2-3 December 2003

It was ­40°C and dark when we left Fairbanks at 7:30 am on 2 December 2003. A few minutes later as we drove south through North Pole the digital display by the overpass claimed it was ­43.3°C. Whatever. The weather was cold as we departed to visit Barb Dalke at Mentasta School. It was moderately warmer and relatively light two hours later when we stopped in Delta Junction for coffee and donuts.

Five hours after leaving Fairbanks we were in Mentasta, where it was somewhat warmer than Fairbanks and equally calm. That was a relief because it was quite windy between Delta Junction and Tok, but shortly after leaving Tok the wind disappeared as we entered the mountains.

As we drove down the road from the main highway to Mentasta a small caribou almost ran into the road in front of us. Fortunately it changed its mind and dashed back into the trees and the Nelchina herd did not suffer a very small decline in numbers. Apparently there are many caribou around Mentasta at the moment, passing through on their way to Canada.

After lunch we headed down to the lake, aided by Misty, one of Barb Dalke’s students, who towed our sleds behind her snowmachine, leaving us free to enjoy the ~1 km walk down the trail through the trees. At the end of the trail sits Benny Funk’s cabin on the lake shore. He must have one of the best views in Mentasta.

I don’t know what time we began installing ice thickness gauges, drilling holes, measuring ice thickness, erecting wooden stakes and seeing a fox walk across the ice, but I do know we were finished at 3:30 pm. The sun had set behind a mountain before then, but the light remained adequate and we were back at the trailhead before it was truly dark.

Between leaving the study site and reaching the trailhead we spent about half an hour chatting with Benny inside his snug cabin. Originally from Tanacross, a short distance north of Tok, he talked to us about the effect of the 3 November 2002 earthquake on the lake ice cover, about the caribou and wolves, and about the stray King salmon that was found in the lake last summer. It was ­27.2°C when we said goodbye and pulled our heavy sleds back up the trail. We had enjoyed a successful afternoon on the ice, with a clear sky and not a breath of wind.

The temperature was close to ­40°C on Wednesday morning, 3 December. The school closes and students get the day off only when the temperature is below ­45.5°C, but outdoor activities are not permitted when the temperature is below ­28.8°C. By noon the temperature was still lower than the threshold and a light breeze was blowing. So, unfortunately our plan to take the students down to the lake to make measurements had to be cancelled.

Still, we did meet the students and had the opportunity to talk to them about ALISON and the measurements that they would be making. Barb had also talked to them previously about ALISON and the measurements, which she will integrate into the curriculum, which combines western science and native knowledge. The Mentasta community takes a great interest in the education of its childrens and village elders will be helping the students with the lake ice and snow measurements. The Mentasta ALISON study site is in good hands.