A few students have asked me about the various vehicles down here at the pole. The main vehicle I use around here is the snow mobile, sometimes called the Ski-Doo.

    Snowmobiles lie in wait.
    Snowmobiles lie in wait.
    The Polar Roller
    The Polar Roller
    I was trained on how to drive these, some minimal maintenance, and how to refuel them. I have yet to ride one though. There are lots of places in the world where these are the primary winter vehicle, but I've never been on one before. They really remind me of Jet Skis.

    We use them for transport and as heavy-duty haulers.

    People getting a ride to work on a
    People getting a ride to work on a

    Snowmobile work horse.
    Matthias Danninger and Jim Haugen pull on the zipper tube end of a surface cable during the cable pull. Using the snowmobile saved us time and backaches.

    When not in use the snowmobiles may be left on or plugged in to keep warm. The only time they are fully off is when they're being refueled.

    Snow mobiles plugged in at the IceCube Hitchin' Post.
    Snow mobiles plugged in at the IceCube Hitchin' Post.

    Next we have the South Pole Shuttle, a passenger van that runs people to various locations around the station. It's hard to get in and out of, but it's a lot warmer than being towed behind a snowmobile and there are no exhaust fumes.

    The South Pole Shuttle
    The South Pole Shuttle

    Then there are more utilitarian vehicles: the pistenbullies and the Caterpillars, big and small.

    A Pisten Bully
    A Pisten Bully

    It's a big Cat!
    It's a big Cat!
    Photo credit: James Roth

    A smaller cat moves an IceTop tank.
    A smaller cat moves an IceTop tank.

    One Pistenbully is outfitted with ground-penetrating radar to survey for sub-ice cracks or holes.

    A pistenbully with ground penetrating radar attached.
    A pistenbully with ground penetrating radar attached.

    Sometimes a traverse comes through, about two each year. This year it was an Indian traverse in Toyota trucks. They drove all the way from the coast.

    The Indian traverse arrives at South Pole.
    The Indian traverse arrives at South Pole.

    The traverse is here!
    The traverse is here!
    Traverse photo credited to James Roth.

    Then there are planes, the big Hercs, the twin otters, and every once in a while even a tourist plane stops in. http://

    A herc on the runway.
    A herc on the runway.

    A
    A Twin Otter plane takes off.
    Photo credit: James Roth

    A tourist plane parked off the runway
    A tourist plane parked off the runway

    Tourists are allowed at the pole for photographs and are allowed in the station hallways, bathroom, gift shop and conference room where they receive a cookie from our kitchen. They aren't really allowed anywhere else, though, and leave after about two hours. A little internet research revealed to me that you could be on that plane for around $38,000 USD.

    Tourists checking out the pole from their plane
    Tourists checking out the pole from their plane

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