6/28/09

Hey from a snow camp on a glacier!

This sort of camping is really awesome, because you can carve out whatever you want in the really deep snow. For example we carved out a kitchen, bathrooms, and made a flat sleeping platform for our tent. We took about 2 hours stomping out a runway for the plane to land on, and now must melt snow to get water. I’m pretty used to the sun being out 24/7, and I’ve been sleeping surprisingly well.

We’re supposed to be re-rationed tomorrow morning, and the weather seems stable, so HOPEFULLY the pilot comes tomorrow. Also, tomorrow is a rest day and we’re switching tent groups so I’ll get to be with more (nicer) people!

We also found out today we might do some ice climbing, and our goal is to climb the tallest peak in the basin. We’ll have four days there [in the next camp spot] too which will be nice. I like, no, love the scenery change, but moving camp every day is so tiring.

My camera battery is holding out really well, and I’m getting some awesome pictures! Also my book is really good, since right now a group of people are moving through the snowy mountains of Alaska, just like us!

 

We’ve learned quite a bit of glaciology as well. For example the glacier moves via a plastic-y water under pressurized layers of snow, and crevasses are made from either steep terrain (ice-falls), or turns in the glacier’s body (horizontal crevasses). At the glacier’s toe, the crevasses are perpendicular to the other crevasses farther up the glacier.

Well that’s pretty much it for now, I’ll write back hopefully after the re-ration! I’m a little nervous, but I have my trusty Hershey bar and Fritoes if all else fails.

Write back with food,

~Fia

P.S. I’ll try and take a video of the plane landing!

 

<- DAY 9    ||    DAY 11 ->