South Pole Emperor Odyssey 2015
Dec 04
#10: successful trip
Published at 11:53
At midnight my team flew back to Cape Town, a day early due to approaching bad weather. They , and I, were very happy with the trip, everything went pretty much to schedule. We had the usual delays and waiting and setbacks but Antarctica rewards the patient. It was a magical team this year, such great company and very appreciative of all that wild Antarctica had to offer.
Now I am at the ALCI Airbase making final preparations for my solo expedition to the peaks of Ulvetanna and Holtana in the Drygalski mountains. I will pick up some stove fuel, make a comms plan with the radio room, check the weather and take off into the icy wilderness, hopefully with a following wind so I can use my kites. But here is bad weather forecast for the next two days so we will see about my departure.
This morning I tested a self-arrest system on my sled that I designed back home in the Australian summer, with not a speck of snow around. The system uses 2 sharpened bars that penetrate into the snow if I fall in a crevasse, arresting my fall. I was dubious of it's effectiveness but I tested it on a cornice outside my cabin and...it worked. I couldn't quite believe it worked so well. I tested it again and again and each time it held me and I could climb out with my full weight on it. I don't expect it to work on bare ice but maybe I will be surprised by that too. Needless to say, I don't expect the system will need to be used.
Pic of my sled with the self-arrest system.
Eric
Now I am at the ALCI Airbase making final preparations for my solo expedition to the peaks of Ulvetanna and Holtana in the Drygalski mountains. I will pick up some stove fuel, make a comms plan with the radio room, check the weather and take off into the icy wilderness, hopefully with a following wind so I can use my kites. But here is bad weather forecast for the next two days so we will see about my departure.
This morning I tested a self-arrest system on my sled that I designed back home in the Australian summer, with not a speck of snow around. The system uses 2 sharpened bars that penetrate into the snow if I fall in a crevasse, arresting my fall. I was dubious of it's effectiveness but I tested it on a cornice outside my cabin and...it worked. I couldn't quite believe it worked so well. I tested it again and again and each time it held me and I could climb out with my full weight on it. I don't expect it to work on bare ice but maybe I will be surprised by that too. Needless to say, I don't expect the system will need to be used.
Pic of my sled with the self-arrest system.
Eric
- Name: ALCIAirbase
- Elevation: 545 m
- Latitude: 79° 49’ 22” South
- Longitude: 11° 38’ 47” East
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