New CAF Platform and Stairs

The new platform and stairs under construction As a followup to the raising of the Clean Air Facility in 1985-86, a new access platform and stairways were installed the following season. This was important for several reasons...by this point there were many NOAA instruments on the roof, and safer access was needed...as well as a safer egress from the back door/emergency exit. The material of choice was aluminum to save weight, both for flying the materials to Pole and to minimize extra weight on the structure. The stairway to grade was hinged so that it could be raised for snow removal...in hindsight I don't think this feature was used very often. Note the construction warmup shack...it is the venerable Zoller hut, with lots of history including use by Marty Pomerantz...as well as more recent innovative uses. Below, a couple more platform construction photos...
A bit earlier in the project, this view looks roughly southwest from the CAF roof. Some of the platform material is laid out on the snow; in the background is the new SPASE array.	Here's a view of the platform construction on the upwind side of the building.
A bit later, here's the partially completed stairway. Eventually there was a hinged and counterbalanced aluminum stairway.	The upwind side of the new platform, wrapping around to the emergency exit door.
The upwind platform level. This area would prove useful for storage of flask boxes, etc.	The rooftop, showing all of the instrumentation. Previously there had only been ladder access.