Tracy Dahl

My name is Tracy Dahl and I am the mechanic for the ITASE traverse. This will be my fourth trip to Antarctica. While that doesn't sound like much, all of my Antarctic contracts have tended to be rather lengthy, the most recent being 18 months in duration. As such, I have accumulated in excess of 39 months of "ice time" since I started with the United States Antarctic Program in 1994. Fortunately for me, my wife, Amy, is another OAE (Old Antarctic Explorer), which tends to make the experience much more pleasant. Amy will be the camp supervisor at Byrd Surface Camp this season, which is the primary staging area for the ITASE traverse.

There is a saying common to all polar workers that the first time you travel to Antarctica it is for adventure, the second time for the money, and the third time because you don't fit in any place else. There is no doubt a great deal of truth to that statement, but I would like to add that no where else have I encountered the kind of austere natural beauty, camaraderie, and feeling of belonging to something greater than yourself, that this kind of experience brings.

When I'm not working I enjoy backpacking, camping, mountaineering, and generally all things outdoors. I have been an avid motorcyclist for nearly 30 years, which is what has lead me to work as a professional mechanic. I also read voraciously, both fiction and nonfiction.

My wife and I live in a fairly remote part of southern Colorado, high in the Sangre de Cristo mountains. We are currently building a straw bale home (an alternative construction technique) and have only generator power. Ultimately we will install a completely independent solar/wind hybrid power system. Since commuting to a local job is impossible, employment in Antarctica provides a unique opportunity for us. Interestingly, we often feel more isolated and out of touch with the rest of the world while we are home than during our time spent in Antarctica.

I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to work with (and perhaps suffer alongside) some of the top scientific minds in the field. This promises to be some of the most difficult and rewarding work of my Antarctic career.