You're coming (or thinking of coming) to the Juneau Icefield for the summer field season. What exactly is that going to look like? Where do we live? What do we eat? How cold will it be? If you're curious about any of these questions, explore the links below. We at JIRP make every effort to let you know what we expect of you and what you can expect of us- our aim is to teach students skills to be competent field researchers, not to keep you guessing about what your summer is going to look like.

Food

Food is a communal affair on the Icefield- we all eat together, and it's common for dinner table conversation to range from discussion of yesterday's lecture, to tall tales of the faculty member's days as students, and back to a funny story from the morning's field work. Learn more about who cooks, the menu options, and how we accommodate dietary restrictions. 

The Schedule

Week to week, we can give you a reasonable idea of what the expedition will be working on this summer. The daily schedule is tricky because it will be subject to constant change due to weather and glacier conditions. That said, here's what we do know.

Field Camps

An overview of where we live during the field summer. It's all here- bunks, bathrooms, electricity, and mail delivery. JIRP camps are all different and we'll all spend time at each of the big ones, but they all have a lot in common. Whether you're sleeping in the Hilton or the Armpit (both real bunkhouses), here's what you can expect.

Weather

Overall, the Juneau Icefield is rainy and fairly temperate to chilly. Here's some information on what to expect for weather while we're studying climate.

FAQs

How does JIRP number the camps? What if I need to see a doctor during the field season? How do you pronounce the word "JIRP"? We're constantly adding to this page, so let us know if you don't find an answer to your question.