By Jonathan Isaby
Just after Christmas, Tim noted former Cabinet Minister Lord Forsyth's charity climb of Mount Vinson, the highest peak on Antarctica, to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care and Children in Need India.
By the wonders of modern technology, Michael has just emailed me the above picture of him reaching his destination, as he reports:
I decided to make a summit bid yesterday morning as the weather was perfect - with light wind and bright sunshine. The cold is still intense and it is essential to wear googles and a face mask to protect from frostbite. I was apprehensive, as I had not slept well and had not acclimatised fully. But it was the right call, as we enjoyed a perfect day on the mountain and reached the summit at 5.00pm local time (8.00pm GMT). It was very hard work and at one point I thought I might have to turn back as I fought to breathe in the thin, cold air.
Vinson is a spectacular mountain with a tiny summit and astonishing views of Antarctica. The summit ridge is ice-covered and very narrow with big drops on either side. Getting there had involved a lot of hard work and training. Oddly, my first thoughts were about getting down again safely with all my digits intact. We have been so lucky with the weather and reached the summit in an amazing five days.
Many congratulations to him. Click here to read more of his blog entries from the trip over the last few days and follow this link to make a donation towards his fundraising efforts. His total currently stands at a highly impressive £336,554 towards his target of £350,000.
