Kaun Banega Crorepati‘s latest episode featured a question on Antarctica’s highest summit, Vinson Massif. The contestant on the hot-seat Himani Bundela, a visually-impaired math teacher, correctly answered the question to win a prize money of Rs 6,40,000. She later went on to win Rs 1 crore, becoming the first crorepati on the show’s latest season.

Do you know about Vinson Massif, considered to be a moderate yet challenging trek owing to the extreme climatic conditions in the world’s fifth-largest continent?

Where exactly is it located?

Also called ‘Mount Vinson’, it is located near the Ronne Ice Shelf or the south of the Antarctic Peninsula in the Ellsworth Mountains, which comprises two sub-ranges — the Sentinel Range in the north and the Heritage Range in the south. Named after US Rep Carl Vinson of Georgia, who served in Congress from 1935 to 1961 and was the former chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and championed for government funding for American exploration of Antarctica, the peak has an elevation of 16,066 feet (4,897 meters).

Interestingly, until 2006, there was no specific name given to the highest peak and it was only known as a part of a group of mountains known as Vinson Massif, according to livescience.com.

What are the temperatures like?

According to the site, temperatures in the Ellsworth Mountains average around minus 20 degrees F (minus 30 C), making it the coldest of the Seven Summits in Antarctica. It is, thus, considered that the best period for ‘climbing is December through February during Antarctic summer, when temperatures rise to minus 29 F (minus 20 C) and the sun is out 24 hours a day’, the website reads. It is said that the cold, windy conditions make the climb difficult.

How much does it cost?

According to rmiguides.com, it costs $44300 (Rs 32, 45, 661) with a deposit of $5000 (Rs 3, 66, 377.50) for a 20-day period. Due to the remoteness of the location, the cost is said to be higher.