Tundra Hole on Adak

Michael Gordon, on December 16, 2007, said:

Please take seriously advice to not hike alone on Adak. Water sometimes erodes the dirt out from under the tundra, but the roots stay connected and you do not see the hollow until you step on it. I once stepped on tundra and a WAVE spread out -- the grass was floating on a pond, completely covering water! Slightly safer is to always walk on a slight slope or on ridges and poke the ground in front of you with a pole. The pole can also help you get out of a hole. (Photo made May 1977). This photo is staged; it's a real hole but we found it before falling in.