Vinson Massif: Hahn & Team Carry to Low Camp
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Vinson Massif
It was nice to wake up at Vinson Basecamp. We started the stoves at 8:30 AM when it was nice and sunny, but still a little chilly with cold air flowing gently down the glacier. The consensus was for moving lock-stock-and-barrel up to Low Camp but we had a fair bit of organizing and packing to do first. We took a break from it all for a time and went to sit with ALE’s basecamp manager, Darren, while he briefed us on current route conditions, communication schedules, etc. At 2:20 we were ready to roll and went slowly out of basecamp, roped together, carrying heavy packs and dragging heavy sleds. It was a beautiful day, but we were a little surprised when a layer of cloud formed up. That ended up being a good thing though as without it we’d have baked in the sunshine. The terrain wasn’t so complicated or difficult for the most part but the couple of hills we had to chug up got everybody’s attention. Crevasses were lurking, but we had good route conditions and no dicey bridges to cross. We pulled into 9,200 ft at 8:20 PM as expected, and set to work getting situated at Low Camp. The cloud cover was kind enough right then to go away, giving us nice warm sunshine and big views of Shinn and Epperly, the next spectacular peaks to Vinson’s north. And with full visibility we could crank our necks to see Vinson’s giant western rock escarpment towering about a vertical mile above us. We ate a late supper and headed to bed, still in strong sunshine... we should get it until about 3 AM here.
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
×
Sign Up For Vinson Massif 2017 Emails
{/exp:mailinglist:form}More to Explore
Vinson Massif: Hahn & Team Carry Loads to Top of Ropes
December 4, 2017
Comments (3)
Dave, Thanks for each descriptive blog and for the summit route map. We are following along on Google Earth. We were surprised to see out to the right of base camp on Google Earth…ski tracks. Hoping you have a beautiful day tomorrow! Say hi to Steve from the Butterfield Bunch.
Posted by: Vickie Butterfield on
Help me understand why they do cross directly from first blue marker to path to red marker. I don’t have a map or able to tell what obstruction is in your way. So from uneducated view it looks like you took a longer route. Please this is not a critic of effort just would like to know.
Posted by: keith on
I can only begin to imagine what you all are experiencing. Savor the air, the raw elements, the solitude, the beauty and the immensity of it all. I’d be there if I could. Love you girl. Climb strong and grab a big breath of that air for me.
Pop
Posted by: Les Zimmerman on