Station Tour

December 9-12, 2013
McMurdo Station

This staircase connects Science Cargo and
the Berg Field Center so we take these a lot.
Everytime I see this I wonder whether I'm
running like a chicken with my head cut off

This week was smattered with packing and trainings to get ready for our field season.  Highlights were Skidoo training, which involved taking the vehicles for a test drive on the sea ice, the holiday party in Crary Labs, and an unruly game of Jenga in Coffeehouse.  Our scientific equipment was shipped down to the station prior to our arrival.  The camping gear we requested was stored in a large locker in the Science Cargo building, which we then organized into boxes for the field.  We also assembled sleep kits which include one mummy sleeping bag, one fleece liner, pillow, inflatable and foam sleeping pads for insulation from the ice, mirror, and two nalgenes for clean and waste water.  

On Thursday we went "grocery shopping" for camp food.  There is a mini store on the second floor of the Science Cargo building, where one of the staff scans the items as you take them without paying.  Unfortunately, the dumbwaiter was out of order so we made many trips up and down the stairs to get all of our food together.  Since the flight has limited capacity, we try to keep the weight down by avoiding liquids.  However, we couldn't resist bringing two cartons of eggnog, which will make Christmas in the field much merrier.  We pack the dry food in cardboard boxes and the frozen food in wooden rock boxes.  For someone who usually does not eat meat, I couldn't fathom how we were going to get through all the meat we packed: a box of white fish, a box of sausages and pork, a box of bacon and chicken, a box of steak, a box of shrimp and scallops and lunch meat.

Trail up Observation Hill. Science Cargo building is grey in mid-ground.

After spending an afternoon indoors with my math exam, I went on a quick jaunt up Observation Hill.  230m tall, it provides great views of McMurdo Station, Scott Base, Mt. Erebus, Mt. Discovery, White Island and Black Island

Volcanic rock behind plaque

My annotated map of McMurdo

I'm going to share a few of the sights of McMurdo with you, but really the best place to go if you want to explore is Google Maps.  They have panoramic views around the station and within some of the buildings.

Wins the award for most remote bus stop

Spacious dorms.  Can't escape the blinding light.

Troll Bridge

A healthy dose of holiday spirit

Fitness Center

Science Support Center, where we started our Happy Camper and Skidoo training

NSF Chalet

Building 155: cafeteria, dorms, station store, radio station, and much more

McMurdo General Hospital

Mt. Discovery on the far left, Royal Society Range on the right.

Crary Laboratories

Crary foyer, decorated for the holidays

The backbone of Crary, leading down to Phase 2 and 3.  My office is in Phase 2.
I don't think the ramps were built for handicap accessbility - they are far too steep.
There are staging areas at the ends of the building, one of which the CReSIS
(remote sensing) group is using to assemble an unmanned aircraft

Chapel of the Snows.  To me, it completes the picture of a frontier town

Arguably the coolest building in town

Helicopter Pad