Steve and Barb walking away

Hello World Beyond Miller Range,

The ANSMET 2013-14 forward party is reporting in from the South Miller Range, If you have been following along you know that we spent 5 days from 13 December to the 18th before we moved to our present location, making today our 8th field day. Since the LC-130 meant to bring in the rest of our team and gear was cancelled due to weather, the twin otter crew that had been with us (to transport our goods and comrades here from CTAM) left for the pole to shuttle fuel to various caches.

Despite the weather-thrown curve ball we continue to relish the experience and do our best to search for meteorites. While on a water fetching mission J-rad, Barb, and I found three more extraterrestrial visitors this afternoon. Sadly we will not be able to free them from their temporary blue ice confines until we get the rest of our collection gear, but have marked the meteorite locations with flags, poles, and cairns.

Conditions here are relatively mild with calmish winds and temps from 2 to 16 degrees F, however those calm winds allow moisture from the coast to work its way inland onto the polar plateau thus giving rise to fog, mist, and ice crystals, While beautiful these conditions are not favorable to flight operations.

Our days are used to plan, organize, and prepare for what is to come. This experience helps us to become the people that we desire to be, and we all feel extremely privileged to be here, hundreds of miles from the nearest person or accommodations besides our tiny group of tents and ourselves.

Best wishes to all those not camping out in Antarctica and sleeping on hundreds of feet of ice, especially family, friends, and fellow meteorite hunters everywhere.

Sincerely, Meteorite hunter Steveqa

-posted by Steve Ballou from Miller Range (edited by rph)