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A tractor pulling a sled.
Date Taken:
November 3, 2012
Photograph By:
Tim Thomas
License Type:
Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

The U.S. Antarctic Program uses tractors to transport fuel and some cargo between McMurdo and South Pole stations. The resupply mission is called the South Pole Traverse, and it follows a 1,000-mile-long compacted snow route that begins at sea level at McMurdo Station and climbs to 9,300 feet to Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. The fuel is transported in soft-sided bladders that ride in special sleds that reduce friction as they are dragged across the snow surface. A round-trip between the two stations averages 50 days.

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This photo is covered by a Creative Commons license. Please see the Usage and Submissions page for more information. Use of this photo requires the following:

(1.) The user must give appropriate credit to the photographer and the National Science Foundation (NSF) and provide a link to the Creative Commons license. (2.) Use of the photo must be for non-commercial purposes only. (3.) No derivative works may be made with the original photo without the explicit permission of the photographer.