Vinson Massif Expedition: Weather Clears to Allow Team to Fly Vinson Base
December 11, 2014 - 8:01 pm PT
A good chunk of this day was spent like the last three days... waiting and wondering when we'd get to fly. But two thirds of the way through dinner, everything changed. The weather at Vinson got good and we got up from the table and out to take down our tents.
We'd spent the morning enjoying a fat-tire bike ride around the 10 kilometer course. During afternoon, the wind got up at Union Glacier and we stayed inside the big dining tent, playing games, reading and talking. Most had given up hope for getting to Vinson on this day by the time we got the call. We loaded into the ski equipped Twin Otter and took off in a hurry. Then we enjoyed the magical scenery as we flew up the middle of the Ellsworth Mountains. Nothing but ice and rock -in a million different configurations- as far as the eye could see. The mountains got enormous as we approached Vinson and the pilot dove down toward the Branscomb Glacier to set us, ever so smoothly, at Vinson Basecamp. We hopped out into strong sunshine and calm air... Such a relief after the winds at Union today. Up went our tents and we crawled in after staring slack-jawed at the unreal and gigantic ice cliffs and rock escarpments around us.
Tomorrow, if all goes well, we just might go mountain climbing.
Best Regards
RMI Guides Dave Hahn
On The Map
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Comments (1)
Hi everybody!
Now you did the first step to the summit and the others will follow - I`m sure!!!
Thank you for your daily report, Dave!
I´m looking forward to hear more from this special place “on the bottom of the earth”!
Take good care of you, Hans - and all together!
Best wishes to you! Ute
Posted by: Ute Novak on