News from the Columbia Climate School

Survival training in Antarctica – aka Happy Camper

January 20, 2011

We survived Happy Camper survival school! This is essential training for anyone who goes into the field on the coldest most remote continent on Earth. Kathy took hers 4 years ago. We learn to build snow trenches for survival and all things related to camping in the cold, although we still appreciate that it is warmer here than back home (in the 30s, dry and sunny). Also, everyone goes through snowmobile basic repair and use, rock climbing 101, and crevasse rescue training.

Happy Camper – required two day/one night class where one camps outside, learns about all the camping equipment, and shows he or she can deal with the elements, before being sent out into the unknown

Tomorrow is the last day before flying out to the remote CTAM (central Transantarctic Mountains) camp that we will use a base for getting to Mt Howe and Mt Achernar. Mike Roberts, our mountaineering guide, uses the last day to give one more crevasse-rescue training course.

Mike Kaplan from Lamont practicing rock climbing, in preparation of the field trip to the Transantarctic Mountains

We learned how to stop a fall down a steep slope, set up rescue systems and traversed around an ice fall to learn to recognize and avoid crevasses. Upon our return, we found out that our flight will be delayed a day. Very typical for Antarctica!

Mike and Nicole