Week 49 at the Pole

Sun halo filling the sky above snow tractor traverse hauling fuel across the ice.
Daniel Schieffelin, PAE

It’s always exciting to see the South Pole traverse show up at the Pole. SPOT, as this long, multi-tractored caravan is called, arrived last week bearing essential fuel and cargo. You can see the fuel bladders in the foreground of the image above, which shows off a nice sun halo in the clear sky. This was the first of several planned traverses for the season. A dedicated crew of 14 “spotters” safely reached their destination after a long, hard journey that began 30 days earlier from McMurdo Station. They remain at the Pole for a few days, while the cargo is unloaded, and took the opportunity to take a guided tour of the IceCube Lab, below. Last year around this holiday season, the station’s gingerbread competition featured a South Pole traverse entry.

Masses of orange computer cables surrounding small group in lab coats listening to guide (wearing face mask) inside the IceCube Lab.
Aman Chokshi, SPT/NSF