Ice Stories
Exploratorium Home

IceCube Dispatches


The Pegasus Wreck

SOUTH POLE, ANTARCTICA-- Soon after we took off I saw something in the snow from the window and I took a photograph of it. When I zoomed in on the photo I discovered that it was a crashed plane!...



Pressure Ridges

MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA-- Today I visited the (New Zealand) Scott Base. The New Zealand base is next to some spectacular pressure ridges, which are caused by tides where the sea ice meets the land...



Climbing Castle Rock

MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA-- After we arrived in McMurdo, the first thing we did was get checked out safety-wise to climb Castle Rock. Every time I go to McMurdo I have wanted to hike this famous spot, and this year I finally got my chance...



Back to Pole

SOUTH POLE, ANTARCTICA-- I am on my way to the South Pole for the 6th time. On the flight from Los Angeles to Sydney I flew down on the new Airbus A380, a double-decker plane. I took this movie of the tailcam feed as the plane took off...



Interview with Todd Carmichael

SOUTH POLE STATION, ANTARCTICA-- In November 2008, Todd Carmichael set out on a quest to become the first American to ski from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole solo and unassisted. The South Pole was 600 nautical miles away. Just several miles into the journey, his ski bindings broke. He continued on foot...



Altocumulus Standing Lenticular Clouds

SOUTH POLE STATION, ANTARCTICA-- On December 16, I flew to the South Pole. To get to the pole, we fly on specially outfitted LC-130 Hercules cargo planes which are operated by the New York Air National Guard. These planes have skis on them so they can land on the ice runway...



Pressure Ridges

SOUTH POLE STATION, ANTARCTICA-- Before I left McMurdo, I got a tour of the pressure ridges near Scott Base (the New Zealand station very close to McMurdo). The pressure ridges are formed by tidal forces...



Going Camping in Antarctica

SOUTH POLE STATION, ANTARCTICA-- On December 12/13, I did the Antarctic survival training course, also called "Happy Camper." This course is a prerequisite for going off-base on unguided tours...



Going Under the Ice!

SOUTH POLE STATION, ANTARCTICA-- The day I arrived at McMurdo I ran into Ron Hipschman and John Weller. They told me they were going to go to the "Penguin Ranch" the next day, and I got permission to go with them. I was very lucky!...



Made it to Antarctica

SOUTH POLE STATION, ANTARCTICA-- En route to Antarctica, I spent three days in Christchurch. The weather was nice - a few of the IceCubers played croquet next to the Botanical gardens. On Dec 9 we were scheduled to take a South African Hercules to McMurdo but ended up...