Mount Vinson / Vinson Massif
Mount Vinson is the highest peak in Antarctica at 4,892 metres (16,050 ft), situated in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains approximately 1,200 kilometres from the South Pole. As the summit of Antarctica, it forms one of the celebrated Seven Summits.
Mountain Safety & Conditions Disclaimer: High-altitude climbing, glacial travel, and technical ascents entail severe objective risks including avalanches, serac collapses, rapid weather collapse, and altitude illness. Historical route descriptions and summit claims on Mountanity reflect documented archival sources and must not be used as live operational safety assessments. Local regulations, permits, and physical glacial topography change continuously.
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Geographical Setting & Topography
Sentinel Range, Ellsworth Mountains, Ellsworth Land, Antarctica.
Historic First Ascent
Date: December 18, 1966
Ascent Team: Nicholas Clinch, Barry Corbet, John Evans, and Peter Anderson
Key Statistics & Topographic Figures
- Official Elevation
- 4,892 metres (16,050 ft)
- Prominence
- 4,892 metres (Ultra-prominent)
- First Ascent
- December 18, 1966
- Mountain Range
- Sentinel Range, Ellsworth Mountains
- Continental Status
- Highest Mountain in Antarctica (Seven Summit)
Archival Primary Source Quotations
“On top of Vinson, the world drops away in endless waves of untouched ice, pure and silent under the polar sun.”
Defined Alpine Terminology & Concepts
- Vinson Plateau
- A broad high-altitude snow plain situated at 4,500 metres connecting the Branscomb Col to the final summit pyramid of Mount Vinson.
- Midnight Sun
- The natural phenomenon during polar summer where the sun remains continuously above the horizon for 24 hours a day.
Mount Vinson / Vinson Massif Mountain Weather Forecast
Detailed 14-Day Summit Window & Weather Timeline
Explore day-by-day summit push safety windows, wind shear analysis, and extended multi-day forecasts for Mount Vinson / Vinson Massif.
Explore Mount Vinson / Vinson Massif (4,892 m) in Interactive 3D
Inspect steep glacial walls, hanging seracs, ridge approaches, and elevation relief with 360° rotation and terrain tilt in WebGL.
Documented Climbing Routes (1)
Normal Route of Mount Vinson (Branscomb Glacier Route)
The Normal Route on Mount Vinson ascends the gentle yet crevasse-riven Branscomb Glacier to gain the high saddle between Mount Shinn and Mount Vinson, continuing across the Vinson Plateau to the corniced rocky summit horn. First climbed in December 1966 by the American Antarctic Mountaineering Expedition led by Nicholas Clinch, it is the standard route for Seven Summits mountaineers. While technical climbing difficulty is moderate (Grade II alpine snow and 35° to 45° headwall ice), the objective is made profoundly serious by extreme polar cold (-40°C), ferocious katabatic gales, total geographic isolation, and the necessity of complete self-sufficiency.
Historical Expeditions (3)
1966 Nicholas Clinch American Antarctic Expedition Historic First Ascent of Mount Vinson
On December 18, 1966, an elite four-man summit party—Nicholas Clinch, Barry Corbet, John Evans, and Peter Anderson—achieved the maiden first ascent of Mount Vinson (4,892 m), the highest point in Antarctica. Supported by the American Alpine Club, National Geographic, and the US Navy, the expedition placed all ten team members atop Vinson over consecutive days before conquering Mount Tyree and Mount Shinn in complete polar safety.
1985 Dick Bass Mount Vinson Ascent: Completion of the Original Seven Summits
On April 30, 1985, 55-year-old American businessman Dick Bass reached the summit of Mount Vinson (4,892 m) in Antarctica, accompanied by David Breashears and Giles Kershaw. The ascent finalized Bass's visionary quest to become the first human in history to conquer the highest mountain on each of the seven continents, establishing the Seven Summits as a global benchmark of endurance.
1986 Reinhold Messner Mount Vinson Ascent: The Messner Seven Summits
On December 3, 1986, legendary alpine purist Reinhold Messner reached the summit of Mount Vinson (4,892 m) in Antarctica. Coming just weeks after completing his historic conquest of all fourteen 8,000-metre peaks, Messner's ascent of Vinson finalized the 'Messner List' of the Seven Summits, advocating for Australasia's technical Carstensz Pyramid over Australia's walk-up Mount Kosciuszko.
Summit Chronicles & Stories (3)
The Frozen Apex: The 1966 First Ascent of Mount Vinson
Nicholas Clinch and his ten-man American team conquer the continental roof of Antarctica in sub-zero polar storms.
The Final Continent: Dick Bass & the Birth of the Seven Summits
How a 55-year-old Texas oilman conquered Mount Vinson on April 30, 1985, to complete the world's first Seven Summits quest.
The Master's Crown: Reinhold Messner's 1986 Mount Vinson Ascent
Fresh from conquering all fourteen eight-thousanders, Reinhold Messner summits Mount Vinson to establish the definitive Seven Summits standard.
Frequently Asked Questions: Mount Vinson / Vinson Massif
What is Mount Vinson and how high is it?
Mount Vinson is the highest mountain in Antarctica at 4,892 metres, located in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains.
Who made the first ascent of Mount Vinson?
Nicholas Clinch, Barry Corbet, John Evans, and Peter Anderson made the maiden first ascent on December 18, 1966.
What are the primary hazards of climbing Mount Vinson?
The greatest hazards are extreme sub-zero cold with temperatures dropping below minus 40 degrees Celsius, hurricane-force katabatic winds, and remote isolation.
Documented Sources & Archival Citations
- First Ascent of Mount Vinson, Antarctica(National Geographic Magazine / Nicholas Clinch)
Supporting claim: Firsthand official report of the 1966 maiden first ascent
Accessed/Documented: 1967 - Antarctica: The High Peaks(American Alpine Journal)
Supporting claim: Technical survey of Sentinel Range summits and elevations
Accessed/Documented: 1967