Tag: South Pole Traverse

Day 12
Miles Advanced: 76.3
Weather: Overcast, 13F

Today we crossed the Shoals- an area known for crevasses. During our scan we found them to be deep and narrow and would not pose a threat. We carried on without incident.

We are within 35 miles of the mountains now and they loom above. Today I watched my map closely because I wanted to see the Axel Heiberg Glacier. The Axel is the river of ice Amundsen used as his ascent route to the polar plateau and eventually the South Pole where he would become the first person to ever set foot there. Even with a map and GPS I had trouble identifying the Axel Heiberg. You can see the base of the mighty glaciers but where they derive is questionable. Amundsen was an amazing navigator, that’s for certain, but he must have also had great intuition. I can see the glacier just as Amundsen and his men would have seen it a hundred years before and I doubt it’s changed much in that course of time. Without a map, I personally would not have chosen the Axel as a possible means to attain the plateau as it makes a severe turn to the west and appears to dead end at the base of the mountains. Obviously, I’m no explorer. Anyway, I don’t think anyone has ever repeated the ascent of the Axel Heiberg. A decade ago some Norwegians on snowmobiles tried but two of them fell in crevasses and one of them died. The Norwegians were rescued but the dead man’s body was never recovered.

Day: 10
Miles Advanced: 75.7
Miles From McMurdo: 488.1
Weather: Ground Storm, wind at 35 knots, 11F
Blue sky above but ground storm persisting. We made good time with no mechanical difficulties save the snow clogged air-filters on the Rinoth. We changed them out and are thawing the frozen ones on the generator. They should be good to go tomorrow.
Crossing the Ross Ice Shelf is a lot like crossing an ocean, except we drive instead of sail. “Water water everywhere but not a drop to drink.” In all directions a white loneliness stretches to the horizon. It’s a humbling sight because it makes you feel small and insignificant.
In the pictures you will see our Incinolet- which burns our crap AND our asses. You will also see Fortner and Jeff doing what they do in the Living Module. And there too is the Kitchen Module. All water comes from the snowmelter, which we fill about two or three times a day.

Day: 7
Miles Advanced: 35.7
Weather: Blowing snow, wind at 40 knots, visibility 50ft.
Nasty weather. We drove for a few hours today but after lunch conditions deteriorated. Visibility was reduced to the point where I could only see the tractor immediately in front. The lead guys with the ground penetrating radar (GPR) had a tough time identifying the trail so for safety reasons we stopped and parked the modules. The gusts of wind were so ferocious they rocked my tractor like ship at sea. We had to fuel our vehicles in that nonsense. In the tractor I had the heat on high while I sipped coffee. I observed the blizzard with a sort of detached fascination. “Cool, there’s blizzard out there!” However, once outside I was met with the realities of the situation head on. I was instantly cold, my hands turned to wood, and my face felt like it was being sandblasted with snow. Not fun.
There are actually two traverses this year. South Pole Traverse 1 (SPoT1) and SPoT2. We are SPoT1. Some people call us the “best of the best”. Anyway, SPoT2 will be departing McMurdo in a couple weeks taking full advantage of the trail we blaze. SPoT1 members are fully aware that every day we sit in camp, SPoT2 is gaining on us. To be honest, I would rather die than have those SPoT2 fucktards steal our glory. In fact, I would rather impale myself on a shovel (hari-kari style), than let SPoT2 get to pole first. They are called #2 for a reason- because they are like poop and don’t deserve privileges that SPoT1 has worked so hard for.