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Rabat – At 37, Moroccan climber El Mehdi Amezzane is preparing for one of the toughest climbs of his career: Mount Vinson, the highest point in Antarctica at 4,892 meters. He’ll take on the frozen giant with his longtime climbing partner, Adil Taibi, starting December 3.
The mission is part of an expedition, themed “For the Nation, the King, and the Youth.”
Amezzane has already scaled the top peaks of four continents, including Everest (8,849 m), Elbrus (5,642 m), Aconcagua (6,962 m), and Kilimanjaro (5,895 m).
He’s also climbed Morocco’s Mount Toubkal more than 30 times. Known as “the mountain ambassador,” he’s one of the few Moroccan alpinists to reach this level.
He works at Banque Populaire and brings discipline, patriotism, and humility to every climb. As always, he’ll carry a football in his backpack – , a nod to national pride and a tribute to CAN 2025 and the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Part of the Seven Summits, Mount Vinson is not an easy mountain to climb. It was first spotted from the air in 1935 by US aviator Lincoln Ellsworth. It was climbed for the first time in 1966 by Nicholas Clinch and his team.
Located near the South Pole, it’s known for brutal cold, high winds, and total isolation. Conditions can drop below –40°C, with gusts over 100 km/h.
“Every move happens in a hostile polar environment, where the slightest mistake can be fatal,” says Amezzane.
