We have a few days in Kangerlussuaq to explore and decided to hike all day around the Lake Ferguson area. Most of the team that worked with the ice cores went trekking for the day. The layers of schist with the garnets were a goal of the hike. But along the way was incredible evidence of glaciology from the numerous ponds and lakes to the smoothed surface of the metamorphic rocks showing the striations etched into the rock as the former ice scoured the valley. To me, every rock was a keeper! Goodness, it was hard not to bring home large samples. So, I took pictures instead.
notice glacial striations on metamorphic rock
glacial striations
garnets
<figure class="standalone-image" style="display:block; width:232px;"><img src="/files/resize/u35/garnets640-232x175.jpg" alt="garnets in schist" title="garnets in schist" width="232" height="175" /><figcaption class="caption" style="display:block">garnets in schist</figcaption>
But that wasn’t my only treat. We saw musk ox and caribou and walked on the spongy tundra. Musk Ox have been an animal that I have read about and even used in a Project WILD activity, but never have seen. So this was a very special day. We hiked all day, stopping along the way for lunch, picking garnets, and watching wildlife. What a terrific day and a nice transition from Summit to home.
musk ox
musk ox
I will have a few more days in Kangerlussuaq before returning to the States on the Hercules LC130 and I am sure I will have chance to explore more of this interesting area of Greenland.
Jeff Severinghaus, Mike Waszkiewicz, Mary Albert, Elyse Williamson, Jay Kyne resting near Lake Ferguson
Lake Ferguson still with ice
Jo Dodds