Cessna & Navajo air trip was ended yesterday! It was not cheap! but it was excellent trip to visit Island and very remote villages such as Chenaga Bay, Port Heiden…

(photo: beautiful village Chenega Bay at Prince William Sound)

(photo: Aleutian village Port Heiden, it looks like “ice wedge polygon” terrain (see Tunnel man episode 1), but these polygons were developed by cooling contraction cracking of the lava field.

 

I like island because I grew up the Island?! I do not know answer but it’s nice to see more different place. In general, island is remaining unique culture, ecosystem…

I could not make little Diomede this spring. Usually this time of the year, we have a ice runway on sea ice. But they could not make it as bad ice condition. so we will try next spring. So far we drilled and currently monitoring permafrost temperature at St. Lawrence Island, Nelson Island, and Nunivak Island (and also Shishmaref is island!). I was surprised Mekoryuk (Nunivak Is.) has  permafrost.

(photo:Mekoryuk, Nunivak Is. many permafrost mounds are found around the village)

So next target is Pribilof Islands!! I will visit for St. Paul this weekend to next week. UAF former professor Dave Hopkins reported periglacial features at St. George in 1966. Most likely no frozen on island but they may have some frozen ground?!  Stay tune… I will report it to you soon!

 

Weather was still bad in Western Alaska. We decide to cancel for St. Lowrence Is. trip. We head back to Fairbanks!  

At first, we went to Atmautluak. Duane Associate let us to use one of their boreholes at there. We walk to village and finding PVC pipe. After the installation of the sensors and logger. We stop by school to say “hi”.

Then We flew to Kalskag. Science teacher (Marcus) came by his track. We drilled tundea site at upper Kalskag.

At lunch stop! we were at McGrath (starting beautiful weather from here!!), to talk with science teacher (Nicole). Then another short flying for Nikolai.

It was nice day…

 

We met ice cellar owner at Wales, first things in the morning. Her dad dug ground about 50 years ago!

It was always nice to meet students. Especially at Wales, we met last year during snowmachine trip and saw at video seminar from UAF…

 

Weather did not help us today. We could not fly for St. Lawrence Is. Instead, we approached to Hopper Bay and Chevak. Scammon Bay runway was closed last two days as flooding. 

 

Once we arrived Hooper Bay, rain and snow… Scott (principal) took care of us nicely and Daniel (science teacher) introduced DOT crew. They are drilling too. 

We were working in the rain, snow, wind… Looks it went real storm!! We decided to not stay in Chevak. We went to Bethel in the evening.

Monday!  New week is starting with beautiful blue sky in Fairbanks!

Soon we hit fogy weather with snow and rain…

At Pt. Lay, Kaji visit ice sellar to set up logger, and I try to get drill permission with BJ.

After the permission process, I had a chance to talk at Kevin’s classroom.

 

Once we deside drill site, James help us to install station.

Aftre Pt. Lay, We stop Kozebue, Shishmaref then Wales.

It was long day… Dave (pilot) seems tired navigating very low flying during low visibility.

Craig (principal) pick us up at Wales airport by his snow machine. Thank you!!

Just in case… this is today’s flight course.

This is fkight corse for last week!

 

It’s Friday! I had a one more day to visit school!

I contact to Pam, who is high school science teacher at Kaktovik. Kaktovik is located north eastern part of Alaska almost Canada, many of native people have a relatives living in Canada. Pam arranged to pick me up at airport and to set up class room nicely. I had a 5 hours to talk, drill, install, and visiting ice cellar. Just enough time I think…

When I arrived at Kaktovik, almost no visibility and blizzard. Many village people surprised about Frontier Flying touch down.

But, in the afternoon, wind stop and  beautiful blue sky is back!!

Ice cellar has some ice wedge network. We put datalogger at the bottom of wedge ice and next of the Muktuk.

We are middle of storm at Bethel today. Andrea at LKSD made very nice breakfast for us and bring us to the deep borehole site. We did successfully download data. We back to Tom and Andrea’s home to wait weather improoved.

Weather seem to never improove and may worse tomorrow.

We decide to come back to Fairbanks until next good weather window! That happen frequently by using single engine airplane. The flying of the way back  was very bumpy. We stop Kalskag to meet science teacher Marcus. He come to airport and to discuss about potential drill site. It was good disscussion.

After the talk, during snowfall! we head back to Fairbanks.

 

Low pressure system is approaching today.

After the morning talk at Igiugig, we got fuel at Iliamna. Around Lunch time, we stop Koliganek to talk and to install thermistor and logger.

Storm finally catch us 30 mile north of Koliganek. We plan to visit Kalskag, but it could not by the fog. Dave (pilot) decide to U-turn, we are looking for the way to Bethel. Back to the Dellingham, we flu along the coast line. little bit bumpy ride…

We made Platinum, after the platunum to Bethel. Root is familiar same as snowmachine trail. We go straight to Bethel.

Another beautiful day! but maybe last one… We met students at Chenega Bay this morning. they are bright, it was great time. After the morning class, we could fly over the beautiful snow mountain and active volcano Redoubt! About 4 hours later, we were at Port Heiden. Port Heiden is located next of Aniakchak Crater. It’s interesting place.

After the installation, we head back to Igiugig.

It was great weather today! maybe best one in this spring! We head down to south for Prince William Sound. There are five town, villages along the sounds. We did visit Valdez and Whittier already. We focus Tatitlek, Cordova and Chenega Bay. These are all beautiful town and feel little bit different from other Alaska!

 

We made small driving trip this weekend. Mainly we check frost tube and setting up data logger for ground surface.

At first, we ware at Delta Juction then Dot Lake, Tanacross, Tok, Mentasta Lake, Slana, ChistoChina…