With all of our roots injected, plucked, sorted, packed and shipped, it was time for the Deep Roots team to take a short hike before we headed back to Fairbanks on the Haul Road one last time. Here are a few photos from our last day on the tundra:

    Fossil Hunting
    Some of Deep Roots team fossil hunting in the distance.

    Ice
    Even in late August, you can still find ice on the ground.

    Crag
    I think this has been here for awhile.

    Ridge
    Xanthe Walker, high on a ridge

    Lichen

    Walking through rocky ground cover can only mean one thing – lichens. Here are a few pictures…I think they are all lichens, but a mycologist would know better…

    Lichen Bloom
    The orange was practically fluorescent against the gray rocks.

    Lichen Reproduction
    Apparently those little sucker shaped ends are important for reproduction.
    Lichen
    So cool.

    Finally, a Sunset

    After our hike and a final dinner, the crew cleaned up the lab and readied everything for our trip down the Haul Road. Upon leaving the lab, we finally saw a sunset. The time was about 9:45 pm.

    Sunset
    The sun is finally beginning to set on the tundra.

    We even saw the moon that night at around midnight, but I couldn’t get a good photo.

    Heading back to Fairbanks

    The next morning, we packed up all the trucks and headed back down the Haul Road for the 6-8 hour drive “home.” Here are a few shots from along the way.

    Bye bye Brooks
    The Brooks Range is far in the distance.

    Autumn Hills
    The vibrant colors of autumn.

    Lonely mountain.
    Lonely mountain.

    Stay tuned for the next journal to hear how I killed a few days in Fairbanks!

    Author
    Date
    Location
    Fairbanks, AK
    Expedition
    Weather Summary
    Sunny and Clear
    Temperature
    62

    Comments

    Kayla Booker

    How did the environment affect the trip and organisms?

    Kenneth Burnett

    Why is some of the lichen white? Is it that it's dead or is it because of the frost or maybe something else?

    Nell Kemp

    Hi Kenneth,
    Just like other organisms, lichens come in every color, shape, size, etc. The color is just an adaptation to their environment - they are very much alive!

    Alaina Grason

    If you could would you go back to Alaska gather more evidence to support your theory?

    jaylynn kim

    in one of the pictures you said "i think this has been here for a while" why did you come up with that conclusion?

    Janyah Brooks

    If there was more information gathered do you believe that the theory would be stronger or be better'd for questioning and observation ?

    Daisy Valle

    Was there difficulty or challenges that occurred on your adventure to the tundra ?