January 15, 2013
This much is true: we had a fantastic day on top of Antarctica!
It was unusually warm the night before we took off for the summit and I awoke to another unusual phenomenon at High Camp on Vinson – not a cloud in the sky and zero wind. This was an easy decision, we had to climb.
We loaded up all of our cold weather gear that is a must when climbing in Antarctica, down pants and down jacket with goggles in the pack, just in case.
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- The Team getting on the plane (Greg Vernovage)
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- Twin Otter flyby. (Tim Currall)
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- 2013 Summit Team Panorama. (Greg Vernovage)
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- 2013 Summit (Greg Vernovage)
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- Summit Ridge (Greg Vernovage)
With no worry of it getting dark, we left a little later than a few other teams and took our time heading up. Snow conditions on the route and summit ridge were perfect. It’s a great feeling when you hit that summit ridge; you know you’re climbing and aree so close to your goal that you can’t help but put one foot in front of the other….you can taste it!
On the summit itself, there was not a breathe of wind and the view was for as far as the earth will allow. Right as we pulled onto the summit we were greeted by a twin-otter flyby, so close that I could see the pilot snapping a few photos of the team. What a perfect day.
We obviously climb to get to the top, but the overall journey and the group I’m with make the trip. This one was no different – it was a great trip with fun people, what a way to ring in another New Year. This was my fourth New Years on the ice, and it’s hasn’t disappointed once!
Enjoy the photos, or better yet, take your own next year!
Greg Vernovage