I am back in Vinson base camp, long but good day. Hoping to catch a lift on a supply plane tonight back to union glacier base camp. I had to carry 4.5 days of poo in my pack! Looking forward to not pooing in a bag and living in +temperatures!
Made it to Punta Arenas guys! What a wild night. Last night the ALE's Ilyushin plane landed in a total whiteout and took off in the same conditions, it was one of the wildest things I have ever seen. It nearly had to turn around and go back to Punta…
Hi Guys. We had been told bad weather was coming in and it would be 3-5 days before a flight could come in, that was pretty catastrophic news to be honest! Luckily I have had some good news today. We’ve been told a weather window has appeared and…
Hi Guys. Shocking news, weather perfect, blockade bypassed, but broken fuel line on ALE's Ilyushin plane! 3 days to order parts, no flight till next week now! You can’t make this up!! On the upside I had my first shower of the year! And for over a…
Antarctic-logistics are trying to get everyone in to Punta through blockades to fly today. They managed to get fuel for flight. If all goes to plan, might fly out tonight! Waiting is tough! I want to move forward again. It’s good patience training…
Hi Guys. Perfect flying weather but fuel strike in Punta Arenas is serious. Airport is shut! Still stuck in Union Glacier Base Camp. Heard someone tried to drive through roadblock and got killed..what are the chances. It’s minus 20 to 25 with…
Apologies for the lack of contact for a few days, had sat phone issues! I caught a lift to Union Glacier Base Camp on the 9th in a supply plane. Was hoping to catch a flight on 10th back to Punta Arenas and then fly on to Santiago but poor weather and…
Richard Parks summits Mount Vinson, completing leg 2 of the 737 Challenge
RICHARD SUMMITS MOUNT VINSON!! "We have had great weather on summit day today. We have been moving really quickly, we got up to the summit in about 4 hours and 50 minutes which is really fast as the normal times this season have been 6 – 9 hours. We…
Hi Guys. Still at high camp. Didn’t climb today, ironically good conditions. Climbing tomorrow but conditions forecast not as good as today. Going to play it by ear, waiting game again but fingers crossed we will be summiting tomorrow or next few…
Weather still good, moving well as a team, 5hr on from low camp, we are now at high camp and are at 3870m. It normally takes 6-8hours. Wind is picking up tomorrow so probably won’t attempt summit and will have acclimatisation day. Heavy pack today,…
Weather good. Climbing to high camp today. Tough day ahead, long fixed lines with rocky and blue ice sections.
Richard Parks began climbing Mount Vinson in Antarctica today on the 2nd leg of his world first expedition to climb the 7 Summits, which are the highest mountain on each of the world's continents, and
Arrived at low camp at 5.50pm local time. Lots of chill time. We are at 2815m. Moved really fast today travelling 9km in 3h40min from Vinson base camp. Was mega hot climbing but cold now!
Hi Guys! Weather good, I flew in to Mount Vinson base camp today. I’ve been getting restless waiting, more patience required! Vinson base camp is tiny, only a handful of teams on the mountain. The forecast is good for the next four days. I’m…
Back at Union Glacier base camp until the 4th at the moment. Everything is cool. I am sorting tomorrow for Mount Vinson, I just want to get on it!
