The Geographic South Pole (Geodetic Pole) marks the spot at one end of the Earth’s axis of rotation (the other being the North Pole). It is indicated by a 4m steel pole topped by a medallion designed by the previous year’s winterover crew; each design is unique. Since it sits at the intersection of all the time zones, a quick nip around the Pole takes you right around the world.
The ice at the Pole moves about 10m per year in the direction of W 43° (toward Brazil), which means that the marker itself has to be recalculated and moved each summer. The American flag is planted about a meter from the Pole sign, which is also moved each year to adjust for the moving ice sheet. The sign reads:
Geographic South Pole
Roald Amundsen, December 14, 1911 ‘So we arrived and were able to plant our flag at the geographical South Pole’
Robert F Scott, January 17, 1912 ‘The Pole, Yes, but under very different circumstances from those expected’
Elevation: 9301ft (2835m)