Ariful Islam/Guwahati

On the eve of New Year, The US-based mountaineer Hedayat Ali of Assam fluttered the floral gamocha, a white and red scarf that is the symbol of Assamese pride, at the top of Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica.

Hedayat Ali, a member of Explorers, an adventure sports organization of Guwahati, completed his expedition amidst minus 45 degree Celsius. He achieved the feat on December 24, but the news could only come out of the icy landscape on New Year's day due to communication difficulties.

Hedayat Ali at Mount Everest

Ali has already climbed five other peaks on five other continents. He has earlier scaled the 29,035-foot Mount Everest in Asia, Mount Aconcagua in South America (22,838 feet), Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa (19,341 feet), and Mount Elbrus in Europe (18,510 feet) and Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest peak (7,310 feet).

His next move is to climb Denali (Mount McKinley, 20,310 feet), the highest mountain in North America. As and when he does it, Ali would become the first Assamese mountaineer to scale the seven highest peaks of seven continents.

Hedayat Ali at the base camp of Mount Vinson

Another mountaineer from Assam, Manish Deka, has climbed the six highest peaks of six continents. For her, only the American continent is left to scale.

Ali, who scaled Mount Everest successfully in 2022 at the age of 51, left San Francisco on December 14 for the Antarctic expedition.

He arrived at the base camp on December 20 after landing on the Union Glacier in Antarctica on December 18. He started his expedition from summit camp towards the peak at 10 am on December 24. The hike continued despite the severe cold waves and strong winds.

Hedayat Ali at his home

Ali reached the summit of the Vinson Massif at 6.05 pm.

Ali hoisted the flags of the Explorers, Goalpara Sainik School, and Jorhat Engineering College where he studied.

ALSO READ: Hedayet Ali thought he was dead just below Everest peak

He is expected to return to his home in San Francisco Sunday night.