Antarctica
16,067′,4897 meters
Summited December 9, 2010
7 Summits Climb for Alzheimer’s
600 miles from the South Pole, Mount Vinson was first summited in 1966 by climbers led by Nicholas Clinch from the American Alpine Club and the National Science Foundation. It was the last of the 7 Summits to be summited.
It was named after US Senator and Antarctica supporter Carl Vinson. It is in the Ellsworth Mountains Range. Just getting there is an adventure. The flight previously was a four-hour, 20,000-mile trip on a Russian Ilyushin 76 cargo plane, but today (2025) is a sleek 757 outfitted with Business Class seating throughout the plane. The flight is from the tip of South America to the snow camp of Union Glacier Hills. Once there, climbers are ferried via a Twin Otter to base camp. Climbs usually take place between December and February.
The climb is usually scheduled for about three weeks, with the summit in the middle of the climb. However, once there, the weather can be the worst on the planet, often stopping teams in their tracks for weeks. Like Denali, climbers carry all their gear plus a share of the group gear – no porters in Antarctica! The climb is a series of long snow slopes not requiring significant technical skills or gear; however, it is harsh with the weather and loads over 70 lbs split between a pack and a sled. Once you summit, if you summit, you might be stuck for more weeks waiting for the jet to return!
About 1200 people have summited Vinson since 1966. There have been no deaths. A popular option after a summit is to fly to the 89-degree and ski the final 70 miles to the South Pole.
The second highest mountain in Antarctica is Mount Tyree at 15,919’/4852m and is 7 miles north of Vinson. Only seven climbers have made it to the top of Tyree! It is significantly more complicated with its steep faces. One of the most famous climbs in mountaineering took place in January 1989 when the legendary American alpinist Terry ‘Mugs’ Stump, an American climbing legend, soloed the west face without a rope in a roundtrip time of 12 hours – a fantastic feat that still stands out 20 years later.
Vinson Resources:
7 Summits Climb for Alzheimer’s

In late 2010, I launched the 7 Summits for Alzheimer’s campaign, where I wanted to climb all seven (eight) of the Seven Summits in one year. The first summit was Vinson in Antarctica on December 9th, 2010. This was the last summit on October 25, 2011. I had made every summit except Denali, which was stopped by weather, 3100′ short of the summit.
I have been able to send our Alzheimer’s message of hope, need and urgency from each continent, reaching over 12 million people and raising money for research, awareness and caregivers. In 2025, I will continue to dedicate my climbing and public presence to honoring my mom, Ida, and raising research funds for Alzheimer’s nonprofits. Please consider a donation today.