Mt. Vinson season summary

Hi my most wonderful friends and family,
As many of you know I am back from my sixth season getting paid to explore the amazing continent of Antarctica, this time from an entirely different perspective. I guided climbers on Mt. Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica, rather than teaching/guiding scientists working for the US Antarctic Program.

Apologies for too much detail in certain areas. That's the "problem" with diverse friends: ice people want to know certain things, climbers/guides/skiers others, while some people barely know what a crevasse is. How boring would it be if all my friends were just like me. Skim and look for what might be interesting to you.

Working with a variety of people from different countries and continents was interesting in the different styles and approaches, and at times challenging with different dialects and Spanish. Fortunately the very-Scottish radio operator at Patriot Hills was patient with me as I did my best to interpret his words! Funny.

We spent two weeks in Punta Arenas, Chile getting oriented to the program, preparing gear and food, and then waiting for the wind to subside enough to get the plane in (video on Facebook). Then we spent a week putting up the large industrial tents familiar to ice-heads everywhere for the Patriot Hills (PH) main camp. This was a full-on field camp, like the one I was at last season (WAIS) with the USAP.

My previous ice experience was of course immeasurably helpful in knowing what was going on, being able to contribute, knowing what to ask and expect. Would you believe that when I went down in ’03 I didn’t know how to ride a snowmobile?!

A few days after arrival a big windstorm hit, creating white-out conditions with the blowing snow; definitely makes one think twice about going outside to the outhouse (all solid human waste is flown off-continent, in addition to all pee from Patriot Hills). This wind broke the previous record and was measured at just over 100mph. A bunch of staff sleeping tents (normal tents) were destroyed and we spent much of the windiest day trying to keep the big hut-tents intact. Welcome back to Antarctica.

A week later 8 of the Vinson guides were flown in a (Ken Borek) Twin Otter over to Vinson Basecamp at 7200’ on the Branscombe Glacier below Vinson Massif.

We spent a few days getting that camp up surrounded by steep cliffs, ridges, and beautiful icefalls that occasionally cut loose over the season causing avalanches a comfortably safe distance away. As everywhere down there, the scale is massive.

Each season there are five Vinson “rotations” about 2 weeks long each. The mountain, with only two camps, can be comfortably climbed in 5 days but often takes longer due to weather. Sometimes the rotations start late due to flight delays which are very common from Punta-Patriot Hills so the long rotation time is important. Our clients have it easy because we have gear cached at the two camps so we can just go from Low Camp to High Camp in a day rather than having to ferry a load to high camp, which takes a day, as the other groups do. Everyone drags a sled to Low Camp so there isn’t any load-carrying to that camp, we just have lighter loads (yay!). The fixed lines (1200m worth of 35-40 degree snow) preclude hauling sleds to High Camp. This slope is the steepest part of the whole climb though the summit ridge involves a negotiating a wee bit of exposure and third class rock.

ALE’s sub-company ANI (Adventure Network Inc, whom they bought out and expanded in ’03) has their own/our clients. ALE is relatively new and growing super fast; much is being worked out. Like Exum, numerous owners adds to the complexity. A very interesting and dynamic time to be involved.

ALE also wholesales the logistics (mostly air transportation) to other, normal guide companies (like Alpine Ascents). That is the “Logistics” in Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions”: ALE. These companies supply their own guides and gear and many of our guides first came down with one of these companies and we all have friends working for them.

Some of the companies come from, uh, “less developed” guiding cultures. I have a photo of a guided group taking a snack break on the glacier. The guide and client very close behind him on the rope were sitting right in the middle of a snow bridge over a large crevasse (big crack on glacier). The other client was sitting on the edge of the crevasse. Once I was over my shock I asked the guide whether he knew he was sitting on a bridge. He assured me he did. What does one say to that? This was before I had a handle on the bigger issues that we as rangers are dealing with. Now I would know what to say!

Some of the Antarctic Treaty nations do not want ANY recreation in Antarctica (the US is not among these) and ALE’s permit to operate down there comes with heavy responsibility to basically, not f**k up, as in have someone die on the mountain whether or not it is an ANI client, whom we directly control as guides or an ALE-contract-company whom we try to influence as rangers. Maybe we don’t have so much control over clients: recently one sneaked away at “night” (24-hour light) to go to the summit including crossing the crevassed glacier alone. How does a guide deal with that?! [Fortunately, twice ALE has come to the assistance of treaty nations and not yet has had to ask for help.] It’s all about credibility in the international arena where rules have no bite but it really pays to get along. On that note ALE pretends to recognize Chile’s claim to a slice of the ice because then the Chilean government will support ALE’s being based in Chile and use of the airport/airspace.

This tension is the crux: how to manage these companies who already think ALE, via ANI, is trying to push them out of guiding down there. Not the case. ALE makes a lot more money with other companies than our own clients, but how to manage it all is a work in progress. There is no other mountain like this in the world because of Antarctic Treaty requirements, like super tight envir. standards, higher than USAP field camps, which we support, and the related politics.* The whole equation can get rather tricky and was the subject of some distress and much discussion over the season.

I only worked the first three rotations so that I could get home in time to work a backcountry ski and winter ecology course here in the Tetons. I guided the first rotation (with another Exum guide, the Highly Capable Andy Tyson), worked as ranger the second rotation, mostly hauling gear around, and was Basecamp Manager for my last rotation.

The weather when I was guiding was quite cold and windy (-35-40 with constant wind at high camp, 13,200’), but we were able to get all 5 of our guys to the summit (16,000’) and back with all digits intact. I actually had a helluva time on summit day with heavy frost between the lenses of my goggles (non-removable) and some other highly annoying problems of not having my gear scene quite together. It was highly frustrating not being able to really see and the cold made the climb a lot more exhausting for everyone.

Fortunately on my ranger patrol, after establishing a rescue cache high on the mountain, I had the opportunity to not only go to the summit again, but to actually see the terrain and the spectacular view (different goggles: cheaper, ironically). The four of us climbed a new route up the central north face to the summit which sounds a lot more impressive than it actually was (Antarctica is Land of Low Hanging Fruit… if you can just get there): 4th class with 60-70 degree alpine ice topping out. It was super fun to actually feel like we were climbing, to have to pay attention and use good technique. We didn’t rope-up and we all climbed slightly different lines. Super fun. I felt great and was comfortable in addition to being able to see, so this time I summited in good style. The ‘summit pose’ photo on my Fb profile is from this second time on top.

Overall we had a diverse, dynamic, and competent little guide team, evolving with different people through the season, and lots of support from Patriot Hills, the hub of the company’s ice operations. The fly or ski-to-South-Pole and other trips all base out of PH. The Ski the Last Latitude Degree (or 2) to the South Pole trips are guided by Vinson guides as well; this year I was not assigned one but maybe next year I will be. Would be interesting to ski the Last Degree (8-10 days) and arrive at Pole and visit friends there; I would like to do one. However I don’t think I want to specialize in shuffling across the Great White Expanse into the wind, which occasionally gives people frostbite on their thighs (weird).

Vinson basecamp has nicer weather than the nearly-always-windy PH. At our little camp below Vinson (120 miles away) “bad” weather almost always means fog, rime, rarely wind, so it’s pretty luxurious esp in our personal tents which get quite warm inside during the sun’s midday high-point.

We did have a Antarctica reality-check storm at basecamp (Fb video clip), one associated with the 11-day delay in getting rotation-3 clients to the continent. The delay meant that my basecamp manager experience did not involve having any groups on the mountain but I did have lots of help and company in basecamp. When the weather was nice we went on a number of ski tours: great fun.

Skis are used en route to Low Camp during ranger patrols (not while guiding clients) and to get out of basecamp for exercise and FUN. It’s all AT (randonee), and I have essentially no experience with parallel turns other than faking it on my tele gear on the blue groomers. Not having AT boots didn’t help much, so I’m told, but next year it’s been my plan to broaden my ski skills: buy AT gear and learn to parallel turn for real and open up some new terrain for myself. But it was fun nonetheless skiing in my mtn boots as I don’t know any different and it’s simply a blast to be out gliding on snow anyway. The lack of wind at basecamp means the snow is unusually skiable, unlike 99% of the continent which is mostly flat too.

Two birds were sighted, week apart, at basecamp (I only saw one); consensus is that they were both snow petrels. These were the first birds ever seen there and it was pretty exciting. Also, we had an insect show up in the hut/tent. This too was a highlight (ok, for me at least) and I reported it with the twice-daily check-in with Patriot Hills: they appreciated it! (Victoria, who also used to work for the USAP, actually). The only thing that makes sense is that it came in as an egg or larva on the fresh…ish veggies that we once received.

PH and the Ellsworth Mountains feel far less “Antarctic” than the McMurdo Sound region although it’s actually more like most of the continent than the latter. No penguins, no seals, no skuas, no volcano, no Dry Valleys, no sea ice, and no science highlighting much of what is so special about Antarctica. Instead it feels like mountaineering (and some skiing) with an Antarctic-flair, which is plenty enjoyable in itself. However, I feel a bit bad for my colleagues for whom this is the extent of their Antarctic experience. On the flip side, I MUCH appreciate the break from the scene of McMurdo and all the politics and bureaucratic crap of such a large corporate uptight organization. Great to work for a small, responsive, committed company run by people with their heads on straight and their priorities in the right place. Refreshing!

I had a good season down there and very much enjoyed the new scene, getting to know yet more really cool people, and of course getting to play in an Antarctic alpine setting: a big change from my past down there. I anticipate returning though am also on the look-out for a USAP contract as a field mountaineer with a geology group (spread the word, my dear USAP friends); hopefully both can fit in next season.

Especially in this age of global warming, how can I arrange for a full season on the ice and still be home for a long season skiing in the Tetons?! [Don’t get me wrong, I love summer and desert climbing]. Getting to know people from different countries has opened up new parts of the world in my awareness. Where is the balance between developing a life at home here in the incredible Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and exploring the world…on diminishing oil supplies and while increasing one’s carbon footprint. Argh. Oh yeah, then there’s the part about having a best buddy for such explorations.
Suddenly my simple life seems complex. (Yes, I know most of you, esp those with children, will want to slap me for that comment; fair enough: you are right!).

When I get home from the backcountry course I’ll post some photos at pbase.com/antarctic_suze
I hope you are healthy, still employed, and not dependent on the money you have invested.

Peace, Love, and Light to you and your family, Suz

http://www.antarctic-logistics.com/index.html

*USAP ice friends: we were told, as an aside, that no-dogs policy was not initially adopted for the environmental reasons we’ve heard (not that those reason aren’t valid). Instead Australia initiated it to one-up the US related to some other ice issue, something they wanted… some political reason that of course the US and others had to follow to maintain clout… I don’t know the details but it’s been interesting getting a broader view of how things work down there.
Many thanks to you who have sent me updates. I still feel very connected to you all and much appreciate your. Hugs to each of you.