6. Vinson Massif

• Located in Antarctica’s Sentinel Range
• 13 miles long and 8 miles wide
• One of the most expensive of the 7 summits to climb
• Coldest and most remote mountain ranges in the world
• Named after U.S. Congressman Carl Vinson, who never visited Antarctica!
• First climbed by an American team in 1966
• Only 750 miles from the South Pole

Distance (base camp to summit): 11.8 miles.
Season: Mid-November through January.
Estimated time to complete (days): 16 days.
Temperatures: Summer time average of -25F.
Altitude: 4,898m/16,066ft.
Summit GPS Waypoints: S78.31’08.8”, W085.37’58.5”.
Required Gear: Down suit or down pants and parka, 12-point crampons, ice axes(s), high-altitude gloves, down sleeping bag (rated to at least -30F), harness, belay device, ice screws, slings, carabiners, prusik cord, sleds for carrying gear, tent, rope.

Average Cost: $42,000
Difficulty: Mostly non-technical but the temperatures and prevalence of ice make difficulty moderate to high.