yesterday flew to mt erebus (the southern-most active volcano) to set up an acclimitization camp at 8000 ft. well, strictly speaking we weren't on mt erebus, but on the fang glacier between erebus and fang ridge. the day was amazing! we could not have asked for better weather. warm, sunny, NO wind. plus the helo pilot gave us a treat and flew right over the crater and around and tipped so we could see down. so cool. and during the approach to the mountain, because there was no wind, we could see smoke rising not just from crater but also from the various fumaroles along the ridge. big ice towers with smoke coming out of them. we also flew over the old crashed helicopter.
we were sucking wind coming from sea level then immediately working. setting up scott tents, hammering, shoveling, schlepping. and did a macgiver fix-it job on the hf radio. they made radio contact with mac-ops just as we heard the rotor of the approaching helo. they scrambled to get the radio inside and tent closed up tight while i scrambled to secure all our bags to keep them being blown away in rotorwash. shoved everything in duffels and laid my body across as many as i could.
then we flew home in time for dinner. i slept well that night.
