Field Season Information
The Expedition
The JIRP Undergraduate Field Course (known to JIRPers as “The Expedition”) is a summer academic experience structured around an eight-week traverse of the Juneau Icefield. As the group makes its way from Juneau, AK to Atlin, BC, 32 students learn a wide variety of alpine travel skills, glacier science, and research techniques. JIRP staff and faculty accompany students to guide their growing independence, both traveling across the glaciers and conducting research projects.
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.
First Things First: Dates
We know it is helpful to have arrival and departure dates to be able to consider your (possible) participation in JIRP. Specific dates will be available to participants in late winter.
Arrival: Mid-June
Departure: Mid-August
Students
Arrival: End of May
Departure: Mid/Late August
Staff
While students and staff are on the Icefield for the entire eight-week program, faculty cycle in and out of the Expedition. More information about the Block Schedule is linked below, and Faculty Travel dates are available on the Faculty Schedule page.
Teaching Faculty
Office Hours
Starting in Februrary, the JIRP staff will offer weekly Office Hours for accepted participants. This is a space to ask questions about gear, travel schedules, and the logistics of JIRP. Occasionally a member of the Academic Council will join to answer academic questions. Accepted participants will hear more via email after their enrollment is confirmed.
Learn More about Expedition Life
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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 members’ days as students to a funny story from the morning's field work. Learn more about who cooks, the menu options, and how we accommodate dietary restrictions.
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THE BIG PICTURE
Week to week, we can give you a reasonable idea of what the expedition will look like this summer. The daily schedule is tricky because it constantly changes due to weather and glacier conditions. That said, here's what we do know.
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FIELD CAMPS
An overview of where we live during the field summer. Here we cover bunks, 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.
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BLOCK SCHEDULE
While students and staff are on the Icefield for the entire eight-week program, faculty cycle in and out of the Expedition for ~2 week blocks. Learn more about the academic arc of the summer here. This information complements the Big Picture and Field Camps sections.
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PERSONAL HYGIENE
Showering, laundry, using the bathroom, and more - all the info is here!
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MENSTRUATION
Menstruation in the field is a topic that all members of the expedition will deal with either directly or indirectly. We strive to treat menstruation as another everyday necessity of life in the field by providing as much information about what to expect as possible.
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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.
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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.