Original South Pole Station

• Language: unknown
• Subjects: Parka; South Pole; South pole
• Online Access: http://cdm16786.contentdm.oclc.org:80/cdm/ref/collection/antartica/id/28

This shows the original South Pole station that I stayed in in 1970 on my first trip. It is below the snow. It is the station that was put there in 1957. The little building in the foreground is the way to the stairs that go down to the station. It’s approximately 180 steps in these stairs. There’s ice on some of them, and it’s very dark, and there’re just a few little lights, and when you first come in with your dark glasses on, you have to take them off right away to acclimate. And if you try taking steps while walking down the stairs, you have to be very careful because they’re very icy. And if you do slip, you can bounce all the way down 180 steps. I’ve done that. Luckily you have enough of your heavy parka and your insulated clothing on that you won’t hurt yourself. It’s just kind of embarrassing, arriving at the station by bouncing down the stairs. About 1 out of 8 people, on their first try at those stairs, does that same thing: falling down and bouncing all the way down. The people from the station enjoy watching these new people get caught