Based on the experiences of Mike Masterman, winterover 1995. All photos by Mike Masterman.

The dome, at Pole.

Entrance to the South Pole Station.

Living quarters inside the dome.

The winter-overs at the Pole get comparatively spacious accommodations.

Once the last plane leaves from the Pole, nobody gets out of there until the following summer.

Facial hair may keep you warmer at the Pole, but it does present some difficulties.

This winterover, Chip Dunn, had just been working outside for an hour and a half at 94° below zero.

This snowdrift is the result of leaving the door open one inch during a storm.

One of the big events of the winter is the airdrop of supplies. The South Pole gets no other traffic during the winter.

Where better than the Pole to get a good old-fashioned Southern barbecue?

There's a quaint Antarctic tradition known as the 300 Club. Would-be members of this prestigious organization must first soak in a 200 degree (F) sauna, then head outside into the -100 degree weather. The tradition is to then race around the Pole in the buff. Photos may be taken on the second, er, excursion.

Transportation is limited to when the temperature is above -90 degrees.

Changing the flag on top of the dome.

Sunrise in Antarctica takes about three weeks. It's a pretty big event for the winter-overs who have been stuck there for about six months of night.

Sunrise over the dome.

The Python telescope in summer.

The same telescope in winter.

Another view of Python.

More Python.

This picture was taken on the coldest day of the year (1995). Although it may not come across very well on film, it's about -109 out there. Getting a camera to survive the extreme cold is a bit of an art.

...this is an archive of the original site Mike posted at