We just learned that the Blogger format no longer supports audio files, so we have moved the blog to a new host.
Please go to: http://mountaintripblog.com/ to follow our 2010 Vinson Expedition team. We have podcasts up and running and will have the finishing touches on the site in the next day or so.
Sorry for the migration, but we need a higher level of service to maintain the high standards we place upon ourselves.
Thanks and enjoy the new blog!
Todd
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Weather hold
Our Mountain Trip office just got a call from Bill at Base Camp. They've postponed their move to Camp One due to high winds 20 miles (32 kilometers)per hour. But, they're super comfortable in the huge DOME tent and Crazy Creek chairs. Grilled cheese and chili is keeping them warm too. The forecast for the next few days is for improving weather, so hopefully they'll be heading up glacier tomorrow.
Moving to Camp 1
We received a voice message sent yesterday, December 5th, from Mountain Trip's Vinson Expedition. Roman Hought is the speaker delivers the thoughts and plans for the day. All is well with the team, as they prepare their sleds for the trek up the glacier. They've been enjoying some "fine eating" as they prepare to move to Camp 1 today (the 6th). During the climb, they'll gain approximately 2,000 feet in elevation. The temperatures have been a bit cold, hovering around 10 degrees Fahrenheit above zero. Everyone is doing well and happy to begin the adventure in earnest!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
At Base Camp!
The team has made it to Vinson Base Camp and are going to head up the Branscomb Glacier tomorrow.
They flew part of the way in a DC-3 on skis and then flew the last leg into BC on a Twin Otter, similarly equipped with skis. Base Camp is situated alongside a small ridgeline and is just off the center of the Branscomb Glacier. As you gaze up glacier towards Vinson, a beautiful, higher ridge climbs up towards the summit to the lookers right of the glacier. It is a really impressive place!
Terry called in the podcast and added some verbal punctuation, so imagine yourself reading a teletype or telegraph. I'm not sure what the Ephi gestation reference is about, but suspect it is some version of South Park-like humor...
***** PODCAST ERROR*****
Due to some upper-level technical glitch, I can't seem to get the podcast player to embed. I'll work on this and hope to have sound bites from your friends and family up and playing soon. - TR
They flew part of the way in a DC-3 on skis and then flew the last leg into BC on a Twin Otter, similarly equipped with skis. Base Camp is situated alongside a small ridgeline and is just off the center of the Branscomb Glacier. As you gaze up glacier towards Vinson, a beautiful, higher ridge climbs up towards the summit to the lookers right of the glacier. It is a really impressive place!
Terry called in the podcast and added some verbal punctuation, so imagine yourself reading a teletype or telegraph. I'm not sure what the Ephi gestation reference is about, but suspect it is some version of South Park-like humor...
***** PODCAST ERROR*****
Due to some upper-level technical glitch, I can't seem to get the podcast player to embed. I'll work on this and hope to have sound bites from your friends and family up and playing soon. - TR
Friday, December 3, 2010
In Antarctica!
Bill just called to report that the team is all in Antarctica.
They awoke at 2 am and flew from the Punta Arenas airport at 5 am. It is hard to express how exciting it is to make your way through the airport in your mountain clothes, passing through customs (go ahead- pat my parka down TSA!), and finally stepping out onto the tarmac, gazing up at the gangway leading up to the belly of the Ilyushin IL-76 cargo jet. It feels a bit surreal to walk up the ramp and settle into your jumpseat, looking across the cargo area at climbers similarly strapped in. On their particular flight, some of this view was obstructed by a huge Ford E-350, 16 passenger van, with bulbous tundra tires.
The flight takes about 4.5 hours and they landed on the huge Union Glacier. After everyone unloaded onto the blue ice, the big van came out to join another such van, this one on four tracks (like a 4x4 snow machine). The vans ferried the climbers 8km to the site of the large, highly supported camp at the glacier.
The team is currently on a weather hold, hoping that they can fly to Vinson Base Camp today. This season, the flight service company has a ski-equipped Twin Otter and a ski-equipped DC-3. They are in a bit of a learning curve as to how to best utilize these aircraft, as the DC-3 is almost too big to land at Vinson Base Camp. We'll see how the climber shuttling works out...
The crew is nestled in a large, comfortable dining tent, replete with heaters, so they are not suffering in the 10 degree F outside temperature. They had not yet set up their tents, optimistically hoping to do so at Vinson BC this evening.
We'll keep you posted as events progress.
They awoke at 2 am and flew from the Punta Arenas airport at 5 am. It is hard to express how exciting it is to make your way through the airport in your mountain clothes, passing through customs (go ahead- pat my parka down TSA!), and finally stepping out onto the tarmac, gazing up at the gangway leading up to the belly of the Ilyushin IL-76 cargo jet. It feels a bit surreal to walk up the ramp and settle into your jumpseat, looking across the cargo area at climbers similarly strapped in. On their particular flight, some of this view was obstructed by a huge Ford E-350, 16 passenger van, with bulbous tundra tires.
The flight takes about 4.5 hours and they landed on the huge Union Glacier. After everyone unloaded onto the blue ice, the big van came out to join another such van, this one on four tracks (like a 4x4 snow machine). The vans ferried the climbers 8km to the site of the large, highly supported camp at the glacier.
The team is currently on a weather hold, hoping that they can fly to Vinson Base Camp today. This season, the flight service company has a ski-equipped Twin Otter and a ski-equipped DC-3. They are in a bit of a learning curve as to how to best utilize these aircraft, as the DC-3 is almost too big to land at Vinson Base Camp. We'll see how the climber shuttling works out...
The crew is nestled in a large, comfortable dining tent, replete with heaters, so they are not suffering in the 10 degree F outside temperature. They had not yet set up their tents, optimistically hoping to do so at Vinson BC this evening.
We'll keep you posted as events progress.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Pictures from Punta Arenas
The team has been briefed, rebriefed, more briefs, and looking forward to future briefings. The bags are packed and being loaded on the plane as I write. Team members are spending the afternoon relaxing. Everything appears to be moving forward favorably for our team. Here are a few pictures from the past couple days here in Punta Arenas. Everyone is looking forward to a possible flight to the ice tonight.
The final day in Chile! (we hope)
We have all just returned from our Antarctica briefing and it's looking like we may be able to fly down to the ice as early as tonight! Terry's bags arrived this afternoon, so we're all set and excited to get underway.
We'll know more at around 7:00pm this evening, but if all goes well we may take off late tonight.
We'll know more at around 7:00pm this evening, but if all goes well we may take off late tonight.
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