Mountain Trip is thrilled to help our friend Lloyd Charton (who climbed Denali with us in 2012), owner of Lux Adventures, with executing an expedition to Mount Vinson, in Antarctica.  Lloyd will be joined by Tom Thomas on this adventure to the bottom of the earth!

At 16,067 feet (4897m), Mount Vinson is the highest point on the broad Vinson Massif and the tallest mountain on the continent of Antarctica.  During the climbing season of December – January, it sees 24-hour a day sunlight, which helps mitigate the bone-chilling cold for which Antarctica is famous.  The expedition is planned to depart the city of Punta Arenas, Chile on the 9th of January and should be back in South America by the 21st of January.  Travel to Antarctica is tricky and involves a long flight over inhospitable waters, and a landing and take off from a blue ice runway, so weather conditions need to be optimal for flights to occur.  Remaining flexible and motivated are key skills for any Vinson climber, as flight delays are not uncommon.

Punta Arenas is an interesting city in Tierra del Fuego, and arguably the southernmost city on the planet. (The Argentines would argue that point!)

Once on “The Ice,” the team will be met by long-time Mountain trip guide Scott Woolums, who will help get Lloyd and Tom sorted for their climb of the mountain.  This trip is a bit different from most that Mountain Trip runs, as we have ended up facilitating the expedition in conjunction with our friends at Antarctica Logistics and Expeditions.  ALE operates all flights into and out of both the blue ice runway on the Union Glacier as well as Vinson Base Camp.  They have provided us with logistical services for over a decade and due to special circumstances, they will provide the guides for Lloyd and Tom.  Mountain Trip will post dispatches as they are called in by the climbers.

We encourage you to follow Tom and Lloyd on their adventure, and to visit Lux Adventures online for more information about the trips Lloyd organizes.  Please understand that, even with the latest technology in satellite communication, calling in from 78 degrees south latitude is not always possible due to weather or tall mountains obstructing the view to the satellites orbiting to the north.  We encourage you to embrace the axiom, “No News Is Good News,” in case Lloyd and Tom cannot call out for a day or two.

Here’s Lloyd, with an update on his preparations for this exciting expedition to Mount Vinson: