Bowie Crevassefield

Two USCGS surveyors occupied low peaks on opposite sides of the Minnesota Glacier.
They used a tellurometer to measure a baseline distance between their positions. I crossed the glacier and placed 5 ft. high bamboo poles with flags to help the surveyors spot them. If I remember correctly the distance across was approximately 7 miles. The flag positions were approximately 0.5 mile apart. At each position I held a large bamboo pole with large red flag while the surveyors measured angles to my position simultaneously. Peter J. Barrett went with me on the first crossing. I seem to remember crossing alone late in the 1962-63 season. Peter and I wore skis. I controlled a Polaris motor toboggan by means of four ropes. The toboggan pulled a Nansen sled. Peter used a rope trailing behind the sled to tow him across. I remember crossing some crevasse snow bridges while trying to keep the Polaris away from them. I waved to Peter as much as I could to keep him away from the bridges.

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Photo added: 17th Oct 2007