The Hills Are Alive...
Today we set up OTCs (open top chambers) at Sagwon. Sagwon is about 1 1/2 hours north of Toolik. The drive to and from was beautiful and yielded views of caribou, muskox, and dall sheep. The dall sheep were too far away to photograph.
One of the muskox we saw today.
Caribou on the way to Sagwon on the Dalton Highway.
Also, before all the snow hit, this part of the tundra was already greening up and beginning to bloom. With the snow melted, wildflowers could be seen.
Wildflowers were blooming!!
Other incredible lichen and berries were visible too!
Lichen from the Sagwon ecotypes site.
Berries are a readily available food source for many animals.
Finger lichen (Dactylina arctica). One of the few I can name!
At Sagwon, between intermittent ice showers, we were able to set up and stake down 24 OTCs. Navigating tussocks is tricky. They are unstable and don't seem to move the way you anticipate them to. Between pounding in tent stakes and rebar into permfrost and navigating the terrain, you look up and are treated to an amazing view that few people get to experience. Today was a good day to be in the arctic.
Step One: Place the OTC over the experimental site and get your stake ready to attach. Photo by Matthew Simon.
Step Two: Tread the screw through the hole and attach the washer and nut on the other side. Photo by Matthew Simon.
Step Three: Find a nearby tussock to push the stake into. Use a 4 pound hammer to secure it into the permafrost. Do this two more times to secure the OTC. Photo by Matthew Simon.
The view at Sagwon is amazing.
Each mound is a tussock. The ground in between is very squishy.
The Adventures Of Flat Cat
Today Flat Cat discovered the magical wall of candy here at Toolik.
Flat Cat and the Wall of Candy.
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