19 October, 2003

Castle Rock - A Sunday Walk.

Last night during the Real Audio broadcast, an audience member asked if I had gone to Castle Rock, well today I did. It was a pretty lousy day too. The winds were strong and the snow was blowing. But we went anyway. You have to go in groups and you must check out at the fire station with a radio. It is a 7 mile loop that takes about six hours or less. We stopped half way at an emergency shelter because for a brief moment the snow was blinding. In the shelter we started the stove and had tea, ate a few of the left over crackers and headed back through Scott Base to McMurdo. A Sunday walk.

Thanks to the students and others who helped out at my school to present Antarctica night, and special thanks to Dr. Chris Matthews, Gary and Susan Klinkhammer who gave wonderful lectures about their experiences in Antarctica.

The trail head starts high above McMurdo near Arrival Heights. It is much windier up here.

The road to Castle Rock. There are glacial fields along the path, once a group tried to shortcut the flagged route and fell into the crevasse, two people died there. We are being safe.

Along the trail are survival huts called apples. The weather can get very severe up here.

Inside the hut are sleeping bags, stove, food, and first aid kit. I also discovered this Australian Koala bear who is both a Doctor and a part time scientist.

Castle Rock sits on a ridge at the center of Ross Island, on one side is the Ross Ice Shelf, and on the other Erebus Bay.

Black flags indicate a crevasse.

End of the Road.