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