Hut Point Ridge Hike

Today was Sunday, which means I had the day off, so I decided to head out on a little hike along the Hut Point Ridgeline trail, not far from McMurdo.  The hike itself is only about 2.9 miles round trip, so nothing major.  If you go on any of the farther hikes you are actually required to complete a whole check out process before you can leave; notify the fire department, check out a radio, fill out some paperwork, etc.  That way if you don’t show up or check in at your estimated time back, search and rescue teams are notified and it becomes a pretty serious issue.  But, since we were just heading out around town it wasn’t necessary for this hike.

When we started out, there was relatively no wind and clear skies, the temperature was probably around +5F or so, which is actually warmer than it has been lately.  On our way we came across a seal laying out on the ice, so we stopped and checked it out for a min and then we headed up the face of the ridge.  As you hike up the ridge there are some pretty awesome views all the way around.  On one side you have the frozen Ross Sea and on clear days you can look out across and see the mountains on the opposite side shore.  On the other side, there are various other ridges and mountains and a good view of McMurdo as well.  The trail itself wasn’t too bad, but it is steep in sections and can be pretty slippery, the lava rock is also sharp and can be challenging to walk on at times. 

As we headed up, the wind continued to get stronger and steadier.  By the time we reached the top of the series of ridges, the wind was so strong and cold that it was literally hard to stand.  There were times when I could lay back with all of my weight into the wind and be completely supported.  The wind in Antarctica is tricky and can be hard to predict, for the most part it doesn’t just come in gusts, when it blows, it blows hard and steady, and it doesn’t stop. 

So anyways, we pressed on and we were able to make it back with no issues, but it was interesting to see just how fast the wind can shift and how deceiving the weather can be down here.  When we started out there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, but with the wind blowing I would say the temps were well below zero.  There are a few other popular hikes around that I hope to get to soon, hopefully it won’t be blowing quite as hard next time!