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- Nov 18, 2010
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Vinson Update!
(all photos from previous expeditions)
We just got off the phone with Willie, who was excited to report that after several days of strong winds, the weather has finally cleared enough for the Madness team to leave the mainland! After a beautiful flight, Willie, Shawn, Suzanne, Johnny, and Mike arrived on the ice at 3AM this morning. The landing strip here is unlike any other on the planet- it’s sheet of ice and capable of handling huge cargo planes (think C‑130) that have been modifed to carry climbers and gear. Camp here is known as Patriot Hills and is the nerve center for all expeditions going to Vinson or the South Pole.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5z5MNWTI%2FAAAAAAAAAmQ%2F2SlwDe2nroA%2Fs320%2Fvinson%2B2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=2c56e5a0f3dfd55e21ff7399e73a59e2 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5z5MNWTI%2FAAAAAAAAAmQ%2F2SlwDe2nroA%2Fs320%2Fvinson%2B2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=9e0e480ac79a2f72d2763aa0e0081796 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5z5MNWTI%2FAAAAAAAAAmQ%2F2SlwDe2nroA%2Fs320%2Fvinson%2B2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=431cb3f6027ca5a8e38e08da0a4b4877 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5z5MNWTI%2FAAAAAAAAAmQ%2F2SlwDe2nroA%2Fs320%2Fvinson%2B2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=f550295b1440b2da8dbff527cc5d5f18 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5z5MNWTI%2FAAAAAAAAAmQ%2F2SlwDe2nroA%2Fs320%2Fvinson%2B2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=24083a7436962f833d59ad68b692b02d 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5z5MNWTI%2FAAAAAAAAAmQ%2F2SlwDe2nroA%2Fs320%2Fvinson%2B2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=1c56ab76ca7943c636db419d084341c5 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5z5MNWTI%2FAAAAAAAAAmQ%2F2SlwDe2nroA%2Fs320%2Fvinson%2B2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=785a63f00195ee77ea294ea6cbac839d 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5z5MNWTI%2FAAAAAAAAAmQ%2F2SlwDe2nroA%2Fs320%2Fvinson%2B2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=4b331ed376573f63059aee1fec08277b 320w)
Vinson from the air. MM Collection
Willie reports that everyone in the group is doing very well. It’s very warm on the ice today, with almost no wind, and the group is excited to leave for Vinson Base Camp at 4PM today on about an hour flight in a small plane that is based in Patriot Hills.
Stay tuned for more Vinson dispatches!
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5yHS_xEI%2FAAAAAAAAAmI%2Fug4Z3gyKCPI%2Fs320%2Fvinson1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=5aa0fa37a6e9982be6edcfbe9f15f594 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5yHS_xEI%2FAAAAAAAAAmI%2Fug4Z3gyKCPI%2Fs320%2Fvinson1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=4d3f4005cf3b2a5f9a482c761e18d0fb 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5yHS_xEI%2FAAAAAAAAAmI%2Fug4Z3gyKCPI%2Fs320%2Fvinson1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=a6cf3d7100a64898f6ba337683a450bb 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5yHS_xEI%2FAAAAAAAAAmI%2Fug4Z3gyKCPI%2Fs320%2Fvinson1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=9f0238bbbcf1cf97357b241f30eebdf9 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5yHS_xEI%2FAAAAAAAAAmI%2Fug4Z3gyKCPI%2Fs320%2Fvinson1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=b4cd828ca7994ffc34862dae88995825 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5yHS_xEI%2FAAAAAAAAAmI%2Fug4Z3gyKCPI%2Fs320%2Fvinson1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=f97f1eb41d644f71fcb7a252686ba0f4 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5yHS_xEI%2FAAAAAAAAAmI%2Fug4Z3gyKCPI%2Fs320%2Fvinson1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=941dd419b15a3abd30ef468302d62252 320w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_JN7DyNvD1ow%2FS0y5yHS_xEI%2FAAAAAAAAAmI%2Fug4Z3gyKCPI%2Fs320%2Fvinson1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=403f3ba37fc91939e888b9411ce1b82e 320w)
Vinson from Base Camp. Mountain Madness photo