Shaikh Hassan Khan, a 36-year-old Kerala government employee, has climbed Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica.
- This is the fifth peak that Shaikh Hasan Khan has conquered.
- Apart from Mount Vinson, Shaikh Hassan Khan has climbed four other highest peaks – Mount Everest (Asia), Mount Denali (North America), Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa), and Mount Elbrus (Europe).
- The aim of his campaign is to spread awareness about climate change happening in Antarctica.
About Mount Vinson:
- It is the highest mountain in Antarctica.
- Mount Vinson is situated at an altitude of 4,892 meters (16,050 ft) above sea level.
- Mount Vinson is part of the Vinson Massif, located in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains.
- Vinson Massif and Mount Vinson are near the Ronne Ice Shelf, near the base of the Antarctic Peninsula.
- The mountain was first sighted by a US Navy aircraft from Bayard Station in January 1958. It is named after Carl Vinson, a United States representative who was instrumental in the US government's support of Antarctic exploration in the period 1935–61.
- It is located about 1,200 kilometres from the South Pole, one of the coldest places on Earth.
- It was first climbed in 1966 by an American team led by Nicholas Clinch.
Key facts about Ellsworth Mountain:
- The Ellsworth Mountains are a mountain range in Antarctica.
- They form a chain of mountains 360 km (224 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) wide in a north-to-south configuration.
- Furthermore, they are divided by the Minnesota Glacier to form the Sentinel Range in the north and the Heritage Range in the south.
Highest peaks of continents:
- Asia – Mount Everest
- South America – Aconcagua
- North America – McKinley (also known as ‘Denali’)
- Africa – Kilimanjaro
- Europe – Elbrus Mountains
- Antarctica – Vinson Massif
- Australia – Kosciusko