Winter trips

The Camp at Trident on my first winter trip. On the left is my pyramid tent, the skidoos and sledge off to the left and toilet tent to the right. The  pyramid tent to the right belongs to Zac and Tom who were also camping there that week. 

There are five field guides at Rothera this winter, and part of our duties are to take the other seventeen others who are based here out on winter trips. These seventeen each get two winter trips, one pre mid winter, and one post mid winter. A winter trip usually involves one field guide and one other heading off on skidoo and camping on the ice  for four or five days. When out people tend to go skiing or mountaineering, or exploring crevasses.

Mucky the Plumber who I took out on my first trip near the top of one of the local mountains Biff .

These trips allow people to get out base, explore the local area, and have a bit of a break from their work. It is also very good training for us field guides as the equipment and techniques used are very similar to those used during the summer when looking after scientist when out in the deep field (and doing science is Antarctica is what BAS is all about). 

Full moon rising over the camp. This picture was taken on my third trip when we were the only team there. On that particular trip the the only clear weather we got was at night.

I had three pre-midwinter trips. In all three cases I ended up camping at a place called Trident East. On the first trip the weather was pretty good, but was a bit more mixed on the second trip, and very Scottish on the 3rd trip. However, I did managed to get some good mountaineering done, and had a good explore of the Stokes peaks. Having got comfortable with the the whole set up I am keen to get further afield on my second set of winter trips which start towards the end of July. 

The camp at night with the pyramids glowing softly from the Tilly lamps which are used for heat and light. 

Some easy mountaineering on another of the local peaks; N2. The black dots in the background are the skidoos and sledge

On the first trip, the other two teams camping at Trident East popped round to out tent for whiskey fueled evening discussion. When they left they stole our cheese!

The Trident East campsite.