AmSnow.com is now SnoWest.com
Cold Gear ... no bikinis
Ski-Doo Skandics, Tundras and Elans are used on treks now, but until the last decade, Alpines made up the majority of the fleet.
“The Alpines were a workhorse and that is what we look for in a machine. It needs to be able to pull heavy loads and be easy to field repair,” Buchanan said.
When Alpines were discontinued, the team upgraded. Early Skandics used the same Rotax 503 engine, which matched Antarctic station’s spare support parts and inventory of engines.
Now, each OEM’s new lineups are looked at for upgrades.
Good snowmobiling gear is vital for survival as well.
“You never know with Antarctica, one day it can be sunny and 30 above with no wind and the next it can be 30 below with a -60 wind chill,” Buchanan said.
Various vendors make gear specifically for Antarctica. Down parkas, insulated pants with long underwear, face masks, neck gators, warm gloves and helmets are all used.
“In my days of fieldwork I dressed more like a mountaineer than a snow machine rider. If you look in my closet it looks like I had a life of shoplifting at REI,” Buchanan jokes.