Exploration of Antarctica by Tractor Train

The tractor train that left Byrd Station in Fig. 2.18 consisted of three Sno-cats each of which pulled a sled. The leading tractor, known as the Sally Jeanne, was driven by Bill Long assisted by Fred Darling. This tractor carried a crevasse detector that is visible in Fig. 2.18. Occasional mechanical breakdowns of the vehicles, bad weather, and difficulties with crevasses limited the daily progress of the tractors to less than 36 km. The tractor train was resupplied from Byrd Station by a Dakota R4D aircraft that brought fuel for the tractors, food and mail for the crew, and, at least once, a dentist who treated one 

Eventually the tractor train arrived at Station 414 at the foot of the Horlick Mountains and was delayed there by lack of fuel. The resupply plane from Byrd Station had to turn back several times because of bad weather, problems with radio transmissions, and mechanical problems. While the group waited for several days for the plane. Bill Long and three of his companions decided to climb Ml Glossopteris which is one of the highest mountains in that part of Antarctica at 2,867 m above sea level. 

Ohio Range. The climbers were exhausted but unhurt after spending 12 h on the mountain shrouded in fog at this time (Photo by Emil Schulthess. Reproduced by permission of Matthias Kamm, administrator of the photo archive of Emil Schulthess) 

2 miles from the foot of the mountain. After 12 h, Bill Long suddenly appeared out of the fog in Fig. 2.19 carrying a large backpack full of rock samples and a variety of fossils including marine invertebrates and fossilized Glossopteris leaves. The other climbers also returned utterly exhausted but unhurt. 

The geology of the Ohio Range as it is presently understood is presented in this book in Section 7.5.1 (basement rocks) and in Section 10.5.2 (Beacon Supergroup). In addition. Fig. 10.22 depicts the adit of the Dirty Diamond Coal Co. from which Bill 

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