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Patriot Hills camp is located at 80˚ south, at an elevation of about 2600 ft (800 m), in the foothills of the Ellsworth Mountains. Here, vistas include wide open skies, endless snow, and majestic peaks, rendered in shades of blue and white – an unforgettable experience. There are no animals, birds or plants; they cannot survive this far south. To the north and east, the snow sweeps away toward distant horizons over reasonably flat terrain. To the northwest, at the head of the Horseshoe Valley rise the impressive Ellsworth Mountains. To the south, only 1 mile (2 km) from camp, lie the low, steep Patriot Hills and behind them lies the scenic Independence Range.
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| The Course |
 | The Antarctic Ice Marathon will be run in the vicinity of Patriot Hills, on a course that encompasses long stretches of open, white terrain and the Patriot Hills themselves. The course will be groomed before the race to achieve reasonably compact snow or ice surfaces, however racers may encounter drifts or soft and loose snow in places. Racers should be prepared for both soft and compact snow as well as sheet ice conditions underfoot and all competitors should bring snowshoes as optional footwear. Flags will indicate the route and a large heated tent will be available on the course.
Circling behind the Patriot Hills you will run up a gentle snow ramp that climbs into a broad sweeping valley. This valley divides the Patriot Hills from the abrupt escarpment of the Independence Range. At the other end of the Patriot Hills you will leave the valley and cross the blue ice that forms an extension of the runway. You will then pass by the camp and head out across wide open terrain, past the remains of a buried, crashed aircraft from the early nineties. Only the tail fin remains visible. The final leg of the race returns to Patriot Hills Camp into the cold, prevailing, south wind.
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| Weather |
| Throughout your stay in Antarctica you will have 24 hours of daylight. The air in the interior of Antarctica is dry. The temperature at Patriot Hills typically ranges from 14F to -4F (–10C to –20C) at this time of year with highs of about 25F (-4C). Winds generally blow at a steady 10 – 25 knots (18-37 km/hr) from a southerly direction, creating “wind chill” and lowering the apparent temperature by some 10 to 20 degrees. On a sunny, calm day however, the air can feel much warmer, almost balmy!
Nevertheless, overcast, “whiteout” conditions with a loss of horizon and definition, as well as winds up to 60 knots are also possible. A key goal of the race organizers is to have all participants safely complete their distance. The race organizers will assess weather conditions before deciding whether or not to run the race that day.
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Mount Vinson
