This year my tundra fieldwork started during the so-called “slush season”. Too much snow for easy hiking and frolicking among tiny tundra flowers, but not enough snow, or not good enough snow, for skiing or snowmobiling. And believe me, I have begged a few people to take me along to ski off the last remaining patches of shitty wet snow, and no-one found that a good idea. Perhaps they were right. I will have to start my season earlier next time.

During the last weeks of May and first weeks of June, we monitor the progression of snowmelt – a key driver of the growing season – and set up our infrastructure and measurement systems for the coming summer.