Refugio Cabo Gutierrez Vargas  and abandoned Chilean site in Antarctica

WAP is  looking for some pics of Refugio Cabo Gutierrez Vargas  (WAP CHL-NEW) which is located 1Km close to the Presidente Aguirre  Cerda Base (WAP CHL-Ø4). On several  websites it is reported that ruins of the Refuge are still in place.  On last 2011, Mehdi F5PFP was very close to it, when he did activate Presidente Aguirre  Cerda Base (CE9XX, see QSL on the side); Mehdi  reports to have seen the remaining of this Refuge but he did not take direct picture of it!

WAP is actually in  contact with Mario Reyne CE3BFE (Jefe Expedición Antartica Chilena www.marioreyne.cl ); he is trying to get pics of Vargas Refuge (62° 56′ 41.15″ South , 60° 35′ 59.96″ West), even if he said, it will be an hard task!

Refugio Cabo Gutierrez Vargas  so called in memory of the aviation Captain who died on December 30, 1955, was located at 1 kilometer (0.62 mi) from Aguirre Cerda Station and was inaugurated on February 12, 1956. Its purpose was to serve as a Refuge for the members of the Station in  case of fire.

On December 4, 1967, the Refuge was definitively abandoned, as well as the Aguirre Cerda Station, due to a violent volcanic eruption.

 

 

 

The poor remains of the refuge structure can still be seen on the beach where it was located (aside a picture from Google Earth)

 

TNX F5PFP & IZ8EWB