Holy CRAP! I'd never in a million years.
To Keith:
The main convoy left Shackleton base in November of 1957 and going was initially rough, this picture was taken at some point before they reached the south pole on the 3rd of January 1958. This photograph features the second of four sno-cats - door code B, nicknamed 'Rock 'N Roll'. The vehicle was saved from the crevasse and was returned to the manufacturer as a museum piece upon completion of the expedition It apparently took about a day for them to do it, they first shoveled snow onto ledges in the ravine below to form a sort of working ledge, then inserted aluminium ridging in order to provide a tractionable surface - they looked to resemble the pieces you'd use to get desert vehicles out of soft sand. They'd then just drive the tractor out. Easy!
This explains a little, but not everything. How they never lost one is amazing all by itself. http://eandt.theiet.org/magazine/2014/11/old-school-ice-truckers.cfm
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