Ptarmigan Tracks

Things got rolling early this year as two special deliveries arrived at the winter office in April: a full-size basketball backboard and a mounting plate for our tractor’s front-end loader.  On this day Kubota-Ball was created.  Simon mounted the backboard to the plate, enabling the whole unit to be lifted and moved by our tractor, turning any open area into a basketball court.

Between well-attended games of Kubota-Ball, capture the flag, and soccer, the operations crew had many other major accomplishments.  May began with many days painting the exteriors of North Face Lodge, Potlatch, and Avalanche, Permafrost and Bergschrund cabins.  A wet July put painting on hold as road maintenance became a priority.  This involved much handwork and the installation of several silt traps along the driveway. This allowed water to exit the roadway, protecting the fragile tundra from sediment.

Upgrades to the hydroelectric system at Camp Denali, paired with July rains, allowed the system to be used for most of the summer.  Running our water-powered generator in tandem with our solar panels brought down the daily run time of our diesel generator from 20 hours to less than 10.

In the fall the crew usually has about 10 days to perform tasks after we wave goodbye to our last guests of the season and before the snow forces everyone to clear out for winter.  This year the crew tackled three major projects: re-landscaping the Camp Denali lawn, leveling and repairing the floor of the Warehouse, and rebuilding the walls and floor of the Greenhouse.  Grass seed is spread; the Warehouse is level; the Greenhouse is ready for soil and plants.  And safely tucked away is a basketball hoop, ready to be mounted and put into service when we return next May.