South Pole Dome

After thirty-five years serving as the iconic image of the South Pole the aluminum geodesic dome will be gone just a week before I arrive.  With the dedication of the new station last year the dome was declared redundant and has been mostly dismantled this summer, and by the time I arrive in two weeks it will be completely gone.  Even the hole it had scooped for itself in the shifting snow will be filled in. The dome sheltered station operations and housing for decades and was the South Pole Station since 1975.  I'm sorry to miss the opportunity to walk under it.

From people currently at the pole I hear that scheduling meetings have begun for personnel returning to the US - the first sign that the summer season is drawing to a close.  The station will close for the winter in mid February when it becomes to cold to fly, and by then all 200 summer workers must be gone. Only the winterovers will remain.  A few people like me who are winter-only have yet to arrive.

Meanwhile, here in the warm part of the planet I have eight days before my own deployment but about a month of things left to do.


Linked dome photo: Ethan Goode
B&W dome photo: Forest Banks