Antarctic Trail Party Over Crevassed Area

Press, Volume C, Issue 29695, 13 December 1961, Page 9

Antarctic Trail Party Over Crevassed Area

With its successful crossing of Fashion lane—a heavily crevassed area—the United States trail party making a 644-mile traverse to take, equipment from Little America to New Byrd station is expected to make good headway the rest of its long journey. The seven men in the party reached the crevassed area at the week-end and it was thought that the crossing might take some time. Two years ago another party took 20 days to make its way through the seven-mile and a quarter of crevasses. The party had completed 183 miles of their journey when they encountered Fashion lane on Saturday. The only mishap occurred two miles into the area when a pontoon and a snocat fell into a crevasse. This was hauled out . and much probing of the surface was done for the rest of the crossing. A message received at the United States base at Harewood last evening said that the crossing had been successful and that, with luck, the rest of the traverse should be plain sailing. In addition to delivering two tractors, two traxcavators and a snocat to New Byrd station, the trail party will carry out camp maintenance and vehicle repair work when it reaches the Little Rockford weather camp, about 240 miles from Little America. Little Rockford camp, at present maintained by seven men was towed on sleds to

its present location from Little America two years ago. Since then there has been an accumulation of drifting snow and the trail party will attempt to tow the sled-mounted vehicles back over the snow. In addition an engine change will be made on a tractor and traxcavator at the base. These vehicles will be taken with the party to New Byrd for use there.