Under grey skies and as the air temperature rose, we (Martin Jeffries and Marc Gould)

drove part way across town, about three miles, from the Geophysical Institute to Aurora Pond in central Fairbanks. Our mission, to set up the ALISON observatory to be operated once again by the home-school group spearheaded by Deb Bennett. This will be their third winter of measurements. Marc recently arrived from New York State and is now enrolled as a graduate student in the Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Alaska Fairbanks.

We were met at the gate by Deb Bennett and her daughter Kate, and Janlee Irving and her daughter Bonnie. The six of us were a well-organized and efficient team (we had done this together before) and we made short work of setting up the study site. We soon had the 100 m tape extended across the ice, followed by problem-free installation of the ice thickness gauges. Much to Martin’s relief, there were no problems with chainsaws, as occurred at Minto earlier in the week, thanks to the thinner ice (~0.22 m thick) and warmer weather (~-8°C). Then we were drilling holes through the ice, measuring snow depth and ice thickness, and placing stakes in the holes. About 75 minutes after our arrival, we were finished and saying goodbye.

Perhaps it took us such a short time to set up the observatory because Martin forgot a couple of items that should have been frozen into the ice. Forgetting things for Aurora Pond is becoming a bad habit with Martin. This time it was the ice temperature probes, and the plexiglass tubes for measuring the surface melt rate next spring. Another short trip to Aurora Pond is needed.

Before returning to the Geophysical Institute, we made an important stop at Jackovich Supply to see if the problem with the larger of our two chainsaws could be diagnosed and fixed. This is the new chainsaw that was such a disappointment in Minto. Ten minutes after arriving at Jackovich we left with an adjusted chainsaw that, we are told, should now cut ice as well as we were promised when we purchased it. We hope to prove that when we visit Mentasta on Monday and Tuesday next week, 24-25 November 2003.