Kavasan

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During the last planning session for the spring fieldwork season, the team reviewed the state of the monitoring points installed in the upper valleys of Kavasan. The discussion focused on three main topics: the condition of the rockfall sensors after the winter freeze-thaw cycles, the schedule for measuring streamflow in the torrential channels, and the logistics of accessing the conifer forest transects above 1,600 meters.

One of the key decisions was to replace two dataloggers that stopped transmitting in February. The units are located on a north-facing slope where ice accumulation is common, and the repair window is narrow—once the snow melts, the ground becomes unstable for about three weeks. The team agreed to prioritize this task during the first week of June, right after the main access road is cleared.

Another point discussed was the need to update the contour maps for the western sector of the region. The existing cartography dates from 2018 and does not reflect the changes caused by a landslide in 2022. A field survey is planned for late July, when the vegetation is at its peak and the terrain is easier to read from a distance.

The session also covered the coordination with local hiking groups. Several routes cross the areas where the team will be working, and it is important to communicate the schedule in advance to avoid conflicts. A simple notice board will be placed at the trailhead of the main valley, and a digital version will be posted on the site.

In summary, the planning session confirmed that the upcoming season will be demanding but manageable. The concrete steps are clear, the resources are allocated, and the team is ready to start as soon as the weather allows.

The first week of any field season in the Kavasan valleys forces a series of concrete decisions. You arrive with a plan, but the ground conditions, the remaining snowpack on north-facing slopes, and the state of the torrent beds after the spring melt all rewrite the schedule. This post walks through the choices made during the initial seven days of a recent survey, focusing on what worked, what did not, and why.

We started at the lower end of the main valley, around 1,200 metres, where the conifer forest is dense and the undergrowth still wet from the morning fog. The original intention was to cover three transects per day, but the first afternoon made it clear that two was the realistic limit. The ground was soft, the footing uncertain on the granite slabs, and the GPS signal unreliable under the canopy. The tradeoff was simple: fewer data points but better accuracy per stop. We chose accuracy.

By day three, we had shifted the route to the eastern ridge, where the pines thin out and the rock is exposed. The wind there was stronger, and the temperature dropped five degrees compared to the valley floor. The planned overnight camp at 1,800 metres had to be moved down to 1,650 because the snowfield at the original site had not melted enough to provide level ground. That decision cost us an hour of daylight but saved the team from sleeping on a slope.

The torrent crossings were the most time-consuming part of the week. The spring runoff was still high, and the stones were slick with algae. We had to backtrack twice to find safer fords, adding almost three kilometres of extra walking on day five. In hindsight, the map had shown those crossings as seasonal, but the scale did not indicate the delay. Next time, we will carry a more detailed contour sheet for the middle section of the valley.

The last two days were spent on the western slope, where the forest gives way to scree and isolated stands of mountain pine. The visibility was good, and we managed to complete the planned transects without major deviations. The main lesson from the first week was that the terrain dictates the pace, not the schedule. Accepting that early made the rest of the survey more productive and less frustrating.

Notes From a Recent Planning Session

A Practical Look at the First Week