Observation Hill

Last night around 8:00pm I decided to go for a hike up Observation Hill.  Ob Hill is probably the most popular hike here at McMurdo and because it is so steep, it makes for a good work out.  I had already made the climb once earlier in the season, but two of my buddies were going up for the first time so I decided to join them.  The hike itself only takes around an hour round trip, but it is really steep, and is basically straight up hill the whole time, and the whole way you are walking along steep ledges and loose jagged lava rock. 

 At the top of Ob Hill there are awesome views in every direction, and you can look out and get a good look at Mt Erebus, White Island, Black Island, and in the distance we could even see the open water, which is rumored to now be about 20 miles north of McMurdo.  A little later in the year a huge “ice breaker” ship comes in and smashes up all the ice surrounding McMurdo, this is when there is a chance of seeing more marine life, like killer whales etc.  The Ice Runway/airport is also in the process of being relocated to the Pegasus runway, which is several miles further out.  They do this every year around this time to make way for the thawing Ross Sea before the ice starts to crack and break up. 

 There is also a cross that has been placed at the top of Observation Hill that has been there since 1913.  The cross was put there to commemorate captain Scott and his party, who lost their lives on their return journey from the South Pole almost 100 years ago.  So, we found a place out of the wind and hung out up there for about an hour or so before making our way back down to the dorms.  Overall not a bad hike, next on the agenda is Castle Rock, which is quite a bit further, and takes you closer to Mt Erebus (the volcano).  So I am going to try and do that one on Sunday depending on the weather.