Bounded by Canada on the east, this wilderness area is highlighted by two sheer walled fjords, Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm, both narrow, deep and over 30 miles long. At the head of both fjords Tidewater glaciers calve regularly into the sea, making a ship's approach to their faces dangerous. Floating chunks of ice, some the size of a three story building, (according to the US Forest Service), often block access to the upper fjords, especially in the summer. Permanent ice, in fact, covers about one fifth of the wilderness. Rugged mountians dominate the landmass of the area, with steep valleys sparkling with high waterfalls. A young Alaska rain forest of spruce and hemlock grows to an elevation of about 1,500 feet. Wildlife include brown and black bears, mountian goats, wolves, a few Sitka black
... read more
