Today was another day of weather contrasts. This morning, it was in the low 30’s and snowing when we headed out to the field. The snow got progressively harder and we anticipated closing our traps…
Weather Rollercoaster
Two days ago, it was almost 60 degrees and I was comfortable in a short sleeve shirt at camp. Today, it was in the 20s and snowing. It’s amazing how quickly the weather can…
Today was another long day of trapping.
Here are a few of the traps we set for Arctic ground squirrels today. Each of the white spots that you see is a trap.
We set about 75 traps or so and…
Team squirrel has worked late (about 9 or 10 PM) the last two days, so we took it easy today and only worked until about 4. We didn’t trap today. Instead we installed a weather station at our…
Catching Arctic Ground Squirrels 101
Yesterday was my first day in the field, so I got a crash course in squirrel catching 101! Here’s the scoop.
After breakfast, we packed lunches to take into the…
Trekking across the tundra… and tumbling into bed!
Today was my first day in the field, trekking across the sometimes soggy tundra with armfuls of squirrel traps, learning how to transport the…
Packing for a month and other challenges
I’ve been packing for my adventure off and on for a week. As I thought of an item I needed to take to Toolik with me, I put it on the guest room bed. Early…
Where is Toolik Field Station?
About 24 hours from now, my Arctic Adventure begins! I am busy packing and soaking up the last few moments I have with David (my husband) before I leave for a month.…
Collecting Kids’ Questions
One week from today, I will board a plane for Fairbanks, Alaska. The next day, I will ride in a truck for 8-12 hours on the Dalton highway (yes, the Ice Road Truckers…
Sammy the Squirrel Visits Jenks West Intermediate
The votes are in and our cartoon Arctic ground squirrel has a name! The voting was close, but with 32% of the vote, we have a winner: Sammy the…
Students at Jenks West Intermediate are getting excited about participating in my journey to Toolik this summer! They are asking lots of thoughtful questions and brainstormed more than 150 possible…
What will I wear in the Arctic?
Well, it depends on the weather. I need to be prepared for all types of weather: snow, rain, cold, hot…
The PolarTREC folks and CH2M Hill Polar Services are making…
