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Vinson Massif
The Vinson Massif is the highest point on the continent of Antarctica. It rises to an altitude of 16,067 feet (4,897 m.) in the Ellsworth Mountains, near the Ronne Ice Shelf. The mountain was named after Carl G. Vinson, a United States congressman. Mount Vinson was first climbed by a US expedition team sponsored by the American Alpine Club. They reached the top on the morning of December 18, 1966. The climate of the mountain is very cold, of course, being in Antarctica, and even in the 24-hour sun of the "summer" season
temperatures average only around -20° F.
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