A Trip to Wilks

 After a bit of a rushed last minute calculated pack due to variable weather conditions i am heading off with a group of four on a 8km cross country ski for a overnight stay at Wilkes hut. It is located directly north of Casey and is the site of a original American Base which was passed on to us Aussies. Have not studied the history yet but from what i have been told it over years was abandoned and become buried in ice.

 My fearless fellow adventures from left Lance the trip leader, Johan, and Andy

 I am in good hands as you can see we work as a team to discuss our plan of attack. Conditions have been changing due to the warm weather and the melt so where you may have travelled a week prior may not be achievable now. The other critical thing is to stay away from the ice cliffs sticking to routes that are documentented on our maps and also coded into our GPS unit. It is a credit to our Field Training officer's who have given us this knowledge to be able to navigate and deal with changing environment feeling confident in venturing out and about and being ourselves.

In the distance you can see our little mates going somewhere where we won't . The ice cliffs vary in height from a metre to two hundred metres, if the fall does not kill you the water definitely will.

Finally arrived at our stay for the night after about 4 hours leaving Casey. 

Inside our accommodation for the night has a lot of caricature feel right at home with the bot belly stove and the history can be felt with-in. Have all the creature comforts gas cooking, outside fridge come freezer, plenty of tucker, great  company, a beer and view that  pictures don't give it justice, does not get much better. 

On the way back after a great night out still perfecting my cross country skying heading in the right direction