Accommodation Facilities at Patriot Hills
Nestled within the heartland of Antarctica, Patriot Hills is the home of Adventure Network International’s base camp, the only private camp in Antarctica. Patriot Hills houses up to 50 visitors in expedition style accommodations. These have been specially designed for our needs and tested for their security and comfort in polar regions.
The camp is about 1/2 mile (1 km) from the ice runway on which you land when arriving from Punta Arenas. Most people like to walk this distance after the flight but transportation is readily available. The tent camp is situated on snow which may become hard and a bit icy at times but never deep.
Sleeping
Guests on “Polar Dream” programmes sleep in two-person, double lined tents constructed of a high-tech nylon covering, stretched over a durable aluminum frame. Maximum heat is maintained with zippered doors and plywood floors. Guests sleep in their own sleeping bags, on mattresses, with bed linen and pillows provided by ANI. Those participating in “Expedition” and “Adventure” programs, will practice setting up and sleeping in the mountaineering style tents that they will use in the field. Staff occupy similar, mountaineering style tents around camp and Antarctic Ice Marathoners will most likely sleep in these tents with a thermarest and pillow as the staff do.
Dining
The "Dining Tent" is truly the heart of the camp in Antarctica. It has a complete kitchen and dining area and serves as a regular gathering place for guests to meet staff and other travellers and enjoy tea and coffee while discussing the day’s adventures.
Cooks prepare wonderful delicacies from their diverse menus. Three meals a day are served and snacks and beverages are available on an ongoing basis. Food is flown in from Punta Arenas, Chile – including fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, meats, a variety of beers and Chilean wines.
Included in the dining tent is a small library of books and games for guests to enjoy. It is a place to relax, write diaries or postcards, play cards or games, or just read.
Wash Facilities and Laundry
There is no reason why your standard of personal hygiene should change at Patriot Hills; you may just have to approach it differently. Adventure Network estimates, from government tables, that if all its clients plus staff had the opportunity of using its shower facilities once a week they would generate approximately 10,000 gallons (37,500 litres) of water in the course of an Antarctic season. That is equivalent to a small swimming pool.
Adventure Network International will not justify producing this amount of "grey water" and pouring it back into the Antarctic ice. In tune with its environmental policy and concerns to keep its impact to a minimum, Adventure Network offers instead facilities for “sponge bathing” using a bowl of hot water and a wash cloth. Your body will be just as clean as with a shower and you will feel more energised and invigorated. Some travellers also choose to bring pre-moistened toilettes such as “Wet Wipes” with them. For the brave the other option is a "snow bath".
Toilet facilities are located in the main camp and all human waste is removed from Antarctica.
Time
As there is 24-hour daylight in Antarctica during the summer and weather conditions rather than clocks dictate our activities and schedule, “time” takes on a different meaning. Clocks are primarily used to coordinate activities with other stations. For convenience more than anything else, it is elected to keep Patriot Hills camp on the same time as Punta Arenas, Chile, where the flights originate. Patriot Hills time is 3 hours behind GMT (UK time), 2 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (NYC time), and 5 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time (LA time). Vinson and the Emperor Penguin Colony also operate on the same time. Amundsen-Scott station, located at the South Pole functions on the same time as New Zealand, which is GMT plus 13 hours.
Medical
ANI employs the services of a medical doctor and stocks a selection of medications and fundamental equipment for the care and stabilisation of visitors at Patriot Hills if they become ill. This service is provided free of charge to travellers. Please bear in mind while preparing for your journey and throughout your expedition that you will be nearly 2,000 miles (3200 km) from “full-serve” medical attention or a pharmacy. If you take regular, essential medication, bring enough with you for your anticipated stay in Antarctica, PLUS a minimum of 4 week’s extra supply. Even in Punta Arenas compatible prescription medications can be difficult to source so please be sure to bring ample supply from home. We recommend a careful and considered approach to any activities that you undertake while on expedition. Should you have an accident or become seriously ill, every effort will be made to repatriate you as soon as possible to more advanced medical facilities in Punta Arenas; this however will be at your expense. You should carry medical evacuation insurance to cover you for this eventuality. Please refer to Adventure Network International’s “Terms and Conditions” for further information about insurance and evacuation costs.
Communications
The communications tent is the centre of “on-ice” operations. For quiet and to minimise environmental impact, systems are supplied entirely by solar power. Daily contact is maintained with the Adventure Network International office in Punta Arenas and with all field parties using HF radio, Iridium telephone, and satellite beacons. Contact is also maintained with other bases, and with aircraft whenever they are flying, taking regular position reports.
If you would like to make a phone call from Patriot Hills, pre-paid Iridium phone cards are sold for US$40 for 20 minutes. Charging facilities for video batteries are also available on a limited basis. Please ensure your batteries are fully charged prior to leaving Punta Arenas. Plan to bring at least one spare battery, as well as your own charger and an adaptor to North American style 3-pin plug. As the communications tent tends to be a busy place, please coordinate with ANI client services staff if you would like to make use of either of these services.
Other Facilities
Several other tents and structures, including vehicle workshop, equipment and food stores round out the camp facilities. At the side of the camp, two ski-equipped Twin Otter aircraft are parked. They use a separate ski runway to the north.When you arrive at Patriot Hills, staff will be happy to give you a tour to introduce you to your temporary home on the ice.