by Morgan Brown, Weber State University

Hey everyone! My name is Morgan Brown and I am from Brigham City, Utah. I am a senior at Weber State University, majoring in Botany. I have been here in Atlin, British Columbia for five weeks now, and I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone by. It seems like just last week we arrived, but the program is quickly wrapping up. Today we took our practical exam for our Natural History course, which I actually enjoyed. We drove to Monarch Mountain, where we had our first field day, and our program leader, Will, led us around asking us for the common and scientific names of many of the plants we’ve learned. We also were able to see some animal sign; a moose rub on a willow was an interesting find.

7/6/17 – The glassy smooth waters of Surprise Lake made for a cool shot of the surrounding peaks the morning that we left camp

We have been fortunate enough to take part in some amazing field excursions during our time here. Our first major camping trip was to Surprise Lake, located northeast of town. Because we were assisting with their Arctic Tern surveys, a few members of the Taku River Tlingit First Nation (TRTFN) accompanied us on this trip. We also hiked a few kilometers behind Four Crown Mountain to see if there was a nearby mineral lick that would be used by ungulate populations. On July 8th, we left for our largest trip, hiking thirty miles over three days to reach the Nakina River. This trek was hard on the body, but rewarding to the mind. The beautiful landscape, new plant species and fresh fish offered a sweet reward for the hard work to reach our destination. Another favorite field day of mine was July 20th. Half of the group and Will went up to our high alpine summit on a peak in the Lina Mountain Range to replace a soil temperature logger for our GLORIA survey work. Along with our normal field equipment – GPS, binoculars, first aid kits – we also brought our sense of fun and adventure. The old road that was previously used to reach the peak had been flooded due to a beaver dam, so we made our own trail and found our way to our destination. We hiked 8 kilometers in total, with an elevation gain of over 1000 meters. But accomplishing our goal on that beautiful day was really a treat. The views walking back from the summit were incredible.

7/20/17 – Our view of Atlin Mountain and Atlin Lake. Taken while hiking to a peak in the Lina Mountain Range to replace a temperature logger at our high alpine summit for our GLORIA work

This week we took our last camping trip for the program. We left Tuesday, July 25th, and drove a couple of hours along bumpy back roads to reach Consolation Creek, where we would camp for the night. Although it took us almost three hours to drive to our destination, our other program leader, Alex, made the drive fun by suggesting we listen to our favorite story songs. This creek is in the middle of a valley, bordered by some large mountain peaks. We set up camp and enjoyed burritos and s’mores around the campfire, laughing and joking like we always do. The next morning after packing up, we walked through a big, open valley towards some of the neighboring peaks to look for ungulates. We had seen a solitary caribou the night before, resting on a snowpack, so we were hopeful to see more that day. The weather that morning was brisk, with some cloud cover and a light breeze – really good hiking weather. We walked south for a couple of kilometers along an old ATV trail, then bushwhacked for a little while before reaching a good watch post. We were greeted by the biggest herd of caribou that any of us had ever seen together at one time, about 97 in total. We were lucky enough to be downwind from the herd, secretly observing them forage from a safe distance. It was hard to get a good count of all of the caribou. When they weren’t moving, they blended in really well with the alpine vegetation and darkly colored rocks. I think we counted and recounted about twenty times that day before finally agreeing on our number. Being able to observe the caribou in their natural habitat, and especially at this location, was really awesome because we will be able to pass along our data and observations to members of the TRT. Round River’s monitoring of ungulate populations in and around the Atlin area really helps the TRTFN, because many of the members are not always able to get out and make the observations themselves.

One thing that I’ve really enjoyed during my time abroad is seeing how different the landscape is from where I grew up. Northern Utah (almost all of Utah, actually) is a desert. So being up here in the boreal has been so completely foreign to me. Walking through conifer stands, seeing how the forest floor is completely carpeted with various moss and lichen species is a trip. One day walking home from the Nakina, I made a joke to Round River’s program director, Doug, that the fluffy moss and tufts of lichen were “the original shag carpet” and we both laughed. During our hikes, it is interesting to see the different assemblages of plant species. As we gain elevation, the trees start to shrink in size, shrubs are more frequent and the wildflowers start to change in composition. Being able to be in the alpine and boreal habitats has been a real treat for me because I have only ever read about these areas and their associated plant species in journals during my studies. It feels so satisfying to be here and to be able to put tangible species and ecosystems to what I’ve read about.

7/26/17 – An alpine lake viewed from our perch upon a rocky ridge while scouting out caribou

We have had a good mix of rain and sun so far this summer. It’s been nice to escape the worst of the heat that I am hearing about in the States. Most days are a cool 60 degrees, with a light breeze blowing through the aspens. I’ve seen more rain than I am normally used to, and it’s definitely been an adjustment to deal with being so wet. During many of our hikes, we have had to skillfully maneuver mud puddles and bogs, all while in our wet boots, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. At the start of the program we talked about expectations that we had for our time here and for ourselves. I made goals to get out of my comfort zone, to try new things, and to learn as much as I can while I’m here. I can proudly say that I’ve met all of my goals. Going on my first ever backpacking trip definitely got me out of my comfort zone, but it was truly a one of a kind experience. Being in the remote wilderness so far from people & services used to scare me, but I haven’t felt that fear at all while being here. I would say instead that I feel a sense of peace. It feels amazing to be in such a remote place, taking in the scenery and enjoying everything around me. Even though I have only been here for five weeks, Atlin feels like home.