Sir Ranulph's team have said he is in good spirits and coping well
Veteran British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes has set off to climb Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica.
Earlier this year he pledged to climb the highest mountain on every continent between August 2016 and May 2017.
The 72-year-old will face minus 40C temperatures and severe winds to climb the 16,050ft (4,892m) peak.
His team said he is in "good spirits and coping well so far" after an acclimatization hike on Monday.
'Camels in the desert'
The practice hike took place from Vinson Base Camp at 6,890ft altitude (2,100m) on the Branscomb Glacier, his team said.
On Tuesday, he will start the climb from base camp to low camp, which is at 9,022ft altitude (2,750m) which is expected to take about six to seven hours.
The explorer from Exmoor, Somerset, is halfway to completing the Global Reach Challenge in aid of Marie Curie.
He has already crossed both polar ice caps and and climbed Mount Everest in Asia, Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and Mount Elbrus in Europe.
Mount Vinson is the highest peak in Antarctica
To achieve the world first, he still needs to summit Mount Vinson, Aconcagua in South America, Mount Carstensz in Australasia and Denali, the highest peak in North America.
Sir Ranulph has had two heart attacks, a double heart bypass, has vertigo and a breathing condition called Cheyne-Stokes while climbing.
Speaking ahead of the climb, Sir Ranulph said: "All I can say is that I'll do as much as I possibly can and only turn back if the guides refuse to carry on.
"I might be slow but I keep going.
"The trouble with the big mountains is that they can turn you back rather like the camels in the desert," he added.
Sir Ranulph has been raising funds for Marie Curie since the death of his first wife, Ginny, in 2004.
Mount Vinson climb facts
Sir Ranulph is hoping to take nine days to climb to the summit of Mount Vinson
Distance wise he has to cover 32 miles (approx 51.5km) but he will be facing harsh weather conditions, steep climbs, and areas of blue ice
He will be active for between seven and 12 hours a day climbing and walking up the mountain
He will need to consume up to 4,500 calories everyday
Some of the difficulties of climbing will be crevassing and climbing on fixed ropes due to the dangers such as a 45 degree climb
Source: Marie Curie
- Published15 July 2016
- Published11 April 2015
