Observation Hill

Observation Hill, or Ob Hill is just outside of town and has a trail going up to the peak and a loop trail around the base.  I went on the loop trail this morning after work and took these photos.  An amazing clear blue sky day, hardly any wind and almost 30 degrees, so very nice morning for a walk.  It took me about 75 minutes (not sure of the route length) but I hope to move faster once the snow and ice on the trail are gone.  It reminded me of hiking in the Haleakala Crater on Maui.  Different temp's but same volcanic rock and dusty trail.  (I know it's been awhile but does it look sorta familiar Vern?)

Trail route sign.

Trail along the hillside.

Most of the snow has melted and the trail is well used.

Ob Hill peak (223m) in the background.

One large icy patch on the trail.

Pressure Ridges

Pressure ridges occur at the edge of the ice shelf near McMurdo. They are formed by the collision of sea ice against the permanent ice shelf. The ridges display a myriad of forms which are stunningly beautiful. Cracks which form within the ridges provide conduits for Weddell seals to haul out onto the ice shelf to rest and sun themselves. An area of incredible beauty that I got to see (instead of sleep) on a Recreation boondoggle.  A Rec boondoggle is an activity set up by the awesome folks in the Rec Dept to let those who sign up in time get out of McMurdo for a trip or activity.  It's been tough being on the night shift, but fortunately there was a 7am trip for midrats.  Midrats is short for "midnight rations" the midnight meal, and has become by default, the term used for night shift workers as well.

Ice pressure ridges with Castle Rock & Mt Erebus in the background.

Amazing!

A melt pool among the pressure ridges.

 

The group following the flagged route thru the pressure ridges.

Early explorers discovering the pressure ridges! It was 7 am, after all...

I love Mt Erebus, the clouds and steam are constantly changing.

Castle Rock and Mt Erebus, an active volcano steaming in the background.

 

Weddell Seal.

Nap time...bye!

Stuck in a Rut

One of four new 15 Passenger V10 4x4 Ford vans in McMurdo.

Another view of a new van out at the airfield.

The move from the Ice Runway to Pegasus ( "Plegasus Pergatory" ) happened this week.  This is the move from the ice runway about a mile from McMurdo to the airfield on the permanent ice shelf 14 miles from town.  The road is new and very soft, easily gutted and rough, bouncy and bad.  Fortunately,  it's a rite of passage as almost everyone gets stuck and Fleet Operations (Fleet Ops) has the equipment to pull us out.

I'm stuck in a rut!  The first day of Pegasus airfield shuttle runs and the road was not ready for traffic.  It had no time to set up and harden, so the road was all soft snow and very rough, "It's a Rodeo" as fellow shuttle driver Elisha desribed it.

I moved over to the really soft side to let another vehicle pass and immediately sunk into the soft snow.  Fleet Ops are the guys with the big equipment and I was out and on my way in minutes.

The next day I got stuck going to the Pegasus Airfield Tower.  This road hasn't been used much, so it's very soft.  Again, a call on the radio and Fleet Ops was there in minutes to pull me out.

  

Buried in snow.  We carry shovels in every vehicle, but it's faster and easier on the roads to have Fleet Ops pull you out.  They have big Cat tractors called Challengers with rubber tracks that work great.

Really stuck in a rut and calling for help on the radio.

Yep, it's buried...

Stuck in a rut, again.

New trailers for hauling ECW's and gear.

Nice van, Not stuck.

Even big orange Delta's get stuck

Delta Dawn stuck in the snow.  It may not look like stuck, but I just spun my tires and sank lower and lower...  I tried crabbing but wasn't getting out of the hole, so I called Fleet Ops for a tow.

Spring in McMurdo

It's like breakup in Alaska in April - wet and muddy.  McMurdo is on Ross Island, a volcanic speck just off the Antarctic continnent, so it gets muddy as the snow melts.  The snow and ice roads get soft and squishy.  It's a challenging time to drive.

Snow flurries and a cargo Delta, Spring in McMurdo.

  

My room with the Xmas lights hung & calendar photos on my wall (thanks Merrie!).

The main drag in McMurdo, wet and muddy.

A passenger Delta in the snow. 

Grafitti on the side of a shipping container.

Burke in his MAD MAX party costume.  Great party Fuelies!

 Title: "Stuff under the snow".  After the snow melts you see all kinds of junk.

A challenger from Fleet Ops pulling out a Delta.

The transition from the island to the ice, melting and soft.

A melting and freezing cycle on a snow bank.

My Green Sanctuary

McMurdo Shuttles

Dispatch, October 28, 2011

It's very COLD here every day (duh, what did you expect?)  The wind is especially bitter and biting. The wind chills make it feel like's it's 40 below.  I dress in 3 or 4 layers and my face, hands and feet are always cold. As an example: a pair of sock liners, lightweight wool socks and then heavyweight wool socks and boots. Long underwear tops and bottoms, poly shirt, wool shirt and insulated bid overalls.  When i go outside I add glove liners, gloves, neck gaiter, baklaca, wool cap, big red parka and sometimes goggles.  If the wind isn't blowing too bad it's not too bad.

I work in Shuttles as an operator, Shuttles is part of MCC which is part of ATO.  We use a lot of abbreviations and are on military time here at McMurdo.  Since this is an old Navy base a lot of military slang is still in use, for example the dining hall is called the galley.  The Shuttles office is in building 140, where Cargo and the post office are located.  I get to see Dave, Kelly , Kathy and Amy most every day, so that's cool.  I live upstairs in building 155 (Big Blue) and that is where the galley, store, library, computer room, laundry, barber and craft room are located.  It's very convienent and I work just across the street.

There are 26 Shuttle drivers and we all get along fine.  Well honestly, there are one or two that are a bit challenging.  I work 12 hour days and the days are split up between 4 or 5 different job tasks, so you never have to do any one thing all day.  It adds variety and prevents burnout and I think its great!  As an example, today I did 4 hours of town taxi, 3 hours of dispatch, a happy camper pick up and 3 hours of Airfield shuttle runs.

Pressure ridges near Scott base.

The blue Highway, the snow ice road to the airfield.

McMurdo dorm made famous by the Eagles (only kidding).

The front of building 140, the ATO, MCC and Shuttles.

The McMurdo Post Office.  Kathy, an old friend from Alaska, is the Postmaster.

The FNG's, Adrian, Elisha and Melanie in the Shuttles office.