Update: December 6, 2006 – Everyone Back at Vinson Base

Last night the weather at Camp I began to improve. Inside the tents we could listen to the high winds still going on, but the three teams still up there (on Vinson) needed to pack up and get moving; at the same time six of us from Vinson Base started up to give assistance with bringing the loads down.                                     

Wayne and Larry chipped in as well, they were asked to help run the communications at Vinson Base.

I have to say that things went extremely smoothly, by midnight everyone was back down at Vinson Base. There had been some severe frostbite that looked much better than we thought and we took care of it in the headquarters tent, dressing the wounds and taking a look at it, and it looks to me that considering what went on up high on Vinson this year everyone got off extremely easily. Of course there was a lot of teamwork, a lot of perseverance, communication, coordination between various teams. Vinson is always a very serious place as well as a beautiful place.                 

I say one great thing is that finally all Vinson climbers are back at Vinson Base camp. This is a strange day, because here at Vinson Base was extremely bright and sunny for part of the day, as a matter of fact the teams were all out playing baseball in the glacier together. Wayne got some good video of that.  Now the clouds are moving in over the camp.  Hopefully we will be on our way back to Patriot Hills and continue on the Ilyushin jet back to Punta Arenas.

[Update from the BAI office]

We have been informed that Wally, Larry and Wayne made the flight on the twin otters back to Patriot Hills from Vinson Base.  They are currently in Patriot Hills, happy to make the first leg of their return trip home.