Passageway inside of station
Philip K Swartz - 1960-61 - South Pole Station - Antarcticans Database Project more

Back to thumbnails   Previous     Next   

The station consisted of a series of buildings initially erected on the snow surface and inter-connected with tunnel ways constructed of a lumber frame, covered with chicken-wire, and then covered with burlap or other fabric. The blowing snow rapidly buried the entire station. (Although actual snowfall at the pole is about 6 inches/year.)
This slide shows one of the tunnel ways. Here old oil barrels are used as support piers. Moisture in the air collects as rime on the overhead. The black discoloration extending part way down the wall is dirt and soot from human activities and diesel soot from the building heaters.

Pictures from Philip K Swartz, overwinter, South Pole, 60-61