Mount Vinson Massif Expedition -- January 1997
Hear the calls from Antarctica
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Update #2 from Mount Vinson
Climbers at Camp III Poised for Summit Bid Monday, January 6, 1997 -- 3pm PST
 
You need the free RealAudioplayer to hear this audio.  In a satellite telephone report from 12,500 feet on Mount Vinson to
Punta Arenas, Chile, guide Todd Burleson reports that all members of the
1997 Mount Vinson Expedition are currently at Camp III and are poised
for a summit bid beginning at approximately 3 a.m. PST. on Tuesday,
January 7. The call was made directly from the frozen slopes of Mount
Vinson to the offices of Adventure Networks Inc., the company that
operates the charter flight from Chile to Patriot Hills.
Burleson and his six-man climbing team have made faster than anticipated progress in their attempt on 16,076-foot Mount Vinson. After their arrival at Patriot Hills late on Friday, January 3, the team immediately flew by Twin Otter to a position near the Vinson base camp. The 24-hour daylight of the Anatarctic summer makes around-the-clock activity possible. After establishing base camp, the climbers quickly began making progress up the mountain during a spell of fine weather. Reports from the mountain are not specific, but it is known that all members of the climbing team are moving well enough that a second camp was not necessary. Gordon Janow, program director of the Alpine Ascents International headquarters in Seattle, speculates that the quickly-moving team decided against establishing Camp II and pressed ahead to high camp, putting them in position for a summit bid a day ahead of schedule.
The entire team is now resting in anticipation of a strenuous summit day.
Stay tuned to The Mountain Zone for live updates from Mount Vinson.
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 Archived Updates Review past updates from the Mount Vinson Expedition by clicking on the links below.
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