Sept 11, 2011
Today we have traveled from Brooks Lodge to Kulik via Float Plane. From Kulik to Anchorage on a Twin Engine Cessna. In Anchorage, we rented a car and drove a 126 miles from Anchorage down to Seward.
The day is clear and sunny. The drive pleasant. The Alaskan mountains rise tall above us, still capped with snow and ice. We are on our way to visit NP#29 - Kenai Fjords. Most of this National Park is already closed for the season. However, the Exit Glacier Nature Center is still open for visitation.
We will stay at the Holiday Inn in Seward for a couple of nights before heading back to civilization. The Receptionist at the Holiday suggests we dine at Ray's. She says they have the best seafood in Seward. We ate there both nights and I would have to agree with her.
Sept 12 - Trail head of Harding Icefields
The following morning, the weather has changed dramatically. The sun has disappeared. Rain is in the forecast...but that doesn't dampen our spirits. We pack up our bags, find a local greasy spoon for a hearty breakfast and then head up to the Nature Center to explore Exit Glacier.
Exit Glacier
Exit Glacier descends 2,700 feet over its two-mile length. It is one of 38 glaciers that flow out of the Harding Icefields - a 300 square mile mass of ice that sits atop the Kenai Mountain Range.
Like most of the glaciers we've encountered these past three weeks, Exit Glacier is retreating faster than my hairline. Along the 9 mile road leading up to the Glacier, Terry and I noticed several signs. 1899. 1923. 1943. 1951...etc. We came to find out that each of these markers were where Exit Glacier terminated in that year. In the past 200 years, Exit has shrunk a good 8 miles.
We attempted to touch the toe of the Glacier; however, the runoff creating Exit Creek was too deep ( and too cold) for us to attempt a crossing. Instead, we chose to hike the Harding Icefield Trail.
Creek Crossing
After exploring the Edge of the Glacier, we began our trek up The Harding Icefield Trail. This moderately strenuous hike is a four-mile one-way hike up the mountain and parallels Exit Glacier. The first mile or so is the steepest.
Today, we officially break in the Rain Gear we've been hauling with us for the past year as a gentle rain begins to dampen the Sitka Spruce.
Exit Glacier
Whether advancing or retreating, all glaciers are in constant motion - hence the wrinkles and crevasses. As the ice compacts, the pressure squeezes out most all of the oxygen in the ice which helps to create that eerie blue hue to the glacier.
Waning Color
Unlike Denali, Kenai only exhibited a modest amount of Fall Color.
Harding Icefields Trail
Along the Trail, we met an older gentleman who warned us about the momma Grizzly and her two cubs that were heading our way. He pointed out far into the distance where we see three white specks walking high on the mountain. Me thinks to myself, "this old guy's eyes are worse off than mine." If those are Grizzlies...then we are seeing the world's only albino bears. Either that...or these are Polar Bears far from home. I've never seen or heard of white Grizzly Bears.
As it turns out, the three critters turn out to be Mountain Goats...not Grizzlies!
Lupine in Bloom
We found colorful Mushrooms in Glacier Bay; incredible fall color at Denali; crimson colored fish in Katmai; and the only place we came across flowers was here in Kenai. I must say, if you want to see wildflowers, Alaska is NOT your hunting grounds. At least not in September. For wildflower viewing, Mt. Rainier is definitely tops.
End of Season Buds
By this time, we'd become weary of looking at dirty ice. Anything with color caught our eye. As we descended the Harding Icefield Trail, the last bit of color we found were these bluish-purple buds.
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