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Often called the last great wilderness, Antarctica is home to four types of lichen, two breeds of flowering plant, four species of penguin, and seven million cubic miles of ice. During winter, temperatures drop to -So°C, and at the height of summer freezing is considered warm. Antarctica, as frequent Antarctic traveler Kris Erickson says, is "the last pure, unspoiled place on earth. There's no other place like it." In terms of adventure, it doesn't get much more exotic. What does one do in Antarctica? Read on. Though Byrd and Shackleton never climbed it, Vinson Massif, at 16,S63 feet, is Antarctica's highest peak and one of the world's Seven Summits. Interested? (www.alpineascents.com). Alpine and Ascents Adventu re International Consultants (www.adventure.co.nz) are the only outfitters offering organized climbs of Vinson . At a cost of $26,000 Alpine Ascents will fly you from Punta Arenas, Chile, on a Hercules C-130 to a staging area at Patriot Hills, Antarctica. After a day or two, hop a ski-equipped Twin Otter to base camp at 7,000 feet. The remaining 10,000 feet are divided into three additional camps and then, finally, hopefully, the summit. A three-week trip altogether, a Vinson ascent requires climbers to be in good, but not superhuman, physical shape. Oh, and don' t worry about bringing a head lamp-December and January days suffer nearly 24 hours of sunshine. If you tire of penguins and icebergs, bring your flippers and do a little diving while you're there. Fur seals, octopuses, and whales swim the pellucid waters under the ice . Most outfitters (Oceanwide Expeditions www.ocnwide.com. Undersea What We See www.Underseadive.com) require divers to be dry-suit certified and have a minimum of 100 dives logged. At the height of the summer the water temperature hovers around 2SoF. Cold, yes, but most people claim not to notice it. And after you've stripped your gear and downed the customary Snickers, sprint to the thermal hot springs to watch the midnight sun dangle high above the horizon. For independent travelers, arranging travel to Antarctica can be frustrating and expensive. Cruises departing Cape Town, South Africa, Christchurch, New Zealand, and Ushuaia, Argentina, last 14 days and can cost from $3,000-$7,000. You' ll have some choice as to the sort of boat used for the trip. Smaller ships offer a more intimate experience of the continent and tend to attract a younger, more adventurous traveler. But on the lO-foot swells of the Drake Passage, a larger boat will be more comfortable even though your shipmates may be golden agers from Florida. Either way, all cruises bring scientists, usually marine biologists, to discuss Antarctica's complex and fragile ecosystem. Air access to the continent is limited to government and scientific use and a few well-connected outfitters. If you're interested in joining a scientific mission, they' re always looking for warm bodies, but you'll have to work. Apply with Raytheon's Polar Services outfit (www.asa.org)forworkasanautomechanic.scientist. firefighter, or construction worker. Qantas offers 12-hour overflights of the continent for $1,200-$3,000. Though the plane never touches down, you' ll see the terrain from as low as 2,000 feet. 52