Dispatches from the team in charge of establishing Barneo indicate that their "assault team" is now on the ice and doing the preliminary work to get the station ready for its first visitors. That includes setting up tents, organizing supplies and building an ice runway that is long enough to accommodate an Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft. The team charged with completing these tasks parachuted onto the ice a few days ago to begin their work, while a second wave of support is en route via helicopter. Part of the team has been held-up in Khatanga do to bureaucratic red tape. They hope to have that resolved soon and get the aircraft moving again ASAP.
We're told that conditions on the ground are extremely cold at the moment with temperatures hovering around -39ºC/-38ºF. But other than that, the weather remains good with minimal winds and no snow. At least for now. That can change rapidly of course, but it seems that there is a window of opportunity for work to proceed at the moment.
The base is looking to open for its first visitors by April 1. After that there will be a string of scientists, researchers and adventurers making their way to Barneo over the following few weeks. The lifespan of the station is brief however, and operations there should wrap up by late April, sometime around the 24th of the month.
It seems any action in the Arctic this year will be centered out of the Ice Camp. We'll have to wait to see if anything interesting arises.