15 June, 2001

These are the frost boils, near our research site that I chose to monitor while here. I'll be looking for changes in soil moisture and vegetation mainly.

A closer look at the frost boils shows who lives here...lemmings, small mouse like mammals. They build tunnels and live underground for protection during winter from the cold and protection from predators during the summer.

Things you need when working in the remote arctic, warm clothes and a shotgun in case you meet up with a polar bear. More important than a gun however, is common sense when working here!

This sign is about 2 miles out of town at the start of the trail to Point Barrow, the most northern point of land in United States. Polar bears can be seen here at times when they come off the ice. Once in a while they may come into or near town.

The ocean ice is breaking up and ice sculptures are being formed by the wind and evaporation. We found this one down near the Point.

Of course when you find a sculpture like this someone always has to climb on it! Maggie and Ben are on the top and Glen is target shooting.

This is 9PM on the ice, not your normal ocean view!