We are pleased to be able to share several images from the Expedition Hope — Mt. Vinson Massif expedition in Antarctica. There are some amazing images of the expedition and vast, icy landscape of Antarctica. Please click on the photo link at the right. Thank you!
Joe and everyone on the cargo flight arrived safely back in Punta Arenas at approximately 11 pm (Indianapolis-time) on Sunday night. “I am completely and utterly exhausted,” Joe noted. Referring to the change from Antarctica’s constant daylight and icy wasteland, he said, “It’s dark out here, and there’s trees, and it’s green!” At 1 am [...]
Sunday morning brought long-anticipated word that the cargo planes have departed Chile and are on their way to Patriot Hills. The flight usually takes between five and six hours, then the approximately 80 passengers will unload all their equipment and gear. After that, if weather conditions are still favorable, the group currently in Patriot Hills [...]
In the ALE weather tent, satellite image reports say the weather doesn’t look good; winds are still too high. They’ll check reports again at 6 am, and if they can safely “sneak a plane in,” they will try to do so. In addition to the 30 people at Patriot Hills who are waiting to head [...]
A small break in the weather this morning allowed the opportunity for everyone to get on twin otter planes for the hour-long flights back to Patriot Hills. Everyone is still living in their two-person tents. However, Patriot Hills does offer a luxury that was not available at Base Camp or elsewhere on the mountain – [...]
Just a quick update – Five of the remaining climbers had a successful summit! Over the weekend, everyone returned to Base Camp, where storms are coming in and out periodically. When the conditions are stable enough to fly, they’ll head back to Patriot Hills, Antarctica. It’s important to note that these types of weather-induced waiting [...]
Remote, cut-off, inaccessible, lonely, out-of-the-way, secluded, deserted, vacant, uninhabited, desolate, barren … All are synonyms for “isolated,” and all are prefect descriptors of this area of Antarctica! An interesting fact that Joe learned today, while conversing with the ALE personnel who are stationed at the communications tent on Base Camp, is there are currently only [...]
It’s been the better part of three days now that Joe and two team members have been ensconced in their tent at Base Camp as they wait for the return of the other climbers. On Thursday morning, Joe said, “It’s a complete white-out here; we are having a bad storm at Base. We’re all a [...]
After a successful push to Camp One, the team embarked on a carry and cache up the icy headwall to Camp Two, or High Camp. Then the team would climb back down to spend the night at Camp One, and make the complete move to Camp Two the next day. Unfortunately, Wednesday, the fifth day [...]