Alaska SnowEx 2023�North Slope Team

Logistics Tag Up Meeting

January 17, Tuesday, 6:00 AK / 8:00 MT / 10:00 ET / 16:00 Europe

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Agenda

2

Introductions - the goal is to get to know each other

Campaign schedule day-by-day

Access to study plots

Personal gear

Training updates

Field measurements

Questions

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List of North Slope Participants

Day-by-day Schedule for North Slope

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Access to the Study Plots

5

What to expect?

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1) Toolik and Upper Kuparuk:

• daily trips from Toolik Field Station (TFS)
• snowmobile travel over tundra to the study plots (on average 40-60 km a day)

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2) Arctic Coastal Plain

• driving from Prudhoe Bay to Arctic Coastal Plain site
• snowmobile travel over tundra to the study plots

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Toolik Field Station

Access to the Study Plots

6

What to expect?

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1) Toolik and Upper Kuparuk:

• daily trips from Toolik Field Station (TFS)
• snowmobile travel over tundra to the study plots (on average 40-60 km a day)

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2) Arctic Coastal Plain

• driving from Prudhoe Bay to Arctic Coastal Plain site
• snowmobile travel over tundra to the study plots

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Deadhorse

Safety Training, Logistics,

and Packing

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Campaign Provided Equipment�

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• Transportation (vehicles, snowmobiles, trailers, etc.)
• All Scientific Equipment
• Unless otherwise confirmed by SnowEx Leadership
• Emergency Burritos
• Sleeping bag, stove and pot, firestarter, compass, whistle, headlamp, candle, tape, socks, gloves, first aid kit, MREs, leatherman tool, hand warmers
• Satellite Communication Devices
• InReach devices assigned to site leads
• Sat phone for vehicles headed to Deadhorse
• Additional Safety Equipment from Toolik
• Vehicle safety gear
• Sat phone for those staying at Toolik

Training

Complete BEFORE Arrival

ABoVE Safety Training Plan

• Orientation video
• Bear safety video (optional)
• Basic First Aid w/CPR

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If you haven’t accessed your ABoVE Safety Training Plan yet, please do so asap.

Look for an email from Sarah (abovefairbanks@gmail.com) on access to your account.

• Snowmobile training
• Inexperienced - in person
• Experienced - online
• Certified - send in certificate to safety@cce.nasa.gov

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Snowmobile Training

In Person

• Fairbanks - Feb 13th
• Idaho - ½ day, date TBD w/ online requirement
• Colorado -½ day , date TBD w/ online requirement

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Online

https://www.snowmobile-ed.com/

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Toolik Snowmobile Training Status

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Deadhorse Snowmobile Training Status

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Training

In Person: First Few Days of Campaign

• Snowmobile orientation
• Wildlife safety
• SnowEx emergency plan
• Emergency kit reviews
• Loading snowmobiles/trailer safety
• Reporting procedures
• InReach/satellite phone operation
• Site orientations

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Training Specific to Toolik Field Station

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myToolik

Logging in to your myToolik account will often be the first step for anything related to conducting research at Toolik Field Station.

• Manage your projects and invoices
• Make housing reservations for your time at Toolik Field Station – DONE
• Reserve transportation to and from Toolik Field Station - DONE
• Reserve equipment and lab space - DONE
• Complete required training – INDIVIDUALLY

Go to https://www.uaf.edu/toolik/handbook/index.php

to log into myToolik and find useful links down below to pertinent information about what you will need for your visit.

If you are unsure about what you might need, please use our flow chart to help guide you to where you need to be. 

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TFS covid protocols and vaccination requirements:

1. Covid test on the day of departure; masking in the common area in camp
2. Toolik covid vaccinations/booster: Scott Filippone (Safety Coordinator/EMT; Toolik Field Station) - With regards to vaccination requirements, our current policy requires travelers to be compliant with CDC guidelines at the time of their departure. These guidelines can be found here:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html?s_cid=11747:covid%20vaccine%20schedule:sem.ga:p:RG:GM:gen:PTN:FY22

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Personal Packing

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Under Layer

• Base layers (wicking) x3+
• Sock liners (personal preference on use and how many)
• Glove liners (personal preference on use and how many)

Insulating Layer

• Insulating layers (fleece or wool, 1 light layer and 1 medium weight layer) x2+
• Puffy (down or synthetic) coats x1
• Puffy (down or synthetic) pants (full or ¾ length depending on bibs and boots)

Outer Layer

• Windproof layer x1 (Goretex or Gore Windstopper equivalent to be worn over parka and bibs if no windproof shell is included on parka and bibs - great option if you use puffy pants)
• Parka with hood x1
• Snow bibs (either really warm or warm with room for extra layers underneath) x1

Please make selections based on the Handbook section: “Personal information, packing, and gear selection” and quantity based on how many days between laundry or for the whole campaign.

Personal Packing

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Head

• Hats for warmth (one light or medium weight, and one heavy for sitting or riding) x2
• Ball cap/sun hat x1
• Buff/neck gaiter x2
• No Fog
• Balaclava (1 light and 1 thick) x2
• Sunglasses (not metal)
• Goggles
• Helmet
• If you don’t have access to a snowmobile helmet, please contact the safety and logistics team

Hands

• Warm, water resistant gloves (2 light pairs and 2 warm - that you can work in) x4
• Mittens - extra warm that may or may not fit over your gloves but still allow you to operate snowmachine x1

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Feet

• Bunny boots or -40F equivalent winter boots x1 (extra pair of liners if removable)
• Boot gaiters x1 pair with underfoot adjustable strap
• Wool or synthetic socks - plus extra

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Personal Packing

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Other

• Lounge clothes - warm
• Comfortable camp shoes - warm
• Sunscreen and lip protection - snow burn is real
• Insurance cards
• Prescription drugs
• Glasses/contacts
• Toiletries
• Headlamp
• Insulated water bottle (keeps water from freezing)
• Thermos for hot beverages
• 2 Backpacks/waterproof duffle (day pack for gear, lunch, equipment, extra layers, etc.)

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Packing list with example links in the Handbook, pg. 62-63

Additional Announcements

• Lodging in Fairbanks will be 2 people to a suite
• If you have a roommate request or concerns about sharing a suite please email safety@cce.nasa.gov
• Deadhorse Team March 11-15
• Participants are required to make a reservation with the Aurora Hotel (https://theaurorahotel.net/) for these dates, however they do not accept reservations until 2 weeks prior

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Training Specific to SnowEx

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Online: Complete BEFORE Arrival

ABoVE Safety Training Plan

• Orientation & wildlife videos
• First Aid
• Field site-specific trainings
• Toolik
• Snowmobile orientation (not required at this time)

If you haven’t accessed your ABoVE Safety Training Plan yet, please do so asap.

Look for an email from Leanne for access to your account sent in the last 2 weeks.

Campaign Provided Equipment�

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• All Scientific Equipment
• Emergency Burritos - 2
• Sleeping bag, stove and pot, firestarter, compass, whistle, headlamp, candle, tape, socks, gloves, first aid kit, MREs, leatherman tool, handwarmers
• Satellite Communication Devices
• InReach Devices assigned to site leads
• Additional safety equipment from Toolik
• Vehicle safety gear
• Sat phone

Training specific to SnowEx

21

In Person: 1st Day of Campaign

• Wildlife Safety
• SnowEx Emergency Plan
• Emergency kit reviews
• Loading ATV’s/trailer safety
• Reporting procedures
• InReach/Sat phone operation
• Site orientations

�

Training specific to Toolik Field Station

22

myToolik

Logging in to your myToolik account will often be the first step for anything related to conducting research at Toolik Field Station.

• Manage your projects and invoices
• Make housing reservations for your time at Toolik Field Station – DONE
• Reserve transportation to and from Toolik Field Station - DONE
• Reserve equipment and lab space - DONE
• Complete required training – INDIVIDUALLY

Go to https://www.uaf.edu/toolik/handbook/index.php

to log into myToolik and find useful links down below to pertinent information about what you will need for your visit.

If you are unsure about what you might need, please use our flow chart to help guide you to where you need to be. 

​

TFS covid protocols and vaccination requirements:

1. Covid test on the day of departure; masking in the common area in camp
2. Toolik covid vaccinations/booster: Scott Filippone (Safety Coordinator/EMT; Toolik Field Station) - With regards to vaccination requirements, our current policy requires travelers to be compliant with CDC guidelines at the time of their departure. These guidelines can be found here:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html?s_cid=11747:covid%20vaccine%20schedule:sem.ga:p:RG:GM:gen:PTN:FY22

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Field measurements

23

Ground Measurements

• Ground conditions: vegetation, organic layer, soil moisture and freeze/thaw state
• Snow conditions:
• Snow pits – selected with 2022 lidar data, input from models and land cover classes
• Snow depth transects and/or spirals (magnaprobe, GPR)
• Mini-pits/SMP – variability in stratigraphy - March
• SWE tubes – snow density variability
• Microstructure (SSA, SMP, Casting) - March

Questions

24

Driving from Fairbanks to Toolik Field Station

Departure: 8 am, Tuesday, March 7, 2023

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TFS is located is located at mile 284.5 of the Dalton Highway, 370 miles north of Fairbanks.

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Driving to the station takes 9-12 hours and requires travel on a largely unpaved industrial artery that serves operations at Prudhoe Bay.

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Source: https://www.uaf.edu/toolik/about/

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Caribou-Poker Creek Research

Watershed

Farmers Loop & Creamers Field

Bonanza Creek Experimental Forest

Fairbanks

Boreal Forest Sites

Arctic Coastal Plain

Arctic /North Slope Tundra Sites

Toolik and Upper Kuparuk

ALASKA

Prudhoe Bay

Toolik Field Station and Upper Kuparuk

• Tundra, riparian shrubland, shrub tundra, wetland, barren
• Elevation range 700 m – 1500 m; foothills of the Brooks Range
• Continuous permafrost
• Shallow tundra snow with deep snow drifts
• Long-term research site with weather and hydrological stations
• SNOTEL site
• CLPX (2007) & CoReH20 (2013) observations
• Base out of Toolik Field Station

Arctic Coastal Plain

• Polygonal tundra, shrubs, lakes, wetlands, barren land
• Elevation range 20 m – 45 m
• Continuous permafrost
• Shallow tundra snow with deep snow drifts
• Different ratio and characteristics of wind slab and depth hoar layers
• SNOTEL weather station
• Base out of Prudhoe Bay/Deadhorse

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