Girdwood to Portage, AK
We left Crow
Creek Mine and our plans were to continue on to Hope but as plans sometimes do, they were changed. We didn't get very far today though, only 21 miles. We stayed the night at the turnout at Ingram Creek.
We left Crow
Creek Mine and our plans were to continue on to Hope but as plans sometimes do, they were changed. We didn't get very far today though, only 21 miles. We stayed the night at the turnout at Ingram Creek. 
Let me tell you a little story about Ken and Ingram Creek. Back in 2004 Ken found a dead Ocotello Cactus and made himself a walking stick. He has used this many times over the years and is very fond of it. Of course, it is a conversation starter and he loves telling people what it is and how it came to be. Well, he went for a walk down to the creek and was standing there watching the water rush under the bridge when he noticed he had dropped his walking stick and it was taking a trip under the bridge. He rushed across the highway and was just in time to retrieve it before it was lost forever. Of course, he had to wade into the water get the stick, so by the time he came back and related what happened, he was soaked up to his knees. But he was happy - he still had his walking stick.The next morning as we were getting ready to leave, we decided we needed t
o go to Portage and see the Portage Glacier. There is a nice little boat excursion and Fran had given us a coupon so we paid for one and got one for free. As we were waiting for the boarding call, someone spotted a bear through the window up on the hill foraging in the grass. After a while, a smaller bear was spotted foraging with her - her cub. It was fun to watch them as they filled up their bellies.
o go to Portage and see the Portage Glacier. There is a nice little boat excursion and Fran had given us a coupon so we paid for one and got one for free. As we were waiting for the boarding call, someone spotted a bear through the window up on the hill foraging in the grass. After a while, a smaller bear was spotted foraging with her - her cub. It was fun to watch them as they filled up their bellies.
The lake is beautiful and again, the pretty blue 
from the glacial run off. We got pretty close to the Portage Glacier and were lucky enough to see a couple of small pieces calve off and also to see a couple of bigger pieces - now icebergs - floating in the lake. Of some amusement were the shoes one of the passengers were wearing. This must be a fashion for those that like to go barefoot, but still need 
some protection.
from the glacial run off. We got pretty close to the Portage Glacier and were lucky enough to see a couple of small pieces calve off and also to see a couple of bigger pieces - now icebergs - floating in the lake. Of some amusement were the shoes one of the passengers were wearing. This must be a fashion for those that like to go barefoot, but still need some protection. 
After the 
boat trip we headed back towards Hope and were lucky enough to see several glaciers along the way. It is hard to imagine they are twenty feet - some of them - in depth and that they just hang there in th
e mountains and don't just slide off. We found out on the boat ride that it takes approximately 10 years to make a glacier. I thought they were left over from the ice age - and some of them are - but as the snow falls, then melts, it compacts into ice crystals which over time and having the weight of snow and ice pack every year, eventually become glaciers in their own right. We also learned that a valley shaped 
in a V shape was formed by rivers over hundreds of years and a valley shaped in a U shape was formed by glaciers. All very interesting.
boat trip we headed back towards Hope and were lucky enough to see several glaciers along the way. It is hard to imagine they are twenty feet - some of them - in depth and that they just hang there in th
e mountains and don't just slide off. We found out on the boat ride that it takes approximately 10 years to make a glacier. I thought they were left over from the ice age - and some of them are - but as the snow falls, then melts, it compacts into ice crystals which over time and having the weight of snow and ice pack every year, eventually become glaciers in their own right. We also learned that a valley shaped 
in a V shape was formed by rivers over hundreds of years and a valley shaped in a U shape was formed by glaciers. All very interesting.We didn't camp in Hope as the campground there was full so we traveled back down the Hope Highway and found a beautiful pull off that was perfect for viewing the bore tide again on the Turnagain Arm. Now we were on the opposite side of the arm and both of us were looking forward to watching the tide come in again.
Tomorrow we will head toward Seward and hopefully stay a couple of days to see everything in that area.
No comments:
Post a Comment