Category: Updates

No news at 6:30 this morning. Ian, Dale, Yanick and Dave sat around watching the phone, hoping it would ring, but only silence.

There are still climbers at the Mt. Vinson base camp as of yesterday as they could not fly out on the Twin Otter to Patriot Hills. Hence no surprise that we can´t get out.

We await the 9:30 am call…

December 4th, 15:28 pm – The 12:30 call was no go. So we’re still on standby, awaiting the 6 pm call for a possible flying tonight. Given the 24 hours of sun in the Antarctic we can fly at any time, even though there are no lights on the landing strip.

December 4th 

Weather: Cloud layer has lifted at Patriot Hills, however wind is up to 25 knots
Dale: Spirits holding

We are on standby to fly. The call came in at 9:30 am that the clouds have lifted but the wind is up – as soon as the wind drops we fly so everyone is on pins and needles waiting.

I went to the Chilean Antarctic Institute and met Dr. Ricardo Jana who is a PhD Glaciologist monitoring the recession/movement of the glaciers on Antarctic. He is also doing core samples to look at global warming. I spent one hour in their library looking at serial maps of the maps/surveys. He is also very interested in telemedicine on the Antarctic continent and monitoring vital signs of researcher/surveyor/climbers.

 

 

Weather: 8 degrees, cloudy, very windy
Shippam Shape: as usual, excellent

Update: Made some last minute purchases including some cheese and meat jerkey bought today. Packs completed, and duffel for the sleds organized with group gear and food.

The major outing of the day was to go visit the penguins – there is a colony about 45 minute boat ride out. There are 150,000 penguins on the island – remarkable to see and walk amongst them. They have burrowed their homes into the dirt and made nests with dried grass. Nothing really on the island except a lighthouse and the 150,000 penguins!

Yanick, the last team member, arrives tonight at airport. Tomorrow we have our briefing (formal) for the trip. We must have all of our gear good to go in the morning – then we don’t get to see it again until the plane lands at Patriot Hills – regardless of how many days we may be delayed. This requires very careful planned packing. What we wear on the plane is what we get off the plane and start the adventure in – no Four Seasons to hole up for a night prior to starting out. Everyone is sorting through those logistics tonight.
 

 

Thursday in Punta Arenas 

Weather: 8 degrees intermittent clouds and moderate wind.
Shippam Shape: excellent, in high spirits.

Lazy day for the team.  We had a briefing in the morning to review gear and weight allowances for the flight to Antarctica. 20kg of personal gear, 52 kg per person overall – hence the difference, 32 kg will be fuel, food, shovels, tent etc.

We did a walkabout and saw Magellan’s statue and kissed the foot that brings travelers good luck! (see photo)

Dave, Barry and I then went to the ALE briefing. There will be about 30 other climbers on Vinson at the same time as us. Dave and Barry know a bunch of the other guides – it felt like homecoming at school. The ALE staff reviewed waste procedures on Vinson – they are very professional – see it as it is and leave it as it was – and hence there are very strict guidelines on the mountain.

They have had 5 flights over so far – weather has been reasonable and in fact a bit warmer than usual at Patriot Hills; -5 to -10 range. There was one brief snowstorm on the mountain but all groups checked in and are doing well. Already there has been a bunch to the summit!

All of us are getting excited as it becomes more real every day. Lots of sorting through our personal stuff to see what we must have, what would be nice to have, and what isn’t necessary in order to keep us down to weight.

 

 

 

 

 

Arrived safely in Santiago.
There were long lines to get through immigration – see photo – we of course were at the end of it so when we were done the rooms were empty! Almost all of the fruit was confiscated from our food – but then given back – a moment of panic!
We found the Starbucks in Santiago international airport and had the usual three hours to burn till we leave for PA.

Well we are off – we arrived at the airport – 6 of us and 21 bags packed full to the brim everyone putting the most critical gear – boots, sleeping bags – in their carry-on to make sure it arrives!

Peg Shippam gave us the big send off and now we wait for the flight – delayed due to fog – but eventually we will get on our way.

Thanks to everyone at UHN for all the amazing support leading up to the journey.