Ice Stories: Dispatches From Polar Scientists » igloo http://icestories.exploratorium.edu/dispatches Mon, 15 Nov 2010 20:40:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Going Camping in Antarctica http://icestories.exploratorium.edu/dispatches/going-camping-in-antarctica/ http://icestories.exploratorium.edu/dispatches/going-camping-in-antarctica/#comments Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:14:43 +0000 Mark Krasberg http://icestories.exploratorium.edu/dispatches/?p=1449 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. Eight of us were driven to the foot of Mt. Erebus. It was a beautiful windless 37F evening.


Mt. Erebus and its volcanic plume blowing to the right.

Above Mt. Erebus was the sun with incredible sun dogs and a halo around it. This spectacle is caused by ice crystals in the atmosphere, and the north and south poles may be the best places in the world to see this effect.

Our instructor, Nick, said that we were in an excellent area for cutting up snow blocks for building structures (you use a saw). Some of my fellow campers tried to build an igloo (a major technological challenge, and they almost succeeded, but they gave up around 1:00 AM).


My fellow campers and their igloo.

Some built a duplex, and I built an ice cave but ended up sleeping in a Scott tent.


An ice duplex.

My ice cave.

Scott tents are famous for their durability in storms.

The next day we were debriefed on how the night went (the low was a balmy 24F, so we were all pretty comfortable during the night), and we then completed the course (the survival training course is good for five years of traveling in remote parts of Antarctica). Overall the course was a lot of fun, and very interesting!

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