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I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to spend the summers of 2003 and 2004 on the North Slope of Alaska. I was accepted as a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (or REU) student with the Marine Biological Laboratory based out of Woods Hole, MA. I worked on several of the global warming related studies that have been going on up at Toolik Field Station for over 30 years. The North Slope is a beautiful place, and many of the best photos I got up there were taken during work! But, many were also taken during our weekly excursions into the Brooks Mountain Range. Here are some of my favorites that I have in digital format:
This sign, near the entrance to the Toolik Camp, gives some quick facts and a short history of the camp, but does little to convey just how far away from everything you really are.
Scenes like this do convey just how far away from everything you really are!
The Dalton Highway is the only road to Prudhoe Bay, on the north coast. This road runs through only 3 "towns" on its nearly 500 mile journey across the Brooks range and the North slope between Fairbanks and Prudhoe Bay.
Here's a shot of me at work at Imnavait Creek. This photo obviously wasn't taken by me, but it gives a good idea of the kind of beautiful scenery we had at work! That is an ISCO auto water sampling machine in the foreground with me, and the Brooks Range in the background.
As part of a study to determine the effects of global warming on the arctic, plots of tundra were fertilized to simulate increased nutrient releases as a result of a warming climate. Other plots were physically warmed with greenhouses.
There were lots of crazy hippy people walking around with nature up there!
This hike to the top of the >7000 ft Dalton Peak produced one of my favorite scenic views. Although 7000 ft is not that high compared to other mountain ranges, like the Rockies, when you start the day at 2000 ft, its still quie a climb... and quite a view!
The Brooks Range was always within view. This is how is looked from camp.
We had to take the journey back down south of the Brooks whenever we had the urge to hug a tree... there was just too much permafrost to the north for trees to survive!
It seemed like there were hundreds of different flower species around up there. How do so many delicate and beautiful things grow in such a harsh environment, where even a tree cant make it?
Check out my 2004 Alaska photos.
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