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ERDCinfo@usace.army.mil, 907-361-5149
Alaska Research Office
U.S. Army Engineer and Development Center | Cold Regions Research and Engineering

 

*The Permafrost Tunnel is NOT open for public tours, however, we offer access for research, outreach and education purposes by appointment only.

All tour requests affiliated with the University of Alaska Fairbanks are required to coordinate their tour requests through the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, please email uaf-vcr@alaska.edu or call (907) 474-6000.

 

Permafrost Tunnel Research Facility

Permafrost Tunnel Entry
Permafrost Tunnel Entry
Permafrost Tunnel
A split within the permafrost tunnel.
Tunnel Ice Wedge
A CRREL researcher studies an ice wedge, one of numerous massive ice features in the tunnel.
VideoFactsheet

Permafrost Tunnel Research Facility - PTRF 

Permafrost - ice wedges - ice lenses - other permafrost features - bones from the Pleistocene Epoch: bison, mammoth, horse...

Excavated from 1963–1969 for the study of permafrost, geology, ice science, and mining and construction techniques specific to permafrost environments, the PTRF is one of the the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the nation's unique, natural research facilities.

The Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory operates, maintains and provides research at this field site for the nation and the world as part of its mission for the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center.

The PTRF in Fox, Alaska 
is available for scientific research projects studying a frozen environment over 40,000 years old 
Contact Us!

Take a virtual tour of the PTRF

Explore an Arctic research facility first excavated in the 1960s, including features such as ice wedges as tall as houses, green grass from thousands of years ago, and bison bones embedded in permafrost. Some features are up to 40,000 years old! Learn about current research and rapid changes happening to permafrost.

Click here to be redirected to Ohio State University and take the tour.