Alaska Day 5 - Matanuska Glacier

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I awaken with a start thinking wow – what a dream. It’s early so I start cleaning up pictures to post with yesterday’s story. Takes but a moment to realize no dream at all – Bob really did take me up in his plane and everything comes rushing back. I don’t know that anything on this trip will top that for sure.

I have a timetable to meet today because I have a reservation to do the Matanuska Glacier Trek at 11:30. I work on the blog a bit while greeting the dogs and the surroundings wake up to another day. I meet Diane who is the one I actually reserved with. Brenda had to go out for the day so Diane has come in to see to things. I am again beset with a breakfast that should last me all day – French Toast, sausage, fruit, juice, coffee. Can’t stay here too long as I’ll gain weight for sure just on breakfast. Diane has an extraordinary story as well - One that I don’t feel particularly correct in sharing all I heard so just a tidbit from which you can imagine the heartfelt stories. She and her husband foster and sometimes adopt special needs children. The children that they have positively impacted are absolutely heartwarming. They don’t just talk about helping; they’ve done it over and over and over again. I pray and hope the best for them in their latest endeavors.

I get my actual hiking boots on for the first Alaskan trek and pack an extra layer of clothes, some snacks, and water. Diane gives me a baggie full of cashews as I head out. They do think of everything! The drive is short to get to Mica Guides and there are plenty of people preparing for the different trips they offer – Glacier Walk, Glacier Trek, Ice Climbing, and more. I had selected the Glacier Trek having been told it wasn’t strenuous and went deep enough to see things you wouldn’t see on just the walk. I was definitely not about to try Ice Climbing – at least not yet.

Brian is our group’s guide and we are fitted with crampons for when we get on to the glacier. We get instructions such as once on the actual glacial ice, we have to follow him exactly. He compares it to him being the momma ducks and we his ducklings charged to walk exactly where he walks and no wandering. We head to the van and are driven through a beautiful area leading to the Glacier start. This area is actually privately owned back from the homesteading days and there is a per person charge for anyone venturing in. Brian tells us they do maintain the road in and the start area for that charge. The whole family story leading up to now is quite interesting. I don’t recall all the detail and do not want to falsely represent it so we’ll leave it at that.

We get to the start and as reminders are given, I am looking at how we get to the Glacier and start wondering about the “ease” of this hike. Oh well, it is thankfully a good muscle day so onward and forward. We stop along the way for Brian to point out certain things. At the foot of the Glacier is an area where planks are put down because it is virtually impossible to walk through. There are places here where the deposits mimic quicksand. A picture doesn’t show it well so you won’t actually see it but his demonstration certainly keeps us footed on the planks of wood. He chips off a piece of glacial ice and provides some information. It is a cold that is different from anything coming out of the freezer – it’s colder than that and I can’t offer anything better in explanation.

It is quite a hike on the dirt covered ice (doesn’t really look like ice but it truly is). There is a stop for us to put the crampons on and then we are off again. We already have glacial views but truly nothing like what it is the closer you get. The power and majesty of the ice walls, caves, and blocks grows more intense. Along with that, our walk gets a little more treacherous and as Brian chooses which way we will go, we sometimes look at each other like really? …we’re going to walk along and through that crevice? On one I actually opt to walk in the water because walking along the side trying to balance just seems too much harder. I didn’t care about my boots getting wet. The interesting thing about that decision is the water is much deeper than it appears. So a little water does go over my one boot top but it wasn’t bad at all. It wasn’t enough to do any damage or cause my foot to freeze or anything. Brian agrees he didn’t think that would happen but of course uses that to explain why walking the glacier can be hazardous – things don’t always look the way they actually are. We get through that pass and walk through a more open area and then get to a place we just need to step up! Yeah…ok Brian…just hop right on up you say? He stays to help each person and we do all make it. The views change with every turn or upward movement. It is quite incredible. I also have the pictures in my head of what it looked like from the air. They are two totally different perspectives and two very different experiences.

I have done pretty well with the walking “Flat” (walk flat footed on the ice) and “Wide” (take wider steps so you don’t catch your pants leg or the crampon on the other foot. However, I sometimes struggle with the “High” (higher steps so you don’t catch the toe of your boot on the ice). I am reminded each time I miss when I feel the tip of my boot drag on the ice or do the ‘oops’ (almost trip) step.

We enjoy glacial water twice on the trek. It can give you brain freeze faster than any ice cream. We enjoy our snacks standing or leaning on the various ice formations and then start heading back. We go back a different way and see different angles of the surrounding area and different formations of the ice. I only wish I could retain what Brian all told us from how the formations occur. I have made notations on a couple of pictures that I do actually remember. I had the hardest time understanding how these big boulders would actually roll backwards until toward the end he pointed one out that he said would roll in the coming weeks. He sees this stuff every day so he pointed out areas where there was ice at the beginning of the summer that is now gone (glacier receding) or specific spots where he says the ice will fall in the next couple of days or weeks. Sometimes he steers us a different way because of the changes he is aware of. We’ve see folks out here without a guide and in tennis shoes. I’m not that brave! Evidently some of those folks who choose to see the glacier unguided or unfitted end up needing emergency help in the end. It’s more broken bones, getting stuck, or otherwise unable to get out that prompts a call. Brian does that as well when there is a need.

We have hiked pretty much non-stop except for the one break for three hours. Not doing too bad but we’ll see what the evening brings after this. The blue of the ice, hearing the water rush next to us and underneath the ice, seeing the spectacular spikes or improbable balance of the blocks of ice or boulders on the has made it a wonderful experience. At one point Brian stopped us to listen and we heard a rock or piece of wood caught in an under ice current just rumble as you could imagine it just tumbling in the current - Very interesting.

We take the ride back crossing the now rushing Matanuska River. It’s a warm day with the sun beating down so the melting causes the faster current. I stop at the overlook on the way back to the lodge and realize the glacier looks so much different now. It is extraordinary at the overlook when you drive by but having flown over it and now walked on it; it is that much more incredible to look at.

It’s nap time back at the lodge pretty much for everyone. The rest is definitely needed more than any sleep. I decide to go to Sheep Mountain Lodge for dinner since I’ve been there but haven’t eaten there. Brenda told me they hire a cook for the summer so I want to check it out. I have the Cajun Blackened Halibut – fresh here in Alaska – with rice and zucchini. What a treat!! The Halibut is done perfectly – flaky and moist with the Cajun spicing on top not too hot but enough to flavor. I read for a bit and then have some chocolate ice cream – it’s summer here after all 😉 I take a leisurely ride back to the Lodge where Brenda is gathered with some friends. They are all great people with very interesting stories. It is great to listen and share for a bit. Again I am caught by how light it remains because I’m thinking it’s only about 8:30 and it’s actually after 10pm. I try to work on pictures again but fall asleep in the chair. Not sure I’m allowing myself enough sleep/rest up here. It’s just so hard when there is so much light. It’s not hard to actually sleep when you do so; it’s the pushing yourself to actually go to bed versus staying up to watch the dusk settle in. I’m sure I’ll learn or will get to the point I just have to allow more sleep time! Another great day in Alaska.

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Photos

Glacier Trek Fitting
Helmet and ice crampons (not sure I'm spelling that right)

Glacier Trek Instruction
I am paying attention even though taking this photo

Getting Started
Looks really close but there's actually a valley we have to get through to get there

Remember our instructions?
We follow Mamma Duck exactly!

There was a real name for this
I just can't remember what it is. Fascinating nonetheless!

Table or Tabletop Rock
They are moved along the floor of the glacier - rolling backward. I don't get it at this point looking at this.

See how it's changing?
We were on ice that looked like black hills. Now on what looks like semi-ice but it is all ice!

Kids on the incline!
They know no fear obviously.

No closer than this...
...Brian believes it's unsteady and will shed some of the ice. I believe him! We can hear the water running.

You can see here what you can't see from afar
Layers upon layers of different ice parts

Comments

[eileen]

Need to improve
I need to improve my vocabulary. I am so awed by your adventures and running out of words to explain my delight!!!

[Vickie Hart]

Well Done!
What an amazing, amazing experience! Thanks for taking us along. Oh, and BTW...this picture made me just smile :-).

[RitaB Travels]

Prayers worked
No flat tire coming out!!