HomeDestinationsAntarcticaPalmer Station Backyard Glacier Walk
Easy
Hiking
🌐 Antarctica
Satellite

This track was identified and mapped via high-resolution satellite imagery.

ID: AQ-07
Access is only for United States Antarctic Program personnel and authorised visitors (including guests of IAATO-member operators on approved station visits) under Antarctic Treaty permits. Recreational trails must be signed out with the station before leaving, and walkers must keep their distance from wildlife and stay on the flagged/marked route.
https://www.usap.gov/

Palmer Station Backyard Glacier Walk

Added on 14 Oct 2026
Logged by @trailx

The 'backyard' walk at the US Palmer Station on Anvers Island: a path behind the station leads to the edge of the Marr Ice Piedmont, where a flagged route climbs the glacier to the HF radio tower. It looks back over Arthur Harbour and the islands off the station.

Trail Map

Initialising Map Engine...

Trail Profile

General Instructions

About 2.9 km out and back on the mapped path, around 1–1.5 hours. Stay in the centre of the flag line on the glacier; snowshoes or other traction are recommended when snow-covered. Sign out with the station before going.

Weather check

At Start
44m

Sampling Micro-Climate...

-64.7744, -64.0507

Slide to preview conditions across the entire route • Point: -64.7744, -64.0507 @ 44m

Quick Stats

Distance
2.92 km
Type
Hiking Trail
Elevation Range
44m - 64m
Max Elevation
64 m
Max Gradient
2.8%
3%

Highlights

  • Walk up the flagged glacier route
  • Look over Arthur Harbour
  • See the station from above
  • Watch for skuas and penguins on the islands
  • Ski or snowshoe the route in winter when allowed

Field Radio Protocol

VHF-UHF Communication

Emergency Simplex
146.520MHz
Team Coordination
446.006MHz
Scout Primary
146.400MHz

Propagation Telemetry

Ridge Line

92%

Gorge Floor

18%

Sector Relay: Sector Alpha Relay• 12-18 KM Range

Regulatory Compliance

VHF/UHF frequencies are for monitoring and emergency coordination only. Transmitting on these bands may require an Amateur Radio License or regional government permits. Check local telecommunications laws before operation.

Technical Analysis

Total Ascent

+19 m

Total Descent

-15 m

Ruggedness Index

Terrain Roughness Index

Vertical displacement per km. Typical range: 0 (Smooth) to 100+ (Extreme Mountain).

0 (Smooth)50 (Steep)100+ (Extreme)
11.6

11.6

Tortuosity Index

Route Curviness Index

Ratio of actual path to straight line. Typical range: 1.0 (Direct) to 3.0+ (Switchbacks).

1.0 (Direct)2.0 (Winding)3.0+ (Serpentine)
1.04

1.04

Gradient Distribution

Flat (0-3%)100%
Moderate (3-8%)0%
Steep (>8%)0%

Surface & Hydrology

Paved64%
Unpaved36%

Surface Spectrum Analysis

Asphalt
64%
Gravel
25%
Dirt Track
11%
Water Crossings

Includes only technical water fords where the vehicle actively enters a stream or riverbed. Permanent bridges are excluded from this count.

0

Difficulty Analysis

SCORE: 5

Difficulty is determined by a technical multi-vector analysis of elevation profile, surface quality, and topographic intensity.

Resulting CategoryEasy

Bounding Box (WGS84)

MIN LAT: -64.774627
MAX LAT: -64.773927
MIN LON: -64.050674
MAX LON: -64.021173

Point Spacing: 51.2 m • Engine: TrailX Precision GPX ANALYTICS v1.0.0

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Before you go: Palmer Station Backyard Glacier Walk

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