Another important milestone, easily achieved. We woke at Union Glacier in perfect weather, ate our breakfast and boarded two ski equipped Twin Otter airplanes bound for Vinson Basecamp. Our flight through the Ellsworth Mountains was memorable as we passed hundreds of sharp and dramatic glaciated peaks. A big right turn brought us into the valley of the Branscomb Glacier at the foot of Mount Vinson. We landed while flying up a hill at a little over 7000 ft elevation. The entire team set to work dragging duffels and building Basecamp. We spent this perfect weather day reviewing roped climbing techniques and getting settled in. An afternoon hike served to stretch legs and jog memories of mountaineering difficulties and pleasures. We ate dinner in our newly built dining tent under the blazing evening sun, forgetting that the air temperature was likely hovering around zero degrees Fahrenheit. We enjoyed seeing the climbers from the previous round on Vinson come into camp pleased with their summit of the mountain just yesterday and relieved to find airplanes waiting to take them away today.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Greetings from Antarctica. Today went about ten times smoother and easier than any previous attempt at getting onto the "last" continent. Our logistics company (ALE) gave a call at the civilized hour of 6:30 AM and advised us to put on our boots and check out of our rooms. We ate breakfast, got on a bus, cruised to the airport, breezed through security and boarded our transport plane. The Ilyushin 76 went "wheels up" at 9:30 AM and we were on our way. Just ahead of the 2:15 PM landing we got busy putting on warm clothes and glacier glasses. The Russian crew brought the big plane in for the smoothest landing on an ice runway that the world has ever known. A few minutes later we were standing out on the Union Glacier in brilliant sunshine and a brisk breeze, marveling at the new world and at the amazing machine we'd just flown in.
We were chauffeured back to camp in deluxe 4 wheel drive vans with giant tires. A series of informative and essential briefings and feedings were attended over the following few hours. The ALE staff took excellent care of us and Seth Waterfall and I felt we were attending a great reunion as we met all of the friends we've come to expect to see in the odd corners of the globe. Weather was perfect around camp as we set up our tents. There was the faintest of breezes and a big bright sun. The plan is for our team to get on a Twin Otter sometime tomorrow morning for a flight to Vinson. The sun isn't setting tonight but the team will get tired anyway at some point, despite all the excitement at this new place and quiet conversations going on in a dozen different languages around camp. We do need rest. Tomorrow is another huge day.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
It’s wonderful to hear that things are going so smoothly! Hopefuly this trend will continue. Oz’s Holiday Play was a huge success—he was excited and did an awesome job. Your mom and I taped parts of it on our phones… Staying in Raleigh this weekend—he has choir commitments and I think we’ll do a Tacky Christmas light tour this weekend too! Miss you!
Stephanie
Posted by: Stephanie on 12/7/2012 at 10:55 am
Christopher: Remember, Amundsen not Scott. I’ll see you when you get back. julia.
Hello Everyone,
A last day of packing and prepping in Punta. We got our gear weighed and carted off to go in the hold of the Ilyushin 76 transport plane that will soon take us to Antarctica. David Rootes, one of the directors of ALE -our logistics company- gave a great slideshow and briefing to get our team excited and informed for a trip to the Ice. We reviewed environmental concerns and procedures for minimizing our impact on the continent. And we heard that Vinson, the mountain we are bound for, is presently giving the first climbers of the season a very hard time with persistent and powerful winds. Far from being discouraged, we came away energized and determined. Determined to have one more great dinner out on the town.
Tomorrow we fly (if we are lucky)
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
James and crew:
Thanks for the update Dave ... it is very exciting following your progress! It is so good to hear that things are progressing smoothly.
Fred K
Posted by: Fred Klingbeil on 12/6/2012 at 10:22 am
This is Seth checking in from Punta Arenas. The team has all arrived safe and sound. We have also managed to arrive with all of our luggage! Thank goodness.
We spent the day getting to know each other and prepping for the journey onto the ice. We will be getting our final briefing with ALE in the morning and hopefully flying to Antarctica within the next few days. As for now we are enjoying the wonderful restaurants in Punta. We will update everyone tomorrow with the plan.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
This is Dave Hahn calling from Antarctica our Vinson season ended today. About midday, around 11 AM, we flew from Vinson Basecamp back to Union Glacier. Today was a beautiful day out there, big blue sky all around, the clouds were gone and we had good flying conditions back to Union Glacier. The Illyusion came in this evening and my climbers should be getting to Punta Arenas right about now. I'm still in Antarctica; I am going to stay on for one more project down here to the South Pole. T.A, Mindy and Vlado should be enjoying Punta Arenas tonight. A successful trip all around.
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
The clouds and fog took over Vinson basecamp again today. There was slight improvement by late afternoon, but not enough to get airplanes moving our way. Our team hasn't been particularly worked up or worried by the enforced downtime though. Naps are popular, reading and mathematical puzzles pass the time. We went for another glacier walk today. Meals together never fail to entertain. The forecast apparently calls for better weather tomorrow. Fingers Crossed.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Sterling..following your climb via the blog…its great to read the daily progress of the group….Dave Hahn is a terrific writer! Dan and I are thinking of you and cheering you on to the summit.
XO Nadine
Posted by: Nadine Douke on 12/11/2012 at 9:52 am
Enjoy the rest! Hope that you all have a great day. Thinking about you. Love, Suz
Posted by: Suzanne De Maio on 12/19/2011 at 5:52 am
The clouds around Vinson basecamp lifted some today, but didn't go away. In particular they were stuck over the Nimitz Glacier and the approaches for an airplane trying to get into the Branscomb. There was some optimism this morning, what with blue sky over camp and Vinson's summit visible again, but it never quite got good enough to tempt the Twin Otters in from Union. Eventually they gave up on us and flew back to the South Pole to pick up more centenerary celebrants. That being a long round trip, our next window of opportunity to fly from Vinson would be tomorrow afternoon. We passed the day easily and quietly. TA, Vlado, Mindy and I went for a glacier walk in the afternoon to stretch legs. In the evening the ALE crew generously hosted a dinner for the three climbing teams. The food was superb... And we were all just plain happy to sit in real chairs for a time.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Another day drifting in the Vinson Basecamp milk bottle, surrounded by whiteness. Except it was fun. The RMI team competed in a snow sculpture contest with the New Zealand team and the German Team today. TA built a Canadian living room replica, complete with couch, fireplace, TV and maple leaf. Then she joined Mindy and I in constructing a team of sled dogs pulling a sled and a towering and imposing Amundson, arriving at the Pole. We'll concede that he was so massive that his dog team appeared to be composed of puppies, rabbits and squirrels. The German guide, Reigner, built an impressive titanic replica. Vlado made snow angels inside his tent. After dinner the ALE staff judged the artwork and found each and every climber to be deserving of a cold beverage. Twenty of us, from 11 countries, sat in the basecamp headquarters tent for that beverage and a fine custard desert and received the good news that the ALE Twin Otters had just departed South Pole bound for Union Glacier. If our weather shapes up by morning, things could start happening fast. Or not. We shall see.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Not so much to report today besides a good brunch and a fine dinner. Thick fog and cloud blanketed Vinson basecamp for much of the day. This made things predictably cool outside the tents and it was difficult to walk anywhere without feeling a touch of vertigo in the all-encompassing white-out. No news about the availability of aircraft either. Obviously not an urgent matter with the clouds glued into the Branscomb Glacier. Still, Vlado, TA, Mindy and I all enjoyed the day and will always remember where we were for the South Pole centennial.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Following you closly Vlado, thanks to Dave’s exelent reporting. Amazing,amazing, father is watching over you and we all are very proud of your achievments.
Stay safe for the rest of the expedition.
Cheers Maria, Lumir a Patrick
Posted by: Maria on 12/15/2011 at 10:34 am
So proud of you Mindy. thinking about you everyday and your achievement. Can’t wait to see all the glorious pictures. You stay safe and know you are in our thoughts. Missing you - but happy you are enjoying the challenge and sights. Love, Suz xoxo
Posted by: suzanne de maio on 12/15/2011 at 5:59 am
The fog and low cloud came and went periodically at Vinson basecamp today. Most of the afternoon was sunny and pleasant and flyable... if one had an airplane. Ours have gone South. ALE has both Twin Otter ski planes down at the South Pole for the big celebration. Today -Dec. 14, 2011 (it is after midnight) marks one hundred years since Amundson reached the South Pole. A noble accomplishment, by any standard -and worth commemorating, but if given the choice I'd wager that Amundson would have tried to climb Vinson instead. Much more fun to be had out here in the big hills.
My team didn't fret a bit over the lack of aircraft. We were quite happy to sleep in and then sit for a two hour breakfast -bacon and eggs with lots of coffee and cocoa. Then there was time for siestas and snow-carving before a sumptuous dinner (same as last night -we liked it so much we did it again).
We'll likely be here a couple more days, which isn't a bad thing.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Sterling..Another try..go bro..we know you can do it!
XO..Nadine and Dan
Posted by: Nadine Douke on 12/13/2012 at 2:02 pm
Go Dr. James and Team!
Posted by: The Texadas on 12/7/2012 at 7:11 pm
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