Pictures & Words: Lyle Such
Camera: Canon 5d MkIV
The snow in Fairbanks at this time of year was too dry and fluffy to build a proper igloo. Instead, we built what they call a quinzhee.
A quinzhee is a Canadian snow shelter burrowed out of a pile of loose snow. While Nini and I want dog sledding, Thu built our mound.
After allowing the mound to sinter (snow crystals bonding together) overnight, we began the to hollow out the interior. A pot and spatula were Thu's tools of choice.
Nini and I cleared the snow.
Complete! Since we didn't build a traditional igloo with blocks, Nini and I drew in some fake block lines.
Inside we had cake and tea. Not a bad reward for all this hard work!
The view from our quinzhee.
I could have slept inside, unfortunately we didn't have any sleeping bags for the night.
Of course we had to have a shovel battle.
And of course there was dancing.
Leaving Fairbanks early in the morning.
We flew over Wrangell-St. Elias National Park on the way out. What an incredible landscape!