Covered with eternal ice and at first glance such an impregnable, the sixth continent of the planet was discovered by the very last. Despite the fact that James Cook was the first to cross the Antarctic Circle in January 1773, Antarctica is still not fully understood.
Here, like on any other continent, there are “oases” with vegetation, the ocean and even the Vinson mountain range (coordinates 78.5833 ° south latitude, 85.4167 ° west longitude).
History of Antarctica
As an independent continent, it was discovered in 1820 by Thaddeus Bellingshausen, ahead of two other polar researchers - Nathaniel Palmer by 10 months and Edward Bransfield by 3 days.
Bellingshausen with his associate Mikhail Lazarev did not reach Antarctica only 32 km. The first person to set foot on this earth is John Davis, who arrived on the continent on February 7, 1821. The first research expedition was organized by the United States Navy in 1839. According to its results, it was announced that it was she who discovered Antarctica west of the Balleny Islands, and the land area found by its participants was later named Wilkes Land in honor of the expedition leader. The next polar explorer James Clark Ross in 1841 discovered the island, which received his name.
More attention was paid to Antarctica and its study in the 20th century. The century began with the conquest of the South Pole by Royal Amundsen in 1911. In 1912, Robert Scott followed his example, whose expedition completely died on the way back to the mainland.
In 1928, the first flight to Antarctica was made by the pilot George Hubert Wilkins, which was considered a real feat, given the level of aviation development in that period. A foreign record haunted many aviators, but only Richard Byrd was able to fly over the South Pole the following year.
In the postwar years, the Americans founded and carried out a full-scale expedition again from 1945 to 1957, as a result of which the largest station-settlement McMurdo was founded. Soviet polar explorers founded the first village of Mirny in 1956 with the help of the crews of two ships - the Ob and the Lena. Gradually, thanks to scientists from different countries, living and working in the harsh conditions of permafrost, we were able to discover and fix on the map new bays, islands and capes of the cold mainland. For example, the mountains of Antarctica until the mid-20th century were supposed only theoretically. Proof of their existence was presented in 1958, when they were discovered by a pilot making his flight through the mainland.
These courageous people compiled a complete description of Antarctica, which was included in geography textbooks and scientific works of modern polar explorers.
Antarctica Features
This continent covers an area of 13975 thousand km 2, part of which is represented by ice shelves. There are no permanent inhabitants, not only because the harsh climate is suitable only for penguins, but also because it is the only continent that does not belong to any countries, but is the property of all mankind.
According to an agreement signed in 1961 by leading countries, the entire terrestrial space located south of 60 degrees south. sh., is free from the deployment of any type of weapon and is suitable exclusively for scientific research. Although Antarctica is rich in minerals, mining is also prohibited.
This is the highest continent on the planet, on average it rises to 2040 m above sea level, and at its highest point - Vinson (an array in the mountains of Ellsworth) reaches 4892 meters.
In this place, ice occupies 99%, and only a small part of the space belongs to the "oases" on which mosses, ferns, lichens and mushrooms grow. Penguins and seals live here.
No one is able to withstand winter colds down to -89 degrees (in the eastern part of the mainland in the vicinity of the Russian Vostok station). The average temperature in the winter months in the rest of the territory reaches -70 degrees, and the summer - from -30 to -50. There is almost a “resort" on the coast, since the temperature in winter ranges from -8 to -35 degrees, while in summer it ranges from 0 to +5. Description of Antarctica with its hurricane winds and frosts represents the mainland a place extremely inhospitable for travelers.
The greatest peaks of the world: Everest and Aconcagua
The mountains of the planet are not only its greatness and beauty, but also the history of the formation of continents. On the earth there are 6 continents and 7 greatest peaks that were conquered, each in due time, by daredevils, whose courage inspires people to repeat their feat.
The highest mountain in the world - Everest (Asia), rises above sea level at 8848 m. Its conquest is like an exam for professional suitability for climbers. Beginners do not conquer it, even experienced climbers risk dying here, so this mountain is severe and impregnable.
About 50 times, expeditions from different countries tried to climb a dangerous peak, but this was possible on May 29, 1953, by New Zealander Edmund Hillary. After it, Everest was conquered from various sides by not only men, but also women, the first of which was a Japanese climber in 1976.
Aconcagua is the highest extinct volcano in the world, located in South America. The height of this Argentinean "skyscraper" is 6962 meters. The mountain arose in connection with the collision of two tectonic plates - Nazca and South American. One can only imagine what cataclysms accompanied such grandiose processes millions of years ago. This peak is suitable for training beginners, as it is not considered difficult from a climber's point of view. He was conquered even by children.
Mount McKinley
The seven peaks of the world are the greatest mountains, which are the highest on one of the continents of the planet. McKinley is the highest point in Alaska, rising 6194 m above the ground. At one time it was the highest peak of the Russian Empire, which was called plainly - Big Mountain. After the sale of this territory to America, it is the largest in North America.
From 1917 to 2015, the mountain bore the name of one of the presidents of the United States - McKinley, but it was returned the original name of Denali, which is translated from the language of Atabasca (Indian tribe) meant the Great Peak. It was first conquered in 1906 by Frederick Cook, who was soon accused of falsifying this ascent. To this day, climbers argue whether such a long climb has taken place.
Kilimanjaro
The famous African mountain is also included in the "Seven Peaks of the World" category. Located in Tanzania, it impresses all travelers. It was amazing to see her snow cap in the middle of the hot savannah, but today many scientists are sounding the alarm, as centuries-old ice is inexorably melting due to the changed climate.
Mount Kilimanjaro, which previously adorned with its snow-white top of the neighborhood, today lost 80% of its ice cover. For the first time, these 5895 meters above sea level were conquered by Hans Meyer back in 1889. For a beginner equipped with modern climbing equipment, this peak is not difficult, although climbing usually lasts longer due to problems with acclimatization.
Elbrus
This mountain is familiar even to those who have nothing to do with mountaineering. This is the highest peak in Europe. It is located on the border between Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia. This is a mountain system in the Main Caucasus Range. For the first time, its height in 5642 m was conquered by the Russian scientific expedition in 1829. It included a physicist, zoologist, botanist, traveler and artist, who not only climbed, but also sketched and studied the vegetation and structure of the mountain.
Today, there is a well-developed tourist infrastructure with basic adaptation camps, and the mountain itself is a place of pilgrimage not only for climbers, but also amateur climbers who have not yet climbed a single peak.
In addition to the conquerors of the peaks, Elbrus attracts skiers for whom routes of varying difficulty are organized here and slalom competitions are held annually. Well-organized infrastructure puts the tourist camps open here on a par with European ski resorts.
Punchak Jaya
Australia also has its own mountain system, the highest point of which is Punchak Jaya peak (4884 m). Mount Jaya is famous for being the highest located on the island. Some scientists claim that the largest point in Oceania has a height of 5030 m.
For the whole world, the mountain was discovered by the Dutchman Jan Carstens in 1623. This researcher was ridiculed by the scientific community for claiming to have seen a glacier in the tropics at the equator. Later grief was given his name, which lasted until 1965.
Although it happened so long ago, it was first conquered by Austrian climbers in 1962. The returned original name translated from the Indonesian language sounds like Victory Peak.
Array of vinson
The mountains of Antarctica are a continuous cover of ice. Perhaps that is why they could not be detected for so long, but only theoretically calculated that they exist on this continent. It is ice that is the biggest obstacle when climbing them.
Their highest point is Vinson - an array of 21 km long and 13 km wide. It takes real courage and professionalism to conquer such a difficult peak. The first measurement of the mountains of Antarctica was made incorrectly (5140 m). It turned out to be a reliable value only in 1980, when Soviet climbers climbed Vinson (massif) and set a flag there. The result of their measurement was 4892 meters.
Conquest of the Ice Mountains
If you look at the Vinson massif on the map, you can see that it is only 1, 200 km from the South Pole. Those who have been at its peak say that it offers stunningly beautiful views of the ice lit by the bright sun.
This is not only the largest glacier in the world, but also the most difficult mountain to conquer. The Vinson massif is immersed for six months in the polar night, so the summer time from November to January is suitable for conquering, when the temperature rises to 30 degrees below zero. In summer, the sky above the peak is completely cloudless and the sun shines around the clock.
Despite some warming of the air, strong winds and ice melted from the hot sun often impede the ascent.
