Measuring 4897m, the majestic Mount Vinson, the highest peak of the Antarctic continent, is the next goal of traveller Michal Leksinski, who is carrying out the ‘7 Happy Summits,’ so the Crowns of the Earth, a project with the Happy Kids Foundation. The expedition will set off on 25.12.2022.
Michal Leksinski, together with the Happy Kids Foundation, has been carrying out the Crowns of the Earth project of climbing the highest peaks of each continent since 2017. It consists of 7 peaks, but interpretative doubts among geographers and climbers about the borders of the continents mean that there is no complete consensus on what the highest peaks of Europe and Australia and Oceania are.
Consequently, the following are included in the ‘extended’ list: Mount Kosciuszko (Australia, 2228 metres above sea level), Carstensz Pyramid (Oceania, 4884 metres above sea level), Elbrus (Europe, 5642 metres above sea level), Mont Blanc (Europe, 4810 metres above sea level), Kilimanjaro (Africa, 5895 metres above sea level), Aconcagua (South America, 6962 metres above sea level). All were conquered by Leksinski. An expedition to Antarctica to conquer Mount Vinson (4892m) has been planned for December this year. June 2023 will see an expedition over Denali (6192m) in North America. Last on the list remains the highest peak, Mount Everest (8848 m). The expedition is planned for spring 2024.
Conquering more peaks is combined with activities for the charges of the Happy Kids Foundation. Being an ambassador of the Foundation, Michał Leksiński, among other things, carries out fundraising for the organisation’s charges, draws attention to the Foundation’s activities, and organises meetings and trips for kids to the mountains.
“For us, this project is something much bigger than conquering the Crowns of the Earth. Michal Leksinski’s initiative can make a real difference to the future lives of our charges, the kids in the Family Children’s Homes run by the Happy Kids Foundation. >>Our<< children have experienced enormous trauma. Their past experiences have caused them to grow mountains of distrust, fear, and disbelief in their own strength. However, Michal's undertaking shows them that no peak cannot be conquered and no obstacle cannot be overcome. The very first meeting between our children and Michal showed how important his project is to them. They are faithfully cheering him on in his preparations and some are quietly beginning to dream that they will one day follow in his footsteps," Alexander Kartasinski, CEO of the Happy Kids Foundation, said.
The upcoming ADATA ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION to Mount Vinson is one of the most logistically complex expeditions of the Crowns of the Earth. Reaching the foot of the Massif is an undertaking that requires a multi-stage journey through Chile to Antarctica and from there a flight by avionics to the base camp below the Vinson Massif.
The planned start of the expedition from Poland is 25.12.2022. If the weather is fine, on 30.12.2022 Michal Leksinski will fly from the southern Chilean city of Punta Arenas to Antarctica to the Union Glacier base camp, from where he will continue inland to the base camp of Mount Vinson.
The climb itself will take around 10 days and involves transporting heavy sledges with equipment between camps and then climbing up the steep slopes of the mountain to a camp above 3,800m to finally attack the summit of the mountain (4892m) from there.
The biggest enemy will of course be the temperature, which can exceed -30°C. In such conditions, climbing and functioning on a daily basis will be extremely difficult.
The expedition is also combined with a collection for the construction of the first Family Welfare Home in Poland. It will be home to, among others, Happy Kids’ foster kids facing various types of dysfunction. The organisation thus wishes to draw attention to the social problem of a lack of systemic solutions and developed standards in the area of care for lonely, disabled people leaving foster care.