eat lunch, take a nap, read, eat dinner and play cards until 2 a.m. Some of us mixed-up the routine yesterday and went sailing on skis across the snow. With the high winds yesterday it was the perfect conditions for sailing.
Tonight, the 19th, we had a “hoe-down” dance party in the mess tent. We danced until 2 a.m. Kay being a ball room dancer out danced everyone while Gene snuck out the back door to avoid the invitation to dance. Jay is busy entertaining himself with the ALE folks. We are enjoying ourselves, but hope to fly home soon. The winds are still strong as I speak. Hopefully the new day brings good weather for flying.
January 20, 2004
At last we got word late morning that the winds were low enough to fly. We took our time breaking down the tents and packing our loads for the flight. The Ilyushin arrived around 3:30 p.m. Everyone joined in unloading the barrels of fuel and loading the empty barrels, garbage, human waste, and our gear into the aircraft. (It’s very prudent that all the garbage leaves Patriot Hills after every trip.) By 5:30 p.m. we were able to depart.
We landed around 9:30 p.m. and loaded the bus to take us back to our hotel, Isla Rey Jorge. The sky was beginning to show the signs of darkness that our bodies longed for. We had an early morning celebration farewell dinner back at the hotel, since we all were scheduled to depart on international flights back home in a few hours (21st).
January 21, 2004
Hello everyone. This is Chris Boskoff reporting for the Mountain Madness Vinson Expedition. Our expedition departed on the 21st with everyone rushing to catch flights with not much time for thought. Once we return to our normal lives, we will have moments where we can reflect our adventure to the frozen continent. With any adventure, it is the journey where lessons are learned and memories are created and the goal is only the part of the experience. The Antarctica will be engraved in our minds for a lifetime.
"Antarctica left a restless longing in my heart beckoning towards an incomprehensible perfection for ever beyond the reach of mortal man. Its overwhelming beauty touches one so deeply that is like a wound."
~ Edwin Mickleburgh
Top
JANUARY 2003 VINSON EXPEDITION
"What a beautiful place! We had a great time. Our group of eight made a good team, and made the long trip (due to weather) fun. Antarctic storms are a thing to behold! The solitude on the mountain, combined with the landscape, made this trip unique. As a guide, I was able to summit twice; on the second day the two of us were the only people on the mountain above base camp. A real feeling of being in nature.”
~ Tom Milne
Guides: Morris Kittleman & Tom Milne
Expedition Members: Bill Zachary, Bill Cunningham, Pete Youngwerth, Mike Turley, Chris Boggan, and Darryl Lindgren
What a fantastic trip! Our extensive pre-trip preparations and organization paid off with 100% summit success!
Everyone had arrived in Punta Arenas, Chile by January 3rd. We did an extensive gear check and weighing, had a thorough orientation, and then everyone sat down to an enjoyable group dinner. The weather blessed us the next day and we seized our opportunity and arrived at Patriot Hills a day early. The clients spent the next two days brushing up on their skills. We reviewed and practiced snow school, rope team travel, snow climbing, ridge walking, and crevasse rescue. It is bitterly cold here and so we spent the next two days hiking, resting and in general acclimatizing.
By day five we were ready to go. We continued to have good weather at Pilgrim Hills and took advantage of them, climbing hard and reaching base camp 1 and 2 on day 6 & 7. The weather quickly turned bad and we dug in and hunkered down. At the first feasible window we went for base camp 3. It was a difficult day in punishing conditions. We had to wait four days for Vinson to clear. It was cold, cold and damn windy.
We finally got our window and we guided the group on successive summits over two days. The clients were excited and exhausted. Mountain Madness was the only group in our “wave” to have 100% of client’s summit.
Weary and proud the group flew to Punta Arenas for an overnight rest before flying home. We had 14 days of overall downtown due to the extreme conditions but everyone hung in there and met their ultimate goal – the summit of Mt. Vinson. Our patience was rewarded!
Top
JANUARY 2001 VINSON EXPEDITION
Team Members:
Mark Gunlogson, Expedition Leader Seattle, WA
Andy Colyer New York, NY
Gary Ponder Annandale, NJ
Martin Douthitt Jackson, KY
Michael Conti Park City, UT
JANUARY 6, 2001
This is Mark Gunlogson of the Mountain Madness 2001 Vinson Massif Expedition. The team has all arrived and is anxiously waiting for our six-hour flight to Patriot Hills. We have been delayed by two days but in three hours, weather permitting, we will be on the Hercules C-130 heading south. We've managed to stay within the 100lbs of baggage allotted per person and are ready to go after spending three days in Punta Arenas, Chile, which is the Southern most city in the world depending on your definition.
Punta Arenas, which means Sandy Point, is the gateway to Patagonia and home to more than 125,000 people. The city is located on the Straits of Magellan. This important waterway was named after the Portuguese explorer Fernando de Magellan who discovered the passage in 1520 while searching for a direct route to the East. In the town square there are figures of two indigenous people standing beneath a towering statue of Magellan. It is said that by kissing the big toe of one of the Indians you will guarantee your return to Punta Arenas. For this reason the toe has been polished from the thousands of kisses!
After prolonged resistance from the Mapuche Indians, the Spaniards eventually overcame this indigenous group and founded the city in 1848 amongst the friendly Tehuelche Indians, who unfortunately, were eradicated my measles and other diseases introduced by the Europeans. Now, after a wool boom in the 1800's and what looked to be the beginnings of one of the world's most important port cities, the city has a vibrant economy and has become the largest port in the region. Had the Panama Canal not gone through Punta Arenas the importance and growth would have been explosive as the Strait of Magellan provides relatively safe passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and prevented ships from sailing the infamous Cape Horn.
It has been an interesting wait for our group. We've visited the Naval Museum, the Otway Inlet and the Mayellanic Penguins that lay their eggs and raise their young between October and March, and of course, gorged ourselves on the seafood and beef famous to Chile. On the 4th of January we visited the penguins that are somewhat of an icon to the area, and laughed at their particular habits out of water. It seems evolution played some sort of joke on them as they awkwardly waddle around on land, but when you see them in water it becomes more than obvious what they were made for as they glide through the cold waters with ease. It was a typical rainy day that ended with a late dinner. Sample fare at the local eateries includes Centolla Magallanica (King crabs of Magallenes on a bed of lettuce, commonly referred to as the American Dream), Vieirasala parmesana (scallops in a parmesan cheese sauce) and Fillet Mignon covered with saut_ed mushrooms. Oh, and of course wine. So, let’s just say the team is fattened and ready for the cold.
Around 8 PM tonight we should be underway to one of the most intriguing and certainly most unique continents on the planet. Here are a few things to think about:
- Antarctica covers an area of 14,000,000 Sq. Km, or 1/10th of the land surface of the planet
- It is the fifth largest land mass
- Contrary to the widely held belief that the continent is a low elevation, flat land mass, consider that it is the highest overall continent with a mean altitude of 2,050 meters above sea level
- It is considered the world's coldest desert and receives very little precipitation. In the "dry valleys" some scientist believe that no rain has fallen in 2 million years
While the region we will be traveling to in the Ellsworth Mountains receives precipitation, it is the cold and wind that will be most challenging for our team. With luck we will be on the continent in a few short hours and begin working our way to the summit of this amazing continent. More later!
JANUARY 8, 2001
After what can be considered a relatively short 3-day delay in Punta Arenas we got the call early on the morning of Jan. 8 to check out of our hotel and get ready to fly. At $30 a kilo for excess baggage over 100lbs per person we meticulously packed all of our food, gear, and personal belongings. After 3 days of fattening ourselves in the restaurants of P.A. we were glad to not have to weigh ourselves in. At the airport excitement levels were high as we anticipated the takeoff of the Hercules C-130 cargo plane for the six hour flight to Patriot Hills, Antarctica.
From P.A. our flight path took us over Tierre del Fuego, past the Antarctic Circle, and on to Patriot Hills. For many of us there was a distinct feeling that we were going to explore terra incognito on one of the truly last explored continents on the planet. While the climbing history of Mt. Vinson and the surrounding peaks of the Ellsworth Range is short, exploration of the icy continent itself also has a relatively recent history. As viewed from a European explorer's perspective, many supposedly undiscovered continents were in fact well known by their indigenous inhabitants. Antarctica however was truly unknown until 1820. It was on Jan. 30th of that year that the English vessel Williams, under the command of Edward Bransfield went ashore on the northern tip of Graham Land. This was the first true European or American discovery of terra incognito, of a continent uncharted and uninhabited, with the possible exception of teeming seal and penguin populations. It wasn't until 1898 that the first sledging on the continent, on Brabant Island, was undertaken for a land survey. It was also on this expedition led by De Gerlache and Cook that the first camp was set up in Antarctica.
Since its first ascent in 1966 by a National Geographic Society and American Alpine Club sponsored team of American climbers, the Vinson Masiff, erroneously referred to as Mt. Vinson, has now seen slightly more than 500 ascents. So, we were not really "exploring" in the truest sense of the word. But that in no way diminished the thrill of approaching the continent. With necks craning like posturing penguins during mating season, everyone onboard strained from their seats to catch a glimpse out of seven small portholes found in the main cabin. The Hercules is utilitarian by design and was never intended to serve a bunch of gawking climbers. A visit to the cockpit by our team members revealed what appeared to be a sea of clouds that was in fact thousands of square miles of ice. This was to be the first in what became a regular trick of the eyes, as we would gaze out at huge expanses of white and try to discern whether it was ice or a sea of clouds.
As the pilot circled the area around Patriot Hills, the nerve center for the England based ANI, we glimpsed the naturally occurring blue runway that permits large wheeled aircrafts to land. Had it not been for this naturally occurring phenomena travel to the continent for Vinson climbers would be altogether different. After a smooth landing we were briskly loaded onto a Twin Otter for the hour-long flight to base camp.
Logistics could not have worked out better. It was all smiles and amazement- we were on our way! Cameras were clicking and Mike's video was rolling as we began the flight to Mt. Vinson Base Camp. Soon the flat icy expanse surrounding Patriot Hills and the Ronne Ice Shelf gave way to the Ellsworth Mountains. The range emerged above the glacier first as small nunataks randomly rising out of the ice. Then as the flight continued smaller clusters of peaks began to form a distinct range. Finally, as we closed in on base camp and the heart of the Sentinel Range, which forms the middle section of the Ellsworth Mountains, elegant knifed edged ridges soared in chiseled perfection to some of the areas more impressive peaks, all probably unclimbed!
At the 6,900' base camp we were met by Kyle, the base camp manager for ANI. Kyle filled us in on his operations and the climbing conditions. After dinner we dove into our bags for our first night in Antarctica! Were it not for our ears ringing from the drone of the aircraft's engines we would have enjoyed what many people say is their first impression of Antarctica- quiet. But, even with ears ringing we could at least appreciate the solitude and remoteness of the Vinson Massif. A certain peace fell over us knowing we were in this incredible place.
JANUARY 9, 2001
When you have 24 hours of daylight you make your own schedule. So, it wasn't until around 3pm that we began walking to C1 with our sleds loaded and packs filled to the brim. With about 35lbs on our backs and 40-50lbs in our sleds we were thankful the terrain leading to C1 was gradual and straightforward for pulling sleds. Although we were roped, the Branscomb Glacier here was crevasse free and the route presented no dangers with the exception of one avalanche area where ice blocks the size of houses littered the way. A steady pace through the debris got us out of harms way in no time.
It took us about 7 hours to reach the camp 1. It was relatively easy going and the group's training seemed to be paying off. Gary's regime was perhaps the most vigorous - hours in the gym, hiking with a 60lb pack and the most grueling drill, pulling a tire sled up hills. As for me, I was banking on a certain level of fitness that comes from years of punishment in the mountains and hoping things would kick in with minimal training.
After little exercise in December, the holidays, and 4 days eating and watching movies in Punta Arenas I felt my account might be running a little low. Training or not, a Vinson climber has no choice but to kneel down and become laden like a camel and hump loads to three consecutive camps above base and then get it all back. As the day progressed the ice fog gave way to clear skies and incredible views of Mt. Shin and Mt. Tyree. Arriving at C1, which sits beneath a massive flank of Mt. Vinson that towers thousands of feet above camp, we prepared for the night. Great teamwork started right off as Martin, Andy and Gary began the long chore of cooking. With the sun still blazing at 1:30am I finally crawled into my bag for the night. It had been a great day with everyone strong and the team starting to gel!
JANUARY 10, 2001
Gary reminded me the night before of the common practice on Arctic climbs-you don't budge until the sun is out. With a temperature of about -9 degree F in the tent I wasn't about to argue with him. Around 11am we crank up the stoves and prepare for a relatively easy 2-3 hour move to C2. Clouds develop as we move out of C1, but the temperature hovers between 10-20 degrees and is perfect-not too hot or cold. At C2 Martin and Andy use the snow saw to cut out blocks and create walls while the rest of us put up our tents. It is only day 3 on the mountain, but we've already got ourselves into a rhythm.
Slightly out of view from our camp, the "headwall" rises up over 3,000ft and provides the passage to high camp. On the 11th we will make a carry to high camp and return to C2 where we'll hunker down for two comfortable nights. Another great day.
JANUARY 11, 2001
Under cloudy skies we pack up a load to be cached at high camp. We plan to leave food and fuel for three fat days or four lean and enough time to allow for any storms that pin us down. The headwall section of the climb presents the only technical difficulty of the climb, about 1,000 of 30-35 degree snow and ice (shorter and less steep than the headwall on Denali, but no fixed ropes are used on Mt. Vinson.) Here climbers find the only tangible evidence of objective hazards on the climb aside from the ice that breaks off from the icefall just before C1.
With only about 18 inches of blowing snow accumulating each year, slab and loose snow avalanches occur but certainly not with the regularity of the Himalayas, the Andes, and the Alaska Range. But, the forces of gravity work on the ice cliffs the same way here as anywhere. Below the steep section of the headwall climbers must pass through a jumbled section of ice debris. From two separate ice cliffs that loom over the headwall ice blocks tumble down onto the route, covering about a quarter mile stretch. It is not as bad as it sounds, and our steady pace minimizes our exposure, but it is an area not to be taken lightly. Kyle and a small group of climbers discovered this weeks before as he passed through the section dodging blocks that came down from above (no injuries.) We're three quarters of the way up the headwall in no time. After a snack and water break I lead off, clipping a picket for a running belay for the steepest (though short) and most exposed section of the day. With packs on our backs it is a little more difficult, but everyone is solid on their feet, so we pass the section easily and arrive at high camp about an hour later.
After five hours of climbing we arrive at high camp where a steady breeze and no sun drops the wind chill below 0 degrees F. A quick cache and we dash back down the headwall to the cozy digs of C1. Two and a half hours later we were back in camp. Another great, but cold day! With some luck from the weather we'd be back at high camp the next day.
JANUARY 12, 2001
Clear skies. After caching our sleds and other unnecessary food and equipment we're off to high camp, eager to establish camp and put in a possible summit attempt the following day. Starting off in the sun we dress in long sleeve, lightweight-polypro and fleece jackets-which turns out to be almost too much. Climbing steadily up into the ice debris beneath the headwall we move into shade, which felt like going on a stroll on a warm spring day and walking straight into a meat locker. A mere half hour later we're through the shade, but find ourselves warming up Gary and Mike's numb fingers- a painful reminder of just how cold it really is.
The remainder of the day goes smoothly and by late evening our snow block walls are up, the tents erected, and bellies full. High camp sits nestled in a broad saddle between the steep flanks of Mt. Shinn and the wide gradual slopes of Vinson. Views to the west are spectacular and uniquely Antarctica. A small pyramidal nunatak sits in splendid isolation above the clouds. Upon closer scrutiny however its small summit burst the mirage like a pinprick on my imagination. The clouds are in fact miles and miles of ice. It's like looking at an optical illusion, of seeing two images in one, like a simple Escher drawing. Reality checks on one's perception occur daily in Antarctica, in this "white wilderness."
JANUARY 13, 2001
The morning starts off for me with a persistent dry cough brought on by cold, dry air and mild morning sinus congestion. It's not my best start. But, by 10am the stoves are roaring and everybody is stirring. Temperature outside the tents is a balmy -13 degrees F and the wind is hushed for the moment. It's a perfect summit day. After the daily debate as to the proper garb, all but myself opt for down pants. My bottom layers include tights, thin fleece bibs, fleece pants and a shell layer. As it turns out both systems will work fine. For our upper bodies we all wear several layers of polypro, a fleece jacket and shell. Inside our packs we all have down jackets for the colder temps to come. With Forty Below overboots keeping our feet toasty we're all set.
Crampons crunch in ideal Styrofoam snow as we head out at 1pm in overall ideal conditions. With the exception of the beautiful summit ridge, which occasionally requires extra attention on its exposed snow covered rock, the summit climb is by any measure technically easy. For the first few hours, broad low angled snow slopes lead to a huge basin where wind pours in from the surrounding ridges. Here things get chilly and the rest stops are brief in the sub-zero temps. Martin, however, has mitten problems and first his sunglasses, and then his goggles fog leaving him staggering along the trail like a drunk. Martin, the consummate southern gentleman from Kentucky, would sooner loose his fingers than inconvenience the rest of the group, has a forced stop and walks off the path and onto some hard, blue ice at about the 15,000 foot level.
The break is welcomed by Mike, who is slightly nauseous from the effects of the altitude and mild dehydration and just about performs the Technicolor yawn of his Carrot Cake Cliff Bar. Due to the thinning of the atmosphere at the poles the elevation of Mt. Vinson is comparable to an 18,000ft peak rather than its actual 16,067ft height. Mike bounces back after the break and after Martin is equipped with a fresh pair of goggles we climb another hour and a half to the final summit ridge. On the ridge crest a bitter wind slaps us in the face with a wind chill probably somewhere between minus 30-40 degrees. Andy, Gary and Mike put on their down jackets while Martin and I are content with our layers of fleece. For about 45 minutes we tread carefully up the final summit ridge to the top of the Vinson Massif. It's an aesthetic, distinctly alpine finish, with a few narrow sections and big drops on either side.
We reach the summit at 9:30pm! From the summit the peaks of the Sentinel Range jut out of the cloud and ice mirage that extends as far as the eyes can see. A few thick strands of clouds hang peacefully thousands of feet below, but on this almost perfect summit day we view perhaps thousands of square miles of ice and the barely discernable curvature of the earth. After a few quick photos and congrats on a climb well done we begin our descent. Three hours later we were back in camp, just as the sun slips down and leaves camp enveloped in a cold shadow. Cocooned in our -40 bags, cold as it was, sleep came easy.
JANUARY 14, 2001
Another fine day. After loading up all our gear, extra food and fuel, and all human waste, we bust out of high camp elated, but tired. By the end of the day we're back in base camp on standby for our flight back to Patriot Hills. Out come the tents for what hopefully would be a short-lived wait.
JANUARY 15, 2001
The planes are again grounded by poor flying conditions. Out come the books and the hope in everyone's mind that we don't have to use the 10 days worth of extra food and fuel for such an occasion. My book of choice is the "The Last Place On Earth- Scott and Amundsen's Race to the South Pole," by Roland Huntford. As I read about an expedition led by De Gerlache and Cook that began in 1898, it's easy to see that we can in no way make comparisons of our supremely prepared group to that of the bold adventurers of the past. On that particular expedition crewmembers were hoodwinked into believing they would be home within a year. Unbeknownst to them De Gerlache and Cook had planned all along to winter over in the pack ice and become the first to undertake such a grim proposition.
I don't feel the least bit uneasy at our situation and actually become absorbed in our circumstance, kicked back reading and watching the sun traverse the horizon above the Nimitz Glacier, the small peaks of the Bastien Range, and the ice sheet beyond. Just after midnight it’s Mike's birthday. Mike and I have a low-key celebration, enjoying the midnight sun and munching on some truffles. A little while after midnight I crawl into my bag and replay in my mind the days passed and our success. A fitful sleep comes quick.
JANUARY 16, 2001
There is nothing like first sighting the plane and then hearing the buzz of the engines as it draws near the snowy runway. It the same feeling you get after spending three weeks on Denali, waiting for the planes to land at Kahiltna base. There is a distinct comforting feeling, of knowing a reprieve from the last week hardships is on the way in the form of a warm bed, hot showers, good food, and beer. Our flight out is on a much clearer day and permits incredible views of the surrounding peaks and the limitless emptiness of the ice sheets than stretch out over the horizon like a vast ocean. The Ellsworth Range provides a textbook lesson in mountains. Nunataks, medial moraines, classic uplifts, more blue ice, and more glaciers than what might actually freeze hell over, creates this picture perfect day in Antarctica.
The flight ends all too soon, even though we're anxious for some civilization. Arriving back at Patriot Hills in the afternoon we are treated to a gourmet lunch, beer, and the friendly hospitality of the ANI staff. Things could easily be worse, so the announcement that there will not be a flight today is not too disheartening. Later, a fine dinner and some late night revelry sees everyone in camp off to bed content, but hoping for a flight out the next day.
JANUARY 17, 2001
With talk of strong crosswinds the arrival of the Hercules seems in question. But with luck on our side once again the Hercules arrives in the afternoon and we're all loaded up for the flight back to South America. Just before midnight we're back in Punta Arenas for hot showers, warm beds and dreams of Antarctica and the incredible journey to the highest point on the continent!
Top
|
|
