Our team has entered a different mode. Firstly, the Pistenbullys only need three drivers so the remaining nine persons will have to spend long hours inside the dome while it is pulled along. However, we have an extra Pistenbully team, and they drive out to fetch leftover sleds. Every time the tractors get stuck, people surge out of the dome to help. Also, the daily routines have changed as driving occurs by “night”. Breakfast is at 1.30, lunch is at 9.00 and dinner is at 16-16.30. During the night, and during lunch break, the dome is powered for heating, cooking and communications. When the trains stop for the night, people from the dome go out to get snow for water, setup an outhouse, doing dishes and cleaning up. Frederik, our cook, is a hero. He is able to feed us all with good food, and freshly baked bread, even at these funny hours, and always with a smile.

What we did over the past three days:

1. Monday: Due to soft warm snow and as last driver arrived at 3.30 L in the morning on Monday. We decided to move traverse times to the night. So, no more driving Monday. (75 km from EGRIP/269 km to GRIP)
2. Tuesday: Traverse start 2.45 L. Drove until 13.00L. Stuck several times. Re-arranged sled trains several times. Soft snow. Everything hauled 36 km. (111 km from EGRIP/233 km to GRIP)
3. Wednesday: Traverse start 3.00L. Soft snow issues all morning. Stuck several times. Re-arranged sled trains several times. After 35 km and to get moving, we parked two heavy sleds on the way and picked them up later. After this point, the snow improved a lot and we made another 35 km. Finished at 15.00. Total 70 km today. (181.5 km from EGRIP/162.5 km to GRIP – more than half way).

Weather en-route: Fog in the morning, later clear. Temp. -20 to -8 C, 11 kt from WSW, later calm. Cold nights good for snow.

FL EGRIP, J.P. Steffensen