…continued from the
previous post
After leaving Denali National Park, the next stop on my itinerary was Juneau and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.
Juneau, the capital city of Alaska, springs to life during summer. Many Alaskan cruises dock at Juneau and tourists trawl the streets of Juneau.
The most popular attraction in Juneau is the mighty, magnificent Mendenhall Glacier. Everything about the Mendenhall is massive: its face is 100 feet tall and 1.5 miles wide; its length is over 12 miles. Large as it is, the Mendenhall is just a tiny part of the Juneau Icefield, an expanse of interconnected glaciers that sits atop the mountains behind Juneau. The Icefield covers 1,500 square miles.
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| Mendenhall Glacier |
The Mendenhall Glacier and Visitor Center has great exhibits to learn about the Glacial Phenomenal and to appreciate the enormous size of the Juneau Icefield. It is also the starting point of many hiking trail around the Glacier.
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| Glacial Ice that has been calved off |
As I watched glacial ice drifting in the Mendenhall Glacier lake, I once again thought to myself that nature was truly amazing. I picked up a piece of glacial ice that found its way to shore. The journey this piece of ice took was nothing short of fascinating – taking 250 years to form, calving off the bluish Mendenhall and making its way into my hand. A piece of history without words. Old ice in a new age.
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| 250 year old Glacial Ice |
Ride the Mt Robert tramway for one of the most expansive views in SouthEast Alaska. There is the Chilkkat Mountains to the north, the Gastineau Channel to the south, Douglas Island to the west and the Silver Bowl Basin to the East. At the top, you will find hiking trails, an observatory, nature center etc.
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| View from the top |
Mount Robert Tramway
Other things you can do is to visit the Douglas Island Pink & Chum Salmon Hatchery to learn about the salmon spawning process and to take the opportunity to taste a variety of salmon samples such as: king salmon dip, salmon caviar, salmon jerky and canned salmon. The Alaskan Brew Company also makes for an interesting visit to learn about brewing and bottling operations while sipping on their gold-rush recipe, Alaskan Amber, and other tasty brews.
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| Alaskan Brewery |
Leaving Juneau, I made my way to the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve lies west of Juneau and can only be reached by plane or boat. The only road connects it to the small town of Gustavus and its airfield to park headquarters at Bartlett Cove. I reached the town of Gustavus by taking a short 30min ride on a Piper Cherokee Six.
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| Gustavus Airfield |
Glacier Bay was originally discovered by John Muir in 1879 and was proclaimed a U.S. national monument in 1925. The world’s largest protected marine sanctuary, Glacier Bay National Park Preserve has attracted not only tourists wishing to catch a calving glacier up close and personal, but geologists and scientists interested in studying what are thought to be the fastest moving glaciers in the world.
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| Bartlett Cove |
Glacier Bay National Park is one of the most serene places I have visited. I arrived at Bartlett Cove just in time to witness the amber sun set over the Fairweather Mountains. Standing on a boardwalk at the water’s edge, I felt miniscule amidst the vast and tranquil backdrop. I remembered with great regret that I had only scheduled two nights in this idyllic setting.
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| Sunset at Bartlett Cove |
The various travel guidebooks that I had read in preparation for the trip had not prepared me for how breathtaking Glacier Bay truly is.The wonders of Glacier Bay is best described through an unhurried, personal encounter; taking a snapshot with your senses.
I went on a day cruise around Glacier Bay. The Park Ranger onboard my cruise was extremely knowledge. She told us about its history, explained the natural phenomena ongoing in Glacial Bay and pointed out humpback whales, stellar sea lions, different varieties of seabirds, bears etc along the way.
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| Sea Lions at Marble Island in Glacier Bay |
Glacier Bay National Park was the last stop of my Alaskan Adventure. In the future, I would love to return to Alaska and continue to explore the other parts of this beautiful place.
"To the lover of pure wildness Alaska is one of the most wonderful countries in the world." ..."it seems as if surely we must at length reach the very paradise of the poets, the abode of the blessed."
-- John Muir
Your Travel Beacon,
Cindy
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