Everest South Col 2017 Expedition

After sitting around Punta Arenas for 5 days we finally got the call. The winds, which have been as high as 65km/h+ are finally dropping on Union Glacier Antarctica and we’ll be flying on this morning!

The aim here is to climb Vinson, which are 4892m is the highest mountain in Antarctica. As it is the coldest, windiest, driest continent in the world we have all our polar kit packed for this one.

If all goes well we’ll be changing planes from a 757 landing on Union Glacier above to flying a twin prop otter fitted with skis onto Branscombe glacier near Vinson base camp tonight.

Weather permitting, we won’t be aiming to spend more than a couple of hours on Union Glacier. We’ll be hoping to catch a second flight straight away on a twin prop otter fitted with skis onto the Branscombe glacier and from there we’ll be looking to get to Vinson base camp for tomorrow night at circa 2140m. Mount Vinson, first summited in 1966, lies in the aptly named Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, deep in the interior of Antarctica. This climb will typically take between 5 to 8 days typically depending on weather conditions and we’ll be travelling roped together throughout the lower extremes due to crevasse hazard. First we’ll be trekking with a heavy pack and pulling a sled through to Camp 1 at 2780m and then we’ll be climbing with just the backpack up steep snow and ice slops to high camp at 3780m. From high camp to summit will be another 9-12 hrs for most teams with some spectacular exposed ridges to greet us on the way.

Time is arbitrary in Antarctica and we’ll be living in 24hr daylight, however we’ll keep to Chilean time on our watches. Whilst it is 24hr daylight the sun will not be directly above us as it would on the south pole so we will be focusing our timing for certain elements of our climb purely on the basis of being in the sun and not the shadows given the vast difference in temperatures.

The wind high up on Vinson has been raging at 60k/h+ over last week with temperatures reaching -56oC but it’s started to improve. We’ll be the first climbing team on the mountain this season – which typically runs from early December to end of January before the weather becomes too inhospitable all over again.

Keep an eye out for my next article on return from the icy south. You can follow me on https://share.garmin.com/RoryAntarctica

Am again trying to raise money for Child Rescue Nepal and in particular this time some money to add taps and toilets for some  schools in tough areas. Have a working toilet and a working tap makes a huge different to attendance of these schools so this really is the gift of education

Please help me here on www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rory-mchugh1

Its been a crazy busy time and if we hadn’t been delayed I would never have made it around to posting this or linking up with Child Rescue Nepal so I hope you all enjoy!

See below the current weather on Vinson:

 

It has been two years since climbing Everest (on a day with no queues), writing for the Irish Times from the Khumbu and raising money to build schools for communities in Makwanpur, one of Nepal’s poorest regions and far from any tourist trail. 

With the schools now built, we were now back in Nepal for a visit fulfilling a promise made to supporters along the way. Crazy week, wonderful, heart-warming and at many times heart breaking. An important reminder of those less fortunate and that there is always more we can all do!

Please check out this highlights video from the trip!

A big thanks to all who supported, including all family and friends and sponsors: Evalucom, Profunder, LVA, Everest BioTech, Funding 365, The Irish Times, Venn Partners, Lendable, NatWest Markets, MyHome, and UrbanRe!

There’s plenty more to do so please do get in touch if you can get involved or visit childrescuenepal.org and donate!

Fun Saturday night in Dublin and honoured to have been given the opportunity to discuss the Nepal school building initiative and present my book to the President of Ireland!

Buy the book here at Spiderwize (to max the charity proceeds) or Amazon. Also available in iBook format. All proceeds to Child Rescue Nepal.

Thanks to the Irish Times weekend magazine for a great mention of our photo-journal “Everest Diaries”!

All proceeds to Child Rescue Nepal.

Best purchased on Spiderwize.com  (also Amazon/all good bookstores/ibook/kobe)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great chance to have a few drinks, see Steve’s awesome photography, and hear some tales from the high Himalaya! Looking forward to saying thanks to all supporters of the Nepal School Project and everyone who enjoyed following the journey. We’re funded to build two schools in Makwanpur, with the first tranche of money having been released last week to start the project and we’re making good progress on a third!

 

A fun evening in support of Child Rescue Nepal and our project to build schools in Makwanpur. With your help we’ve already raised over £35k and enough to build two school buildings, still working towards a third! Going to have some great photos from Steve Brown on show too.

Tickets available on www.bit.ly/2w0xAPo

All monies to building schools in Makwanpur

Virginmoneygiving.com/letsbuildschools