No doubt, there were many, many such targets. Retracing most of the path seems unlikely to me, unless they passed by a particularly juicy target early on the trek to Endurance, and then to Victoria.

In all honesty, it would make me feel like continued mission funding would have been better diverted to MSL. Does anyone else feel that, cobbles aside, that any major science was bypassed on the way to Victoria? As much as people refer to it as the rush to get there, I found the journey maddeningly methodical from a purely "tourist" perspective. They stopped and did a LOT of science, even if it wasn't always by choice.

They left Victoria because they felt there was nothing to find there that would be of Mars-shaking significance. I have to think that's how they feel about retracing their journey. Just a lot of work for little added science. I just don't see the need to backtrack any further than to squint at a few tempting cobbles.
Any long term study of track alterations can wait for the day when the rover is hobbled and has all the time in the world to sit and study the changes to the world around her. Preferably, somewhere in the vicinity of Ithaca.

I've seen mention of a return to Erebus / Terra Nova before. Probably 1/4 of the distance back to Endurance. It looking interesting - but they wanted to get a move on.

Doug

Regarding track alteration, they couldn't find a better spot to study it than where they are right now. At this very spot they have tracks from where they first arrived and peeked into Duck Bay, 2 years ago (before the dust storm) and where they came back to enter Duck Bay 1 year ago, plus tracks made in the last few days.

I don't really think there's much to be learned from it anyway, that we haven't seen before. New territory has to be the best bet.

Phil

Yeah - they had 6 month old tracks as a comparison when they left Endurance.

some months back I had occasion to speak to someone on the mission. he said a return to Erebus was one possibility

personally I hope they will stake out new territory for new discoveries.

its seems somewhat surprising they aren't at least driving to Cabo Frio as mentioned during arrival 2 years ago in Oct 2006 before completely leaving Victoria

ken

I agree about Cabo Frio, and along the way I'd like a look inside Sputnik and its curious internal feature. We saw its rocky rim off to our right as we approached the rim of Victoria, so many moons ago...

If cobbles are indeed the focus of the future plans, we have noticed that cobbles exist randomly, everywhere on Mars. There is concern that Opportunity may not be physically capable of exploring its future environments. The easily navigable surroundings of this crater's annulus are just as likely to provide access to surprising rocks as is the treacherous dune/ripple environment in most directions from here.

If I was looking for a new plan, I'd look for places where there were few ripples/dunes, and more bedrock.

Due south from Victoria is very feasible. The drifts never get as big as to the north, and after a few km they give way to surfaces nearly as smooth as the area near Endurance, but with more flat outcrops - this from the HiRISE image extending furthest south and east. So, south until the drifts disappear, and then southeast via the Endurance-like crater to the isolated hill on Endeavour's rim is very realistic.

Phil