Introduction
Antarctica's mountains are buried under miles of ice, but the peaks that emerge are among the most remote and pristine on Earth. Vinson Massif, the continent's highest point, was only discovered in 1958.
Climbing in Antarctica combines moderate technical difficulty with extreme cold and total isolation. There are no rescue services and weather can trap climbers for weeks.
1. Vinson Massif
- Height: 4,892 m (16,050 ft)
- Location: Sentinel Range, Ellsworth Mountains
- First Summit: 1966
Vinson Massif was first climbed by an American expedition in 1966. It is the most expensive of the Seven Summits to climb, with expeditions costing $40,000-$50,000.
Fewer than 1,700 people have ever summited it. The climbing season is limited to December-January when there is 24 hours of daylight.
2. Mount Tyree
- Height: 4,852 m (15,919 ft)
- Location: Sentinel Range
- First Summit: 1967
Mount Tyree is the second highest peak in Antarctica and one of the least-climbed high peaks in the world. Fewer than 15 people have ever stood on its summit.
Its steep faces and remote location make it an extreme mountaineering objective.
3. Mount Shinn
- Height: 4,661 m (15,292 ft)
- Location: Sentinel Range
- First Summit: 2001
Mount Shinn was first climbed only in 2001, making it one of the last major peaks to be summited. It sits near Vinson Massif in the Sentinel Range.
The mountain is rarely attempted due to the cost and logistics of Antarctic expeditions.
4. Mount Gardner
- Height: 4,587 m (15,049 ft)
- Location: Sentinel Range
- Status: Very rarely climbed
Mount Gardner is the fourth highest peak in Antarctica. Very little is known about its climbing history due to the extreme remoteness of the area.
Like most Antarctic peaks, it is covered in permanent snow and ice.
5. Mount Kirkpatrick
- Height: 4,528 m (14,856 ft)
- Location: Queen Alexandra Range
- Notable: Dinosaur fossils found nearby
Mount Kirkpatrick is notable for the discovery of Cryolophosaurus, a dinosaur found on its slopes at 4,000 meters. This proves Antarctica was once warm enough to support dinosaurs.
The Queen Alexandra Range where it sits is part of the Transantarctic Mountains.
6. Mount Markham
- Height: 4,350 m (14,272 ft)
- Location: Queen Elizabeth Range
- Range: Transantarctic Mountains
Mount Markham is one of the highest peaks in the Transantarctic Mountains, the range that divides East and West Antarctica.
The mountain has been climbed very rarely due to its remote location deep in the Antarctic interior.
7. Mount Sidley
- Height: 4,181 m (13,717 ft)
- Location: Marie Byrd Land
- Type: Shield volcano
Mount Sidley is the highest volcano in Antarctica. It is a massive shield volcano that last erupted about 4.7 million years ago.
Marie Byrd Land, where Sidley is located, is the largest unclaimed territory on Earth.
8. Mount Erebus
- Height: 3,794 m (12,448 ft)
- Location: Ross Island
- Notable: Southernmost active volcano
Mount Erebus is the southernmost active volcano on Earth. It has a persistent lava lake in its summit crater, one of only a few in the world.
The volcano occasionally throws "lava bombs" of molten rock. It has been continuously active since at least 1972.
Key Facts
- Antarctica's mountains were completely unknown until the early 20th century.
- The Transantarctic Mountains are one of the longest mountain ranges in the world at 3,500 km.
- Most of Antarctica's mountains are buried under ice up to 4 km thick.
- Climbing in Antarctica requires flying from Punta Arenas, Chile to a blue-ice runway at Union Glacier.
- Temperatures on Vinson can drop below -40°C during climbing season (Antarctic summer).
Fun Facts
- Dinosaur fossils found on Mount Kirkpatrick prove Antarctica was once a warm, forested continent 190 million years ago.
- Mount Erebus has an active lava lake that has been continuously bubbling since at least 1972.
- Marie Byrd Land, home to Mount Sidley, is the largest unclaimed territory on Earth because no country wants to maintain a presence there.
- The ice beneath some Antarctic mountains is so thick that the bedrock underneath is actually below sea level.
Final Thoughts
Antarctica's mountains are the most remote and pristine peaks on Earth. From the Seven Summits challenge of Vinson Massif to the active lava lake of Mount Erebus, these frozen peaks represent the final frontier of mountaineering.