Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 1979-80: VUWAE 24
APPENDIX II ITINERARIES
page 48
APPENDIX II ITINERARIES
Event 11a - Beacon Studies
Dec 2 | Preparing field gear for field put in |
3 | Helo delay - not scheduled |
3 | Pyne, Ross and Walker put in by Helo (late afternoon) at Mt. Fleming |
5 | Reconnaissance to edge of icefalls overlooking the Wright Upper Glacier |
6 | Heavy falling snow, tent day and built igloo Latrine |
7 | Geological reconnaissance from camp site to the summit. Attempt to find reported occurrence of fossil bivalves was unsuccessful. Alan's birthday celebration. |
8 | Tent day |
9-14 | Worked on Weller Coal Measures outcrops - south ridge of Mt. Fleming |
15 | Prepatory food and fueld dump carried to Plateau level by Pyne, Ross and Walker for Horseshoe Mt. camp site |
16 | Tent day - marginal conditions for walk to Horseshoe Mt. |
17 | Pyne, Ross and Walker walk to Horseshoe Mt; single tent camp erected |
18-20 | Work at Horseshoe Mt. |
21 | Pyne, Ross and Walker return to Mt. Fleming camp. Equipment and rock samples left for later pick up by Helo |
22 | Pyne, Ross and Walker moved to Vanda Station by Helo (opportunity basis) |
23 | Acclimitisation at "Vanda Oasis" |
24 | Pyne, Ross and Walker accompanied by Tony Oliver (Event 1; M.O.W.) climb to Mt Jason to examine lower Beacon Supergroup exposures |
25 | Christmas Dinner |
26 & 27 | Waiting for Helo, return to Mt. Fleming |
28 | Pyne, Ross and Walker return to Mt. Fleming (late afternoon) and pick up Horseshoe Mt. equipment and samples |
29 & 30 | Remaining work on coal measures completed |
31 | Tent day |
Jan 1 | Examination of Aztec Siltstone exposures (north ridge) for fish fossils |
2 | Pyne, Ross and Walker to Shapeless Mt. |
3-6 | Work at Shapeless Mt. |
7 | Pyne, Ross and Walker to Scott Base |
8-11 | Packing field gear and remaining MSSTS equipment for shipment to Wellington |
12 | Ross and Walker to Christchurch |
15 | Pyne to Christchurch |
Post MSSTS (after Dec 1) | |
Days at Scott Base | 9 |
Days in field | 34 |
Travel | 8page 49 |
Tent days and Helo waits | 9 |
Work | 25 |
Days in Antarctica (includes MSSTS project) | |
Pyne | 91 |
Ross | 88 |
Walker | 83 |
Event 11b - Cenozoic Studies (Itinerary: includes area covered)
Dec 5 | Departed Scott Base 1640 hrs for Coombs Hills via Marble Point (refueling). Camp established at approximately 2000 m, 5 km northwest of Mt Brooke; overlooking the Odell Glacier. Before returning the helicopter briefly deposited the party (in perfect weather conditionw) on small terrace at western end of summit ridge of Mt Brooke. The helicopter altimeter suggests the peak to be well over 2800 m (cf. 1:250 000 Convoy Range map). |
6 | Traversed north and east from campsite and returned via Odell Glacier. Weather overcast. |
7 | Traversed west and south from campsite and then completed a circuit via the northern foot of Mt Brooke back to camp from the south southeast. Weather overcast. |
8 | Gale. Tent day. |
9 | Gale. Tent day. |
10 | Gale. Tent day. |
11 | Gale. Tent day. |
12 | Traversed eastern flank of Mt Brooke and 2 km along southern ridge. (The party was first lifted from campsite to the northeastern foot of Mt Brooke by helicopter returning to McMurdo Station from S.058 (Allen Hills)). Returning again along the eastern side of Mt Brooke the party then climbed the northern face up onto the terrace at the western end. Without the guiding of Woodford this climb would not have been completed. On the terrace Brady succeeded in excavating a fossil glacial striated pavement. |
13 | Rest day - a.m. Odell Glacier, north of camp - p.m. |
14 | Weather conditions marginal. Fine but with gale force winds exceeding 30 knots. Traversed west to the Plateau edge. |
15 | Moved by helicopter to new campsite on north side of Coombs Hills approximately 3.5 km west of Curreen Glacier. The campsite, on very rough moraine, was in a tributary cirque at the glacier edge (ca. 1600 m). Traversed (climbed) southeast through Coombs Hills and then turned northwest to ascend high country overlooking the Odell Glacier. |
16 | Gale. Tent day. |
17 | Stayed in vicinity of camp awaiting helicopter shift. Finally cancelled due to bad weather in McMurdo Sound region. |
18 | Weather fine but helicopter movements cancelled due to bad weather in McMurdo Sound region. Traversed along Odell Glacier side, around northeastern end of Coombs Hills onto the Curreen Glacier. Excellent exposure of pre-Pleistocene tills examined.page 50 |
19 | Moved 1700 hrs to Bull Pass. Camp set up at twin tarns at 625 m. H. Brady returned to Scott Base. |
20 | Traversed southeastern ridge of Mt Jason (to approximately 1400 m) and then descended to floor of Wright Valley (to approximately 160 m) collecting specimens for fission track analysis. Returned to campsite. |
21 | Crossed via Bull Pass to southern shore of Lake Vida and then ascended northern face of Mt Cerberus to 1400 m collecting specimens for fission track analysis. Continued on through Olympus Range back to Bull Pass. |
22 | Returned by helicopter to Scott Base arriving approximately 1400 hrs. |
Post MSSTS (After December 3) | |
Days at Scott Base | appx.7 |
Days in the field | 17 |
Travel | 3 |
Tent days and helo waits | 7 |
Work | 7 |
Days in Antarctica (includes MSSTS project) | |
Brady | 35 |
McKelvey | 43 |
Event 11c - Slope Processes
Dec. 4-7 | Preparing field gear, Scott Base |
8 | Waghorn and Wright to Pearse Valley by Helo. |
8-12 | Work in upper and lower Pearse Valley mapping moraines. |
13 | Waghorn and Wright to Scott Base |
14 | Waghorn and Wright to Christchurch. |
Post MSSTS (after Dec. 3) | |
Days at Scott Base | 4 |
Days in the field | 6 |
Travel | 3 |
Tent days etc. | 0 |
Work | 5 |
Days in Antarctica (includes MSSTS project) | |
Waghorn | 59 |
Wright | 59 |
Event 12 - Marine Seismic Survey
Feb. 5 | K12 party Christchurch to Scott Base |
7 | Board USCG icebreaker "Glacier" at McMurdo Station |
7-11 | Seismic survey begun in McMurdo Sound |
11-20 | Return to Wellington onboard "Glacier"page 51 |
Days at Scott Base | 2 |
Work days onboard | 4 |
Travel days onboard | 10 |
Days onboard "Glacier" (in Antarctica and return to Wgtn) | 14 |
Event 13 - Dry Valleys Gravity Survey
Dec. 7 | Scott Base preparing equipment. |
8 | Sissons, Miller by helo to Camp I on Taylor G1. at head of Pearse Valley. |
9 | Camp I to Northwest Mountain and return by motor toboggan, 7 gravity stations. |
10 | Camp I to Arena Valley and return by motor toboggan, 1 gravity station. |
11 | Camp I down Pearse Valley to moraine overlooking Lake Joyce and return on foot, 8 gravity stations. |
12 | At Camp I weather fine but windy. |
13 | Camp I to Trig 1267 in Friis Hills and return on foot, 1 gravity station. |
14 | Camp I to Finger Mountain and return by motor toboggan, 1 gravity station. Camp I to Camp II on the Taylor Glacier near Lake Joyce by motor toboggan with 1 sledge. |
15 | Camp II to lowest altitude gravity station in Pearse Valley and return on foot. |
16 | At Camp II, fine but windy. |
17 | Camp II to true right of Taylor G1. near Knob head by toboggan, 1 Gravity station toboggan break, return to Camp II on foot. |
18 | At Camp II to true left of Taylor G1. 3 km upstream and return, on foot, 1 gravity station. |
20 | At Camp II awaiting move by helo. |
21 | Camp II to Camp III at snout of Howard G1. by helo, 7 gravity stations observed en route. |
22 | Camp III to New Harbour and return on foot, 6 gravity stations. |
23 | Camp III to 3 km upstream in Taylor Valley and return, on foot, 1 gravity station. Camp III to Lake Fryxell and return, on foot, 1 barometric height observation. |
24 | Helo to Scott Base. |
25 to 29 | At Scott Base. |
30 | Scott Base, New Harbour, Bernacchi Bay, Cape Chocolate, Scott Base by Helo. Gravity tie far end stations of sea ice gravity survey. |
31 | Scott Base Blue Glacier Daley Is. Scott Base by helo. 9 gravity station. |
Jan. 1-2 | At Scott Base. |
3 | Scott Base, Taylor Valley, lower Ferrar Valley Scott Base, gravity tie by Helo. |
4 | Sissons to Christchurch. |
5-8 | Miller at Scott Base. |
9 | Miller by helo Scott Base, Daley Is, Cape Chocolate, Brown Penn, Black Is, Scott Base, 5 gravity stations.page 52 |
10 | At Scott Base. |
11 | By helo. Scott Base, Cape Reyds, Cape Bind, Cape Evans, Scott Base, Windless Bight, Cape Evans, Scott Base, 9 gravity stations. |
12 | By helo to Vanda. Small scale gravity survey in Wright Valley. |
13-15 | At Vanda. |
16 | Vanda to Scott Base. |
Post MSSTS (after Dec. 3) | ||
Sissons | Miller | |
Days at Scott Base | 16 | 24 |
Days in field | 16 | 19 |
Travel | 3 | 5 |
Tent days and helo waits | 4 | 4 |
Work | 18 | 22 |
Days in Antarctica (includes MSSTS project) | |
Miller | 65 |
Sissons | 128 |