16 June 2014 My Home

Journal

Tour of Camp

I have mentioned in previous journals that I am living in a tent in the Arctic TundraA treeless area between the icecap and the tree line of arctic regions, having a permanently frozen subsoil and supporting low-growing vegetation such as lichens, mosses, and stunted shrubs.. Probably not many people have had this experience so I want to share it with you. It is pretty similar to camping normally. Instead of full outback style camping we are doing more car camping style.

So as you enter in camp you are greeted by the camp's name which is the name of the Dartmouth group. Also, there is an antler we found and decided to add.

Camp sign — This is the camp sign. IGERT is the name of Dartmouth's research group

The camp is basically divided into three areas: kitchen area, sleeping area, and bathroom area. The first thing you will see when entering camp is the kitchen. It is in an Arctic Oven tent which is basically a really big and really warm tent you can cook in because it has vents.

The kitchen — This is the kitchen. The tent is an Arctic Over which basically means it is a big and warm tent that you can cook in

Inside the kitchen. Just enough room for four people

Food preparation area — This is the food preparation area. Notice all of the spices! Hot sauce is a camper's best friend

On the outside of the Arctic Over we keep the food and water. There is a lot of food because the group shipped everything they would need (breakfast, lunch and dinner) for three months.

Water area — The water area has one container of boiled water and one with plain water

Want some ice in that water? — This is how we make water cold. We can just go down to the river a grad a piece of ice.

Lunch box — All of the food is divided into meals and rations. This is the first ration of lunch food

Snack and dessert box — This box is full of goodies if we need something extra

The next section we will travel to is the sleeping area.

I am living in an orange and gray Mountain Hard Wear tent and it is actually very warm. Most nights I wake up hot.

Next we will head to the bathroom area which is all the way over there...

We are getting closer, it is the tall sand dune...

About half way to the bathroom — I am about half way to the bathroom. The bathroom is behind the tall dune

We have a system to tell in someone is behind the sand dune in the bathroom already. If the shovel is up it means that no one is there. When the shovel is down it means do not disturb.

Shovel marking if anyone is in the bathroom of not. If the shovel is up it means that no one is in the bathroom

For the bathroom we dig holes in the ground. We also want to be clean so we have hand sanitizer afterwards. What the bathroom lacks in luxury it makes up in views.

The view from the bathroom. It may not be a luxurious bathroom, but it does have a view

Next, we are going to head back to camp to take a look at my tent.

Heading back to camp from the bathroom — Heading back to camp from the batroom

There are four of us living in this camp right now but soon there will be more.

Lets take a look at château Dodson

Outside of the Moutain Hard Wear tent — Outside of the Mountain Hard Wear tent. This tent is very warm and I usually get hot at night.

On the outside we have my porch where I store all of my gear.

The porch of my tent. This is where I store all of my gear

On the inside the tent has three main areas: sleeping, reading, and dressing.

Inside of my tent — This is the inside of my tent. It is divided into three sections: sleeping, reading, and closet

My sleeping area is composed of a -20 degree sleeping bag and sleeping pads. The sleeping bag is very fluffy and cozy.

My reading area has a chair and some slippers. I also do a lot of my journaling here so I can be away from the mosquitos.

My pockets in my tent also have a purpose. I have a vanity area where I can use disposable washcloths and brush my teeth.

I also have a stash of gummy bears by Haribo (my favorite candy) and books (very important!).

Candy and book stash — This is my favorite pocket in my tent. This is where I store my books and my favorite Haribo gummy bears

The next sections is my closet. This area is basically just a pile of clothes. I grab some clothes out of the pile every morning and make sure I grab at least three additional layers I can add through the day. Above the closet is my laundry. My clothes just get stored here until I can get to KISS to wash them.

It may not always be the most comfortable or warm home, but when I look outside every morning I am always amazed by what I see. It is definitely worth everything.