Antarctica (4,892 m) – Tallest Mountain in Antarctica
Mount Vinson is the tallest mountain on the continent of Antarctica. Because of its location, there were no local tribes in the area of Vinson prior to the arrival of western explored, and therefore it was the last of the Seven Summits to be discovered and explored in 1958. It was named in honor of Carl Vinson, an American congressman who was influential in the funding of research in Antarctica.
Mount Vinson is part of the Vinson Massif on the Western Hemisphere side of the continent. It was first viewed by American naval pilots and first climbed by an American team in 1966, making it the last of the world’s highest summits to be conquered.
Although the terrain around the Vinson Massive is less rugged than the other Seven Summits, the fact that it is by far the most remote, with permanent year-round freezing conditions and snow cover, makes Vinson the most difficult to reach. The closest settlements are five hundred miles away, and expeditions almost always need to be supplied by air. Nevertheless over a thousand climbers have made it to the summit to-date.
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