McMurdo Dispatch
Weather: 18F, Winds 2 calm NNW, Sunny, Blue skies
Greetings all,
Well, we are finally getting out of town so I thought I would drop a line before leaving and update you about our plan for this season.
Myself and another mountaineer/medic are leaving tomorrow for the South Pole with six scientist. We will acclimatize there for three days. If everyone is feeling good, then we start flying on Thursday to install the seismic equipment up on the plateau. This involves flying to a site via Twin Otter or Basler, unloading and setting-up 400 pounds of gear. The seismic recording equipment will be placed approximately three feet into the ground and covered. We'll also set up solar charging and data recovery systems at each site. Once we're done, well head back to the Pole. It should take about four hours of on-ground time with a total of 12 hour crew days. So with ten sites planned for setup we're going to have some long days!
My camp crew arrives to the Pole on 15 Dec. and after three days of acclimatization we (including myself) will be flown to AGAP (our altitude camp) via Twin Otter. When we arrive there should be a minimum of two structures (base camp tents) awaiting us. Here is where it gets confusing. While I am down at the Pole the field corps will have flown into AGAP camp via LC-130 and spent one hour on the ground setting-up and dropping-off gear. There will be three of these missions. They are being flown in from sea level to 13,000 feet. There has been a lot of preparation for these folks and we call them the "sacrificial lamb crew" as they are going to be hurting bunches after stepping off that plane at 13,000 feet and setting up big tents without the acclimation that we're accustom to.
When we arrive at AGAP we will acclimatize to the new altitude for three days then begin building camp and a ski-way for the planes. We should be back out of the field by January 20th.
I will have to make a quick run out to have a look at one of our Katabatic Consulting's contract medical support camps, then its back to NZ for a few days of surfing and I return home to Colorado to prepare for the Everest trip.
I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy new Year. Think of me while sitting beside a warm fire or while drinking something warm.
Take care and be safe,
Tayloe
