By mid-May 2002, the high-altitude drill team had reached the upper part of the Logan massif enroute to the drill site at Prospector-Russell Col. Photo credit Eric Ruffa, 2001

Once again, Canada's highest mountain is looking down on teams of scientists searching among the snow and ice of the southwest Yukon for secrets of past climate.

In 2001, the Geological Survey of Canada led a major expedition to Mount Logan to collect snow and ice samples and record current climate conditions.

Now, in 2002, the scientists are back, this time to complete the last major field phase of the ICE2001 project and continue surface sampling and observations.

This is the first of weekly reports on their progress. Focus will be placed on completion of the deep drilling and recovery of an ice core from the icefield at 5,300 metres above sea level, an extremely challenging elevation for research. The 2001 project helped stimulate a remarkable three additional, complementary ice core projects in 2002, all within the same remote northwest corner of the continent.

Scientists traveling on the Quintino Sella glacier to collect snow samples for later analysis. Photo credit John Legg, 2001

The research season has already begun on Mount Logan. As this report is being prepared, the NRCan team is completing the demanding ski trip (see photo 1) up to the 5,300 metre-high drill site at Prospector-Russell Col.

Once there, the team will take last year's equipment out of its snow covered cache and set about finishing the ice core, 173 metres (75%) of which was completed last year. Weekly reports covering the team's progress and other interesting activities (see photo 2) will be posted here over the next two months.