Vinson Summit

On January 19th, after eight days of travel and five days of strong climbing in chilly Antarctic weather, my team and I were able to carry the Climb for Cancer banner to the summit of the tallest mountain in Antarctica and, once again, pay tribute to those who have been touched by cancer.

Unlike the Denali expedition, we had relatively good weather for most of the Vinson climb. Relative is the operative word as temperatures ranged from -20 to -40 degrees but winds were light and we had plenty of sun for most of the climb.

One of the critical points during the climb was a decision to move up aggressively. With the forecast calling for threatening weather, we decided to skip our scheduled rest day at low camp and, instead, hauled heavy loads up the fixed lines to high camp where we hunkered down for our summit bid. Sure enough, the bad weather hit us shortly after we arrived at high camp so we used our rest day to wait it out. When the weather window opened, we were in striking distance and ready to go for the top. If we hadn’t moved up quickly, the weather would have forced us to remain at low camp and it would have put us at increased risk of missing the summit.

These climbs are special for so many reasons. Many of the relationships formed will last a lifetime. The physical challenges teach us that we can do so much more than we ever thought possible. And the stories of strength and courage exhibited by those battling cancer continue to inspire us all.

Thanks again for your support and for your inspiration. May your life be filled with love, laughter and plenty of new adventures.

All the best,

Dave