The last email I received from Janet Warburton encouraged me to post a final journal entry to let folks know that I made it home safely and to wrap of the story of my research trip. She said, "Just…
At James Monroe Elementary we work together to make sure students and staff follow the 3 R's: Be respectfull, Responsible and Resourceful.  On this expedition I have seen just how important those…
I am in my tent, wet and bedraggled, working on thawing my fingers, drying my clothes, and writing yet another journal entry. It is raining again....still. I hung my rain suit on a line in my tent…
We arrived at Allison Lake after a 6 hour drive from Anchorage. From Valdez it took 3 float plane trips (Cordova Air) to get all 5 of us and a lot of gear (really heavy gear) up to the lake. The…
An aerial overview of Southwestern Alaska reveals a concentration of natural lakes. For these to exist there need to be depressions in the landscape below the water table that allow ground water to…
Sediment cores are harvested in 2.5 inch diameter polycarbonate tubes that are tamped into the lakebed with a weight.  The tubes are fastened onto a coring head and collar with large hose camps to…
You will remember that in my last journal I reported what we did for the first 24 hours at Cascade Lake.  Before we left we made 2 more sediment cores and took water samples from 2 points where…
Heidi, Darrell, and Denise Grant walking down the dock to the Tikchik Airventures float plane We arrived by DeHaviland Beaver floatplane after a one-day delay in our plans. Rick, our pilot, helped…
It is still daylight as the motor home sways and bumps along beside Turnagin Arm. Twice we have struggled to stay in our lanes against the force of the wind blowing from Cook Inlet. Forest fires…
When I come to Alaska I almost always head to Wasilla first to see my two sons and their families, but not this year. Our oldest son picked us up at the airport and we hit the road right away. The…
Forty years after man first walked on the moon, I have managed to use a satellite phone to contact PolarTREC...and I owe it all to Iridium!The Iridium system is satellite-based and has 3 components:…
Today is the day! Today is "make sure I can set up the tent…in the dark…in the rain…in a windstorm” day.  I have been through it once and I know the basics, but I need to be GOOD! The 4 season 3 man…