Two more days up here in Alaska and then I'm heading to Idaho. The summer has flown by. Some of the leaves up here are starting to change colors, and we've had frost on the ground a couple of mornings. Fall is coming soon.

I moved up to the high camp, "Camp Omar" about a week ago. The lower, larger camp is called "Camp Swamp." It's really beautiful here. The swimming hole on the Omar River 200 meters from camp has to be one of the finest in the world. I'm now realizing how much I'm going to miss the good life here in Alaska. Walking jagged, misty ridges in the morning, watching the seasons change and the birds come and go, meeting new friends and hearing new stories. It doesn't get much better than this.


Though of course there are things I will not miss. Mosquitos, 5+ hours of swimming through alder brush, and working 26 straight days are kind of difficult.

Right now, our camp is planning on igniting a huge bonfire on the 17th to celebrate the end (almost) of the field season in the Baird Mountains. The geotecs stacked together an enourmous pile of dead trees. It should be quite a show.

Finally, I've officially graduated. Absolutely amazing. Seven years for two undergraduate degrees, how long for a graduate degree?

Continuing to work in the Baird Mountains of Northwestern Alaska. I've really become attached to them. They have such a barren, arctic feel to them. There isn't as much wildlife here as down near Aniak, though there are Dall Sheep here which is very cool. I'm still searching for the elusive wolverine. Three guys in our group have seen them, a fact I am very jealous of.

Doing mineral exploration has been an interesting experience this summer. How does it feel to work towards exploiting the land? I'm not sure how I feel actually. It's occured to me that the larger problem of destroying pristine country has little to do with mining, oil and logging companies exploiting the land but rather the demand for oil, lumber, gold, silver, zinc, and copper in the modern world. Computers, medical devices, and electronics all use gold. For Americans to continue purchasing their computers, and living the lifestyle we've become accustomed to, these industries must continue. It's actually kind of sad really, how attached the western world is to Hummers, fancy cars, and personal image. But it really is all of us who are at fault for driving the changes in our world. Driving a fuel efficient car does little to help the environment if you're also purchasing solid wood furniture at Ikea, buying a new computer, running your air conditioner (all things I have done this summer), and doing all the other things that Americans take for granted. It all adds up when 280 million people do it. Last night our camp maintenance guy, Vince, took us on the "Kobuk River Tour" on his fishing boat. We pretty much just visited Rose's fishing cabin, upriver from our camp a few miles. Rose is 78 years old and spends the summer along the Kobuk River doing subsistence fishing, as she has all her life. Simple, hard, rewarding life with no computers, no facebook, and no blogging. I think someday I will get tired of the American lifestyle and move away. Hopefully anyway...


We'll see how Idaho goes.