Most of the people that are working on McMurdo do not leave the relatively secure environment of the base. Scientists, which have to travel into the deep interior of Antarctica have to complete a several day long survival training before being allowed to travel further "into the ice" by helicopter, aircraft, or Pistenbulli.

Survival in the ice without a tent is part of the training. This picture shows a New Zealand "Kiwi" Air Force soldier cutting blocks of ice for an igloo with a snow saw.