Observation "Ob" Hill

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A few days ago the weather was so nice we just had to take advantage. After dinner we decided to run up Ob Hill for a quick "night hike".

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Ob Hill juts out right from the center of town in McMurdo, so there's no need to checkout with the firehouse or be too worried about getting caught out in the weather. It probably takes 30 minutes to get to the top and on a clear day the view from up there is amazing. The proximity also makes it a great staging area for mock field sites.

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If the visibility is good you can see Mt. Erebus off in the distance, McMurdo's active volcano in residence, with Castle Rock in the foreground. Also nearby is Scott Base which is home to our Kiwi neighbors. There's a loop you can do as a day hike out to Castle Rock. Scott Base is normally closed to visitors except by invitation or if you're headed to the store, but on Thursdays it's "American Night" and McMurdo residents are welcome in the bar. Might be headed there tonight actually.

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This cross is an historic monument and preserved in accordance with the provisions of the antarctic treaty. It was erected in January, 1913 to commemorate Captain Scott and his party who lost their lives on the return journey from the south pole in March, 1912.