Definitions

Let's start with those new words I put in the last blog. (Great job by all of you who posted definitions!)

Qamatuk is a box/sled pulled behind a snowmobile. This is how we get out to our test sites where we dig snow pits. I've ridden out in them twice so far. I enjoy the view as we ride. It can be pretty bumpy, but the only bad part is smelling the gas from the snowmobile.



Zastrugi is snow that has been sculpted by wind. We see it everywhere up here, and it's really quite pretty. Many of them look like frozen waves. We were told that these snow sculptures are actually useful for navigation because they face into the wind, which is predominantly from the Northwest.

Pukak is the fine, powdery snow at the bottom of the snowpack, where small animals can burrow and live in the winter. We see it when we dig snow pits, but I don't have a picture of it. Here are some pictures of the two snow pits we did yesterday (before I got sick).