December 7, 2015 Unbelievable trip!  Can you believe this summit shot?! After their 100% successful summit, the crew descended on Sunday from high camp to Vinson base camp. Almost immediately, they flew back to camp at the Union Glacier where the big plane was waiting to get them back to Punta Arenas. It does not […]
December 5, 2015 100% on the summit of Vinson Massif on Saturday, 5 December. Everyone is safe and sound and back at high camp. Pretty much perfect conditions. Back to Vinson base camp tomorrow. (Sunday, the 6th). What’s that saying……â€luck is when opportunity meets preparednessâ€. I think it’s true. Congratulations to Mike, Josh, Viki, Marty, […]
December 5, 2015 Mike’s report from the Ice on Friday was that the team made the big push up to C2 (high camp). Heck of a job by everyone. The route from C1 to C2 involves a couple thousand linear feet of fixed rope. It’s not an easy day but all made the trip up […]
December 4, 2015 Heard from Mike at 6 pm, Seattle time, Thursday. They made a carry today in ‘somewhat improving’ weather. They couldn’t make it to C2 today but did cache part way up. Back at C1 for the night with a now greatly improving forecast. Team is quite strong, capable and raring to go. […]
December 2, 2015 Patience is a virtue. After one ‘weather day’ at base camp, things have changed. Weather has improved. Mike called this morning to let us know the team’s roped up and ready to walk. C1 in about 5-6 hrs. They’ll have lots of work when they arrive, as camp needs to be set […]
November 29, 2015 Mike called to check in Sunday. As planned, the team was able to fly to Vinson base camp on Saturday. They got camp set up and prepped loads for a carry up towards Camp One on Sunday, weather permitting. Weather wasn’t perfect, or exactly good, but did allow the team to get […]
November 28, 2015 Can you believe they flew 1900 miles, to 80 degrees S. latitude, in a Boeing 757 with wheels (not skis) and then landed on a couple mile long strip of hard ice? Blows you away. The first flights in the early 80’s were in a DC3 with a third engine. I first […]
November 26, 2015 Right on schedule and just in time for Thanksgiving, our first Vinson team of the season is on their way to the Ice. Led by IMG Senior Guide, Mike Hamill, the team was up early, to the airport and are ‘winging their way’ to 80 degrees S. latitude, to a spot called […]
January 19, 2015 Here we go – Aaron Mainer and his successful Vinson team are at the Union Glacier – eating, drinking and generally celebrating their success. Earliest they can fly off is tomorrow but mother nature controls all. On Aconcagua, our third team of the season is ready to move to C1 tomorrow. The […]
January 15, 2014 Just got off two phone calls  – one from the Vinson crew and the another from Aconcagua. Let’s start with the big news – 100% on top of Vinson Massif – AGAIN! Aaron Mainer called from the ‘top of the bottom’ to let me know that all of his team and he […]
