Antarctica
Vinson Massif
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Welcome to Vinson Massif — the tallest mountain in Antarctica! It rises high above the frozen landscape, and only the bravest climbers ever attempt to reach its icy summit.
Why is it famous?
It is the highest mountain in Antarctica, standing about 16,050 feet (4,892 meters) tall.
It's one of the Seven Summits — the tallest mountain on each of the seven continents — so climbers travel here from all over the world.
How was it formed?
Vinson Massif is part of the Sentinel Range, a chain of mountains pushed up over millions of years by the same slow-moving forces that shape mountains everywhere.
Thick sheets of ice and snow cover almost the entire mountain, since Antarctica barely gets warm enough to melt it away.
Amazing facts
Vinson Massif wasn't even discovered until 1958, when a plane spotted it during a flight over Antarctica.
It stretches about 13 miles (21 km) long and 8 miles (13 km) wide — more like a whole mountain range than a single peak.
Quick facts
- Vinson Massif wasn't even discovered until 1958, when a plane spotted it during a flight over Antarctica.
- It stretches about 13 miles (21 km) long and 8 miles (13 km) wide — more like a whole mountain range than a single peak.
- During the Antarctic summer, the sun never sets here, so climbers can see daylight 24 hours a day.
- The first climbers reached the top in 1966, less than a decade after the mountain was even found.