http://blog.firstascent.com THE FIRST ASCENT BLOG Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:11:45 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/19/caroline-george-makes-first-ascent-of-midnight-ridge-antarctica/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/19/caroline-george-makes-first-ascent-of-midnight-ridge-antarctica/#comments Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:52:31 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=4049 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/19/caroline-george-makes-first-ascent-of-midnight-ridge-antarctica/feed/ 1 Story by Caroline George; photos by Jake Norton; audio dispatch by Peter Whittaker This time of year in Antarctica, the sun never sets. The warmest part of the day is actually during the evening when the sun gets a little lower in the sky, hitting you straight on. After two days living in a horizontal position [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/18/first-ascent-team-avoids-storm-returns-to-union-glacier/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/18/first-ascent-team-avoids-storm-returns-to-union-glacier/#comments Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:26:42 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=4040 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/18/first-ascent-team-avoids-storm-returns-to-union-glacier/feed/ 0 Written story and photos by Jake Norton; audio dispatch by Peter Whittaker With a bright sun and bright hopes, we packed eagerly this morning at Vinson Basecamp. Only a few wispy clouds were visible, and we were all excited to be dropped by Twin Otter in a new place to make the first tracks on an unknown [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/15/first-ascent-team-skis-more-of-antarctica-preps-for-first-descents/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/15/first-ascent-team-skis-more-of-antarctica-preps-for-first-descents/#comments Sat, 15 Jan 2011 20:10:11 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=4022 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/15/first-ascent-team-skis-more-of-antarctica-preps-for-first-descents/feed/ 3 Written story and photos by Jake Norton; audio dispatch by Peter Whittaker We had another stellar day today in the peaks off the Branscomb Glacier a couple of miles from Vinson Basecamp. There seems to be endless ski opportunities in this area – not surprising since we’re on a continent almost entirely covered in snow and ice. [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/14/first-ascent-team-makes-first-turns-on-branscomb-glacier-antarctica/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/14/first-ascent-team-makes-first-turns-on-branscomb-glacier-antarctica/#comments Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:10:41 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=4011 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/14/first-ascent-team-makes-first-turns-on-branscomb-glacier-antarctica/feed/ 0 Written story and photos by Jake Norton; audio dispatch by Peter Whittaker Skiing in Antarctica is not something I ever really thought I would do. I’m not sure anyone on our team thought they would get the opportunity for that matter. This morning, the sun popped out from behind Vinson, bringing the temps to a reasonable level [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/13/first-ascent-team-rests-readies-for-skiing-after-vinson-summit/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/13/first-ascent-team-rests-readies-for-skiing-after-vinson-summit/#comments Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:30:54 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=3991 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/13/first-ascent-team-rests-readies-for-skiing-after-vinson-summit/feed/ 0 Written story and photos by Jake Norton; audio dispatch by Peter Whittaker After many days of going without much of a stop, we took a good rest day today. It started off wonderfully, with Caroline cooking up a good batch of bacon and powdered eggs – darn good down here in Antarctica. After that, there was much [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/12/first-ascent-team-returns-to-vinson-basecamp/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/12/first-ascent-team-returns-to-vinson-basecamp/#comments Wed, 12 Jan 2011 13:10:31 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=3983 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/12/first-ascent-team-returns-to-vinson-basecamp/feed/ 4 Written story and photos by Jake Norton; audio dispatch by Peter Whittaker The great climber and author Greg Child once wrote: “Somewhere between the bottom of the climb and the top is the answer to the question of why we climb.” Climbing, and the reason we do it, is an elusive thing. There is no straighforward, definitive [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/11/peter-whittaker-and-jake-norton-describe-vinson-summit-and-descent/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/11/peter-whittaker-and-jake-norton-describe-vinson-summit-and-descent/#comments Tue, 11 Jan 2011 21:03:49 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=3973 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/11/peter-whittaker-and-jake-norton-describe-vinson-summit-and-descent/feed/ 2 Written story and photos by Jake Norton; audio dispatch by Peter Whittaker Did I say Antarctica wasn’t cold? Well, I was just kidding. Antarctica, especially high up with a stiff wind, is really, really, really cold! Our summit day started reasonably enough, with a bright sun high in the sky and reasonable temperatures for walking. The team [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/10/first-ascent-team-reaches-summit-of-vinson-massif-highest-peak-on-antarctica/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/10/first-ascent-team-reaches-summit-of-vinson-massif-highest-peak-on-antarctica/#comments Mon, 10 Jan 2011 23:31:21 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=3969 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/10/first-ascent-team-reaches-summit-of-vinson-massif-highest-peak-on-antarctica/feed/ 9 On New Year’s Day,  First Ascent guides Peter Whittaker, Ed Viesturs, Seth Waterfall, Caroline George, Jake Norton, cinematographer Kent Harvey and their clients departed for Antarctica for a 45th anniversary climb to commemorate the 1966 first ascent of Vinson Massif, which was outfitted by Eddie Bauer. Remarkably, just nine days after they departed the U.S. for the expedition, the First Ascent [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/10/peter-whittaker-calls-in-before-vinson-summit-attempt/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/10/peter-whittaker-calls-in-before-vinson-summit-attempt/#comments Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:45:39 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=3961 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/10/peter-whittaker-calls-in-before-vinson-summit-attempt/feed/ 1 Audio transcript: “Hey everyone.,Peter here checking in. It is the 9th of January and it’s about 9:30 p.m.  We are up at High Camp. We moved up the fixed lines today and got up here in good style. Seth is in the cook tent right now brewing us up a hot drink, and we’re gonna [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/10/first-ascent-team-prepares-for-final-approach-to-vinson-summit/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/10/first-ascent-team-prepares-for-final-approach-to-vinson-summit/#comments Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:50:45 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=3953 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/01/10/first-ascent-team-prepares-for-final-approach-to-vinson-summit/feed/ 3 Written story and photos by Jake Norton; audio dispatch by Peter Whittaker and Ed Viesturs It never seems like much until you have it on your back. I thought I had pared down my kit pretty well, bringing only what was essential to fill my belly, keep me warm, allow me to take pictures, edit them, and [...]