Just two and a half more days until sixty-odd winterovers are snowed-in at the world’s most expensive treehouse for the next eight months. The station is a hustle of activity as the population drops from roughly 220 down to our estimated winter crew of 65. People are running around packing, celebrating, panicking, rethinking, laughing, wondering, wandering, dancing, and eventually flying out of here. You’d think I’d know by now exactly who I’m spending the next eight months of winter with, but that’s in flux to, as always until the last minute.

When the final flight is in the air Friday afternoon, then we’ll be able to look around and know just who is staying. Then it all begins.