Christmas research:
First, wishing you all a very merry Christmas or other Holiday that you are celebrating. Today was a merry day for us also. We would not be deterred today from finding a second suitable site. Armed with stainless steel collars, a hammer, and a GPS to record the location of our next site, we set out bravely in search for the elusive soil.
We found a site close to the glacier where we were able to set up ten more plots. This site will represent the youngest site in our study. The glacier only receded here within the last 10 years or so, so there are no visible plants yet. You can see the glacier clearly in the photos - the looming white dome.
It took us about four hours total to find a good site and set this up. On our return we braved some areas still covered in a thick snowpack. We did not mind braving it as we knew a cup of hot cocoa or tea would be waiting for us. Besides, finding site number two was a great Christmas present.
“Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, trudging through the snow. Oh, what fun it is to walk in a thick white patch of snow - hey!”