Field Travel Training Part 1

For those people that are Survival Trained, the next step is Field Travel Training.  It's mandatory for Winter Personnel, but can also be done by Summer Personnel who are keen like me, to get away from the Station and enjoy some time hiking in the Vestfold Hills.

Our trip started on the 22nd of December and we caught a red and white to Trajer Ridge Melon.

Trajer Ridge from the air.

Trajer Ridge Melon

Looking inside the Melon

Mike inside the Melon with all the luxuries you need.  The wine bottles were empty and only used for holding candles.  We stayed the night here after walking around the ridge and up near the plateau most of the afternoon.  Dinner was too good for hiking, we had steak and veges, cooked by Mike our Field Training Officer.  His rewared and our other Field Training Officer Dave was to bivvy outside the melon for the night, while we enjoyed the cosiness of the melon.

Learning to traverse ice slopes.

Nichol talking to his girlfriend on his satphone.  In the background you can make out the plateau.

My camping buddies for this trip

Standing in front of a "Wind Scour".

Ice overhang. 

It was above this cliff that I ventured a little close to the edge for Mike's liking and for good reason.  Lesson learnt: If you can't see the terrain on the other slope stay right away.

 The very eastern edge of the Vestold Hills.  Behind me looking like cloud is the plateau and the real Antarctica  Not really interesting if white is not your colour. 

 

"Ice Climbing"