Tracked vehicles are ubiquitous in the Antarctic. They give the most reliable traction on surfaces that can vary from powdery snow to rock-hard ice. In this picture is a heavy tractor, the Caterpillar company's DV87 Challenger. It has rubber tracks, and its long wheel base makes for a fairly comfortable ride, up to 30 km/h with no load.
Next to the Challenger is the Yamaha skidoo. It has a single track, and twin skids. This stability allows it a top speed of 100km/h, under good conditions.
Our workhorse, however, was the Bombardier Alpine II skidoo. It is rather slower than the Yamaha, with a top speed of about 60 km/h, but it is a good load-puller, with its twin tracks and single skid.
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