McMurdo Dry Valleys

I read about the Dry Valleys of Antarctica before I arrived here. After I arrived here I also heard that getting on a trip out there is not something that I should be expecting my first year. There are plenty of people that has spent several season here and has not yet been fortunate to go out there.
I missed a medevac flight out there on Thursday because I was out of the clinic when the call came in so Chris, the military flight nurse took the call. I was told on Friday by Mark (Our Lead MD) that I was scheduled for a "training mission" out to the Dry Valleys on Saturday. That was an awesome surprise.

Group getting ready

Ready to go

Arrival to Lake Hoare

The McMurdo Dry Valleys are a row of snow-free valleys in Antarctica. The region is one of the world's most extreme deserts. The Dry Valleys are so named because of their extremely low humidity and their lack of ice and snow cover. The unique conditions in the Dry Valleys are caused in part by the katabatic winds; these occur when cold, dense air is pulled by the force of gravity. The winds can reach speeds of 200 mph (320 km/h), heating as they descend and evaporating all water, ice and snow.
Scientist consider the Dry Valleys perhaps the closest of any terrestrial environment to the planet Mars and thus an important source of insights into possible extraterrestrial life.

Lake Hoare

Canada Glacier

Mindy Piuk

Hiking next to Canada Glacier

Departing from Lake Hoare to Lake Bonney

 The Valleys have been carved out by glaciers which have retreated, exposing valley floors and walls on a scale not found elsewhere in Antarctica. The underlying soils are up to five million years old with very little organic carbon and nitrogen and a poorly developed profile (i.e. few distinct soil layers). The extent of ice-free ground within the region allows scientists to access features which give important clues to past conditions as well as current geological processes.

Melting glacier waterfall and creek

Penguin skeleton

Coffee and cookie break inside the hut at Lake Hoare camp

Canada Glacier and tents where the researchers sleep in while they are at this camp.

Side of Canada Glacier

Various forms of lake and ponds are found throughout the region. Most lakes have an ice covering all year around, although a "moat" may form around the edges. Microbial communities live in the water column and on the lake floors. In smaller water bodies (hyper saline ponds) the salt content can be so high the water does not freeze at all. Don Juan Pond which is located in the Dry Valleys, is the saltiest known body of water on earth.

Arrival to Lake Bonney

Lake Bonney 

Lake Bonney

Glacier by Lake Bonney

Enjoying the trip

Rocks shaped by the wind

A day on the beach in Antarctica

Jamesway

The regions' glaciers have been  the subject of much research. It appears that the general trend is recession (i.e. the majority of the glaciers studied are getting smaller). The glaciers are the key to the current Dry Valleys ecosystem, but their ancient ice also records temperature and atmospheric change far in to the past.

Hanging out at Lake Bonney

Blood Falls

Lake Fryxell

The trip was a great experience. I feel very fortunate to have been to the Dry Valleys. A place that not too many people get to experience.
My next posting will be from South Pole as I am heading down there tomorrow.