Yesterday members of the first, second, and fourth waves took a well-earned day off (except Elio, who’s crazy). After failing to join a Cape Evans tour as alternates, Laura, Juan, and I walked the Castle Rock Loop. It was a gorgeous day, and it was good to go for a long-ish hike (at 7 miles, Castle Rock Loop is the longest recreational hike available here). Hikers are also allowed to climb Castle Rock, which I am adding to my to do list for later in the trip.
- A new vantage point on McMurdo. It’s still ugly
- On our way
- Rock Tough
- We had trouble finding the start. This road goes to Arrival Heights, which is off limits
- Little frozen lake, with pylon
- After a little while of wandering, we reach the beginning
- Slow and clouds
- Skiing the route is also popular. A few started out just ahead of us
- Apple shelter, for keeping apples fresh
- Castle Rock and Mount Erebus
- Juan walks away
- Juan poses in front of Castle Rock
- Then Laura
- Mount Erebus surrounded by the remnants of the morning’s clouds
- Flag. I like flags
- Castle Rock
- The road there, after our break in the Apple
- The sky cleared up a lot during our break
- Still not quite there
- Getting there. It feels about the same distance away for a long time
- The next apple, and one of the lesser hills
- Almost there, and the sun comes out
- The other side
- A truck winds its way away from us, before disappearing in the snowy hills
- Break Time
- Another flag, this one used to be red. The colour code is not respected on this trail anyway (except black. Black is always bad.)
- Laura Smile
- And we’re off again
- On this side, the permanent ice stretches out into nothingness
- Leave Only Footprints
- Juan starts heading down the hill to the ice shelf
- Scott Base and the pressure ridges, visible as we round the corner
- At a few spots heading down the hill there are crevasses marked
- Including a split in the road at the base. It’s thin, but deep
- Icy hill in the sun
- Laura and Hill
- Another Break
- Laura gets all cozy
- The path back along the ice. Straight almost all the way to Scott Base
- Still more snow and sky. There’s a lot of that stuff here
- With the bright sun it gets really warm. Juan and I take the parkas off
- Snow, Clouds, Sun
- The hills, as they start to descend toward Scott Base
- We head to a kiwi shelter for our second sheltered break
- Juan Relaxing
- Outside, I pose for a few pictures on my camera
- I might get other pictures of me later
- Too much landscape? Too bad!
- Underhill
- Kiwi Crossing
- Multichromatic Cloud
- Laura Looks On
- Random building. One of a pair between McMurdo and Scott Base
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