Happy Camper is a 2 day course designed to teach people how to live and survive in the wilderness of Antarctica. During the course you are taught the basics of snow camping and survival. Essentially, it's just a good time camping out on the ice shelf. While at camp, we had to construct a snow wall, set up tents and melt snow for water. Most of us chose to dig a snow shelter instead of using a tent. I lucked out with the best weather of the season, +40F temperatures and only +27F at night. Our biggest concern was sun exposure, where some of my friends had to endure -20F and freezing winds.
Our camp - complete with snow wall, mountain tents and Scott tents
Making snow blocks for the snow wall
My friend Jake and I decided to make a double-wide snow shelter. This is a view of the entrance.
Inside our snow shelter
It took us about 3 hours to dig and construct our shelter. This picture was taken at about 11pm.
Melting snow in the kitchen we made
The infamous bucket exercise. We were challenged to find our lost friend in a storm... sadly, we never found her. The bucket is used to simulate a white out. I think we need another camping trip to try again!
Hey, looks like you are having a lot of fun. Snow shelters look cozy and the picture of the bucketheads is quite humorous!
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