Transantarctic: Vinson Massif

0 ft

Elevation

Antarctica

Country

Days

2C

Difficulty

Early Dec

Start

Early Jan

End

About the Mountain

WHY CLIMB IT?

Climbing Mount Vinson (16,077 ft) is the pinnacle of epic adventures, well worth putting on your bucket list! Part of the larger Vinson Massif, Mount Vinson is the highest peak in Antarctica, making it one of the world’s Seven Summits. What makes Mount Vinson truly stand out, however, is its location in remote, pristine wilderness, surrounded by snow and ice. To stand on its summit is to look out to a virtually untouched landscape, just 600 miles from the South Pole. You can even ski the final degree to the South Pole after your climbing expedition, as both journeys are organized out of Union Glacier Camp, Antarctica’s adventure center.

“It felt like a day of extremes - frigid cold temperatures followed by scorching heat from the blazing sun, calm skies in low camp followed by stinging wind and lenticular clouds up high.”

- Lisa White

Mount Vinson is a moderately technical mountain, requiring the traverse of steep slopes and glaciated terrain using crampons and occasionally ascenders. As it is located in the Ellsworth Mountain Range, you’ll have views of nearby Mount Tyree, Mount Epperly, and Mount Shinn during the climb. Despite being located on one of the world’s harshest continents in terms of its climate, weather conditions on Mount Vinson are generally stable. The major challenges are freezing temperatures, snowfall, and high winds. The other key hurdle is the expense, as climbing Mount Vinson can cost as much as a new car if you’re not part of a sponsored expedition.