Beyond the Backyard

Day 6

Location: Ross Ice Shelf
Miles from McMurdo: 311.8
Elevation: 206ft
Weather: Sunny, 11F

We are making great time across the Ice Shelf, sometimes breaking the 10 mile per hour barrier. Two years ago 10 miles an hour was unheard of- as our loads were too heavy back then. The traverse is sleek and fast now. This year we left McMurdo with 144,000 gallons of fuel. The price of fuel once it gets to the South Pole costs approximately $30/gallon burdened. That means we are hauling 4.3 million dollars across a frozen wasteland. Crazy.

Most of the trip so far has been driving in whiteout conditions. It’s a strange experience because you can’t tell up from down. You begin to think you’re side-hilling or going around in a giant circle. I do my best to trust the GPS and occupy myself with music or an audiobook. Last year the traverse had a transmitter so the whole team could listen to an audiobook together on a radio channel. It was like a traverse book club! But unfortunately the transmitter broke and hasn’t been repaired since.

Day 1
Miles Advanced: 46.3
Weather: Sunny, then whiteout
Morale: Highish

This will be my third traverse. Sheeeit. They say you go the first time for the adventure, the second time for the money, and the third time cause you don’t “fit in” anywhere else. Hmmm. Anyway, I’m back- and I’m excited about the journey ahead… for the most part. I’m not entirely enthusiastic because I know from experience that a traverse to the South Pole is STILL the worst journey in the world. Sure, we’ve come a long ways since the time of Amundsen and Scott, and sledging supplies across the continent is a lot easier now. But be warned- when Antarctica bites, you will feel it.

The day started with amazing views of Mt. Erebus and ended with a demoralizing whiteout. We crossed the Shear Zone successfully (no one fell in a crevasse) and all was well. Our crevasse detection expert Zoe Courville scanned the Shear Zone last week and found Mongo (one of the largest crevasses ever discovered and mitigated on our route) opening up again. Apparently its 40 feet wide now! Freakin’ canyons under the ice! Fortunately the snow bridge above it is 40 feet thick so it is still safe to cross. Next year we might have to blow it up though and fill it with snow once again. Which would be cool.