Loading a US Navy Dakota R4D propeller aircraft,
a DC3 modified for polar use, equipped with skis.
These aircraft ferried the expedition 640 km north
to the exploration area in Northern Victoria Land
on 4 December 1962.
Two planes carried the eight expedition members,
together with equipment and supplies for a two-month stay.
Freshly arrived at the polar plateau depôt, elevation 2400 m (8000 ft).
John Millen and Gerald Holdsworth each led a 4-man team.
This account mostly concerns Gerald’s team.
The Millen Range edges the polar plateau, a view from the depôt.
At left is Toboggan Gap, an hour's fast march away,
which both teams used as a route to the glaciers,
after some weeks exploring on the plateau.
Pharaoh Nunatak, southwest across the plateau,
from survey station E2, a landmark on the Millen Range.
Sphinx Peak lies to the left, Pyramid to the right.
Gerald's team visited Pyramid almost a month later,
on the return leg of their polar plateau loop.
From station E2 south towards the depôt,
10 km away across the polar plateau,
visible only in binoculars or in the surveying theodolite.
Beyond at 28 km is Mt. Watt
(named for the expedition secretary, Brenda),
the southern limit of John Millen's team's route.
Gerald makes notes on soils (left),
surveys at station E2 (center),
and returns to the depôt after a 15-hour outing,
at a temperature of -34°C (right). 5 December.
Surveying and geology took up to eight hours or more at a station,
after a stiff climb to reach the lookout.
Exploration Area
